Planning a Bridal Shower with Austin, TX Flair
Hello, lovely bride-to-be (or her sister, or best friend—thank you for planning)! Looking for bridal shower inspiration? The purpose of a bridal shower is for the bride-to-be’s friends and family to shower her with food, gifts, and love to help prepare her for her upcoming marriage. While an old-fashioned idea, the celebration doesn’t have to be stuffy—and if you’re interested in making it the definition of an Austin, TX bridal shower, we have some suggestions for you!
Things to Do
To start, let’s chat about themes and activities. White there are plenty of traditional bridal shower activities, here’s how you can step it up a notch and give the party some Austin flair:
- You’re planning a bridal shower in the live music capital of the world, so create some live music yourself with a karaoke corner! If your guests need liquid courage in order to belt out their favorite tunes, consider hiring Chapter Social + Spirits as your private bartender. We can personally attest to the deliciousness of their cocktails.
- Wanting a more low-key, backyard brunch situation for your Austin bridal shower? You can find food and coffee trucks in just about every neighborhood in Austin so it would only be appropriate to have a little coffee truck come to you! Book Luna Espresso and all of your guests will be happy and caffeinated.
- Take inspiration from the nature that Austin has to offer and have a flower bar where your guests can make take-home bouquets! Hello Flower Bar will bring a DIY flower bar to you.
- Austin is constantly growing and becoming home to the hottest brands. Visit Jo Malone London in the Domain for your bridal shower and they’ll help you and your guests find your own custom scent. We’ve been and trust us, you’re going to want to try every single perfume option in their beautifully designed store. Not to mention, this would be the perfect time to decide on the scent you’ll wear on your wedding day!
Places to Go
Rather than clearing out your living room to make space, consider holding the bridal shower in a cool private dining room or event venue. Austin has a wealth of unique restaurants, and we also have some other great venues that you may not have thought of to recommend!
- Atelier 1205 – If you’ve been to Austin, you know we have a love for turning old houses into restaurants and venues. Atelier 1205 is a recently restored 1915 bungalow in East Austin. It’s great location and charming interior make for a perfect bridal shower spot!
- Hotel Magdalena – Hotel Magdalena is an urban retreat in the heart of South Congress that draws inspiration from Austin’s 1970’s lake culture. If you want to feel like you’re at a mid-century lake house in the heart of the city, the hotel’s lawn is the place for your shower—a little oasis!
- Prospect House – If you don’t want to take a little 20 minute drive from downtown Austin for some more serene Texas Hill Country vibes, Prospect House is a lovely option. A mix of a bright, airy venue and nature scenes for the chill bride!
- Jo Malone London – We mentioned this new store location above and their custom scent offering. Once you see photos of it, you’ll be sold too! It’s a modern, stunning little boutique and they are happy to host private parties.
If none of these venues are quite right for the bridal shower you’re planning, the Austin Venue Collective is a great resource for some of the city’s coolest restaurant and bar spaces that also function as venues. Renting a restaurant or bar space means the main items like food, tables, and seating are immediately taken care of. This leaves more room for fun decor elements and activity planning!
Pieces to Rent
Our outdoor-ready French 75 tables and chairs look right at home in any space and save on the cost of tablecloths. A few sets of these will elevate any outdoor space or backyard and their Paris-chic vibes are a no-brainer for a bridal shower. Another cool option for a backyard or outdoor shower is a low lounge, picnic-style setup. Our Reposado Low Dining Table paired with some pillows makes for a chic place to enjoy drinks and bites.
Another bridal shower idea is to forget the tables and chairs altogether and go all-lounge, baby! Your guests will appreciate the laid-back vibe and it will feel like you’ve transported your comfy living room to the outdoors or into your venue. Browse our Pre-Styled Lounges with options for any event vibe. A good lounge provides a place for the bride-to-be to open gifts, play games or just kick back and chat with friends and family.
If you’re booking a personal bartender, you’ll probably need a bar. We even have pink bars to give the event a little bit of color! Also, consider a shelf, like our Blonde Display Shelf for the bartender to display spirits, or to style with photos, floral arrangements, and more. The personal details you can display here will make the event even more memorable. Shelves can also be used as a serve-yourself bar moment—just add a champagne bucket and some glassware.
We also have great table options for spreads of food and so much more! For more rental recommendations, contact us.
At the end of the day, your bridal shower is an opportunity to spend time with close friends and family. That doesn’t mean there is a requirement to have the event at a relative’s home or an official event space. Take what tips & tricks you will and create your very own Austin, TX bridal shower. The only requirement is that you’re surrounded by loved ones and having a good time!
Photographers: Photo 1 – The Brothers Martens, Photo 2 – Mackenzie Smith Photo
