bride in front of flowers Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
` Martha Stewart Weddings View All A Musical Festival and a Green Couch Inspired This Couple’s Whimsical Garden Wedding in California 9 Wedding Trends You’ll See Everywhere in 2023, According to Wedding Planners and Event Designers 7 Wedding Dress and Accessory Trends Every Bride-to-Be Needs to Know About in 2023 Princess Eugenie Is Pregnant With Her Second Child—and Is Due This Summer
bride in front of flowers Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
bride in front of flowers Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
bride in front of flowers
Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Nicolette first met her fiancé, Manolo, at the hospital they worked at, where they got to know each other over the course of six months before dating. From that point on, the two were inseparable, and they spent about a year and a half together before their engagement.
On a trip to the Maldives, Manolo planned the perfect proposal. “The hotel staff kept calling the room asking to speak to him and he was very protective over the safe, so I knew he had something big planned,” says Nicolette. “Sure enough, on one of the days, he took me to a private sand bank, had dinner for us, and got down on one knee!”
After their engagement, Nicolette’s mom hosted a bridal shower for the couple and 33 guests on May 20, 2022, at Shinola Hotel in Detroit, Mich. The pair’s wedding color palette was fairly neutral with lots of white florals and greenery, so Nicolette wanted the bridal shower décor to be more playful.
The bride asked for wishbone chairs and cherry blossoms and left the rest up to the team at Ines and Marie Events. “Considering it was a fairly small event, we decided to go with bistro tables, which, along with the cherry blossoms, inspired the springtime in Paris theme,” says Nicolette.
bridal shower invitation suite Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Flower-Filled Invitation Suite
The ivory-and-blush invitation suite was printed on a floral envelope liner and finished with gold wax seals. As for the dress code listed in the invitations? Guests were asked to wear city-chic attire.
bride holding flowers Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Here Comes the Bride-to-Be
Nicolette wore a white BCBG dress that Manolo bought her years ago. “I kept it hidden away for a special day,” she says. “Little did I know I would be wearing it to our shower!” She finished her look with YSL shoes.
bride and groom at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Right By Her Side
Manolo made his appearance in a blue suit with a thin navy tie. “While it was non-traditional for the groom to be at the shower the entire time, our guests that weren’t able to attend the [destination] wedding really enjoyed getting to meet Manolo and spending time with him,” says Nicolette.
bridal shower venue Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
The Shower Setup
Shinola Hotel’s glass conservatory room served as the perfect space to host Nicolette’s shower. The dark walls and ceilings and black-and-white flooring were contrasted by the ivory linens and pink florals.
cherry blossom tree at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Cheery and Cherry
Pink cherry blossom trees were brought in from Black Tie Events to enhance the bride’s vision for her “springtime in Paris” theme.
table numbers at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Take Your Seats
The table numbers and menus were printed with the same colors and fonts to mirror the ivory-and-blush wedding invitation suite.
place settings at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Perfectly Placed
White charger plates paired with gold-and-white flatware on the tablescape. Blush velvet napkins were folded at each place setting and topped with floral-wrapped favors.
escort cards on cocktails at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Escort Card Cocktails
As guests arrived, they were offered Sparkling Greyhound cocktails garnished with fresh florals. Each drink held a branded topper with the guest’s name and seat.
signature cocktails at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Signature Sip
Along with the welcome drink, Nicolette’s loved ones also sipped on French 75s, while “French chic” music played in the background, inspired by the Netflix show Emily in Paris.
bridal shower appetizers Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Savoring the Food Selection
Guests enjoyed passed appetizers and a meal during the bridal shower, choosing between a rigatoni lamb bolognese dish with ricotta and mint, or a roasted chicken rosalina with creamy polenta and agrodolce peppers for the main course.
variety of flowers at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
The Flower Market
A display with a custom “Nicolette’s Flower Market” sign featured a variety of pink and neutral stems.
flower bouquet station at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Blooming Bouquets
Instead of games, guests made their own bouquets from the flower market. The ladies from Ines and Marie helped wrap each guest’s bouquet in pink paper and ribbon. A branded sticker that matched the signage for the flower market and the invitation suite was the finishing touch. “It was so fun to see guests create their own bouquets to take home,” Nicolette says. “Everyone loved it!”
white bridal shower cake with cherry blossoms Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Flower Power
The two-tier pink confection, garnished with cherry blossoms, included lemon blueberry elderflower-soaked vanilla cake with lemon curd and blueberries.
pink macarons at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Think Pink!
In addition to cake, guests were offered pink macarons from Canelle by Matt Knio Bakery.
chocolate at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Sweet Favors
The hotel provides salted caramel and truffles chocolates, so Nicolette decided to wrap them in printed paper that matched the invitation suite. She added each guest’s name with a gold wax seal to serve as place cards.
espresso martinis at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Martini Toast
To cap off the night, Nicolette opened gifts (her personal favorite: a sentimental Waterford picture frame from her Godmother with a photo of her serving as the flower girl in her wedding 25 years prior) and toasted with espresso martinis.
groom kissing bride on cheek Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
Sources
Photography, Chelsey Barhorst PhotographyVideography, Caitlin Hon FilmsVenue and Catering, Shinola HotelEvent Planning, Flowers, and Stationery, Ines and Marie EventsBride’s Dress, BCBGBride’s Shoes, YSLBride’s Hair, Maddy Westenberg, One Society SalonBride’s Makeup, Linda KannaMacarons, Canelle by Matt Knio BakeryRentals, Nuage; BBJ; Black Tie Events; Detroit Chiavari
bridal shower invitation suite Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
bridal shower invitation suite
bride holding flowers Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
bride holding flowers
bride and groom at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
bride and groom at bridal shower
bridal shower venue Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
bridal shower venue
cherry blossom tree at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
cherry blossom tree at bridal shower
table numbers at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
table numbers at bridal shower
place settings at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
place settings at bridal shower
escort cards on cocktails at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
escort cards on cocktails at bridal shower
signature cocktails at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
signature cocktails at bridal shower
bridal shower appetizers Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
bridal shower appetizers
variety of flowers at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
variety of flowers at bridal shower
flower bouquet station at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
flower bouquet station at bridal shower
white bridal shower cake with cherry blossoms Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
white bridal shower cake with cherry blossoms
pink macarons at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
pink macarons at bridal shower
chocolate at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
chocolate at bridal shower
espresso martinis at bridal shower Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
espresso martinis at bridal shower
groom kissing bride on cheek Credit: Chelsey Barhorst Photography
groom kissing bride on cheek
` Martha Stewart Weddings View All A Musical Festival and a Green Couch Inspired This Couple’s Whimsical Garden Wedding in California 9 Wedding Trends You’ll See Everywhere in 2023, According to Wedding Planners and Event Designers 7 Wedding Dress and Accessory Trends Every Bride-to-Be Needs to Know About in 2023 Princess Eugenie Is Pregnant With Her Second Child—and Is Due This Summer
` Martha Stewart Weddings View All
A Musical Festival and a Green Couch Inspired This Couple’s Whimsical Garden Wedding in California 9 Wedding Trends You’ll See Everywhere in 2023, According to Wedding Planners and Event Designers 7 Wedding Dress and Accessory Trends Every Bride-to-Be Needs to Know About in 2023 Princess Eugenie Is Pregnant With Her Second Child—and Is Due This Summer
Martha Stewart Weddings View All
Martha Stewart Weddings
View All
Martha Stewart Weddings
Martha Stewart Weddings
