The beginning of Spring brings with it the onset of bridal shower season. We turned to Amanda Brogan of The Plantation Ballroom at Vickers Restaurant for answers to some frequently asked questions and trends in bridal showers at this historic Chester County wedding and event venue.
Photo credit: The Plantation Ballroom at Vickers Restaurant
Q: What is your favorite shower you have planned?
We hosted a fantastic bridal shower at The Plantation Ballroom at Vickers for about 70 women on a summer evening at 5:30 on a Friday night. We started on our outdoor patio with great hors d’oeuvres and moved inside for a fun buffet of handmade pizzas, three different salads, antipasti, and mini sandwiches and dips. We created a custom cocktail along with wine and coconut spiked iced tea. It was a “display shower” which meant that no gifts were opened that evening, and the focus was on eating, chatting, honoring the bride and socializing with guests.
Photo credit: Emily Ryan/The Plantation Ballroom at Vickers Restaurant
Q: Which reminds me: Is it rude to have a display shower?
A display shower is a great idea for large gatherings of 50 or more guests. The guests’ unwrapped gifts are displayed around the room for everyone to view on their own time and for the bride to see at her leisure. While this is far from traditional, it is something that we are seeing more and more of. It is a nice way of creating a more casual atmosphere for the bridal shower.
If you are worried that you will offend your close family members, it is a good idea to reserve a table for only your most special gifts. These would be any heirloom gifts and gifts from your grandmothers, special aunts, mother, mother-in-law or siblings. The host may request that these gifts be wrapped and those gifts you can unwrap in front of the crowd. This is a nice way to honor your special familial relationships and continue heirloom traditions.
Q: As the mother of the bride (or groom), should I contribute to the shower?
Absolutely! If you can contribute then by all means you should. A wedding is a big expense and when you add up bridesmaid’s dresses, wedding gifts, shower gifts, bachelorette parties and anything else that might come along, plus the expense of the shower, a bridesmaid can find quite a hefty debit in their bank account. Chances are, these gals are just starting out in their careers and you are in a more stable financial position than most of your daughter’s best pals, so if there is anything you can contribute I’m sure they would appreciate it. After all, a bigger budget means that you’ll really be able to do it up for your darling daughter and show your guests a bridal shower at Vickers that you (and your daughter) can be proud of!
Vickers Restaurant is the restored home of Chester County Potter John Vickers and was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. Its history and warmth has made it a mainstay in Chester County since 1972. Amanda Brogan is the Director of Events for Vickers Restaurant and the Ballroom at Vickers Restaurant. In addition to her experience planning fine food events she has also worked for numerous fashion magazines in New York City planning events for well-known brands. She loves to bring that big city high end knock-your-socks-off feel to every single event.