Breezy European Beach Vibes For This Chic + Sunny Bridal Shower

You’re not ready for this beautiful bridal shower story:

Bride-to-be Anna loves to travel. European beach destinations are some of her all-time favorites. So an Amalfi Coast vibe would be something Anna would totally adore.  

Sadly, Anna’s mom passed away a year and a half earlier. But to Anna’s mom’s best friend, Anna was like a daughter. She’d known her since she was born and wanted to throw Anna a beautiful bridal shower herself. So she approached the planners + event designers at Aliana Events and this gorgeous green + red coastal European luncheon took shape.

The best part? The whole thing was a complete surprise! Anna had no idea.

There were billowy green + white striped linens. There was an Italian feast. And you know the spritzes were flowing! We are obsessed with the day’s design and with the story of how it came to be. So glad photographer Lisette Gatliff was behind the lens that afternoon capturing this sweet + special shower!

How fun is this dried fruit-adorned drink tray! Explore our collection of creative drink serving ideas to start brainstorming your own bridal shower beverages.

Those adorable yellow + white striped fringe-edged umbrellas are sunny, coastal European perfection!

We are so into with the floral arrangements that Eddie Zaratsian created for Anna’s shower. So many edible details.

Want to make sure you don’t show up at your next bridal shower empty-handed? Check out our big list of creative bridal shower gifts she’ll love opening full of ideas at every price point.

Sometimes a boozy brunch is exactly the vibe, but take a look through our list of tasty mocktail recipes if you’re planning on skipping the day drinking at your next event.

How GORGEOUS does Anna look in her puff sleeve off-the-shoulder Zimmerman mini dress!

Discover your own dream bridal shower look in our roundup of our favorite fabulous bridal shower dresses!

Anna’s short white summer manicure was perfect for showing off her gorgeous round stone engagement ring 💍

These stylish shower guests found their fab floral looks at Anthropologie, Zimmerman, and Reformation—such great places to start if you’re on the hunt for chic summer dresses!

Time To Get Creative!

All you need are some brushes, some paints, and some white paper bamboo folding fans to replicate this super fun arts + crafts moment at your own event.

We are so in love with this fan painting station. You might even find it among our favorite ideas in our big bridal shower planning guide!

There was even a live fashion illustrator on hand capturing the guests and their stunning summery looks! Live illustration is such a special way to send your guests home with a unique memory of your day—one of our favorite trends to watch right now!

Sunshine + Stripes

This dreamy, drapey banquet table setup has us wanting to jet off to Italia.

Fun fact? All of the matching green + white striped linens for the shower were custom made to create a cohesive aesthetic.

Loving the way that The Ark worked pops of pink and natural wood details into the tabletop decor.

Some wise shower planning advice from Aliana Events: “Don’t follow trends – create trends yourself. Don’t worry about copying what’s trending if that doesn’t fit your personality. What elements of your life do you like (foods, places you like to travel, music, etc.)? Create the shower design by using inspiration from things you like, not just what you see on Instagram. Also, prioritize the menu matching the vibe of the event! Food is so important to the overall aesthetic.”

The day’s darling illustrated menus were designed to embrace the “farmer’s market chic” vibe and tie in the fresh fruits + veggies in the tablescape.

Okay, that sprig of baby’s breath attached to the rim with a mini wooden clothes pin? It’s almost too adorable!

Real Boy Kitchen went above and beyond creating the day’s iconically Italian spread.

Those hand painted fans! Still not over them. Not only did they keep guests cool in the summer heat, but they also doubled as lovely bridal shower favors.

“We went for a fun and colorful vibe in greens and reds and wanted something modern and different,” says Aliana Events. “We avoided traditional shower colors like pink or yellow.”

The modern, rounded, light wood rattan guest seating from MTB Event Rentals was chic, summery perfection with all the stripes!

Look Who Showed Up!

“Of course we loved when Anna’s fiancé showed up with a bouquet for her and surprised her to dance and hang out,” says Aliana Events. So romantic!

“We did no traditional shower games,” Aliana Events remembers. “Instead we put more focus on eating and drinking, conversation, dancing, etc.. Anna was more go with the flow – there was lots of dancing! Our drummer was like a beach in St. Tropez vibe that everyone loved.”

We loved every single second of this surprise sunny bridal shower. The Amalfi Coast vibe was absolutely immaculate. Anna, GWS wishes you nothing but happiness!