A Malibu Vineyard Baby Shower
Meet Mackenzie & Collin.
Mackenzie is one of my dearest friends. We met as wee middle-schoolers in after-school drama club and have been besties ever since. The minute she told me she was pregnant, I knew I wanted to throw her a baby shower. Collin and Mackenzie decided to wait until the birth to find out the baby's sex, so I had the fun challenge of designing a shower with neutral themes.
One of Mackenzie's favorite places in Los Angeles is Malibu Family Wines. We've spent many a fun weekend there picnicking, tasting wine, and enjoying the live music. She had friends flying in from all over the country for the shower, so she wanted them to have a great time and show them a great spot in LA (even though the mama-to-be herself couldn't indulge in the vino!)
With such a beautiful setting, I kept the decor simple. I was inspired by the natural elements of the venue, like the wood farm table and the **not pictured** rolling green hills of Malibu. Also digging the lens flare in the photo.
Teal, yellow, and white worked well together and felt both "baby-like" and gender neutral.
The different flowers and colors add texture and dimension - this centerpiece looks complex but was easily and quickly assembled.
I've never met a cheese I didn't like. Who doesn't like a good cheese and fruit spread?
Two small, square vases mixed in with the food and drinks tied the whole table together.
I recommend getting some memorable shots of the mama-to-be. Doesn't Mackenzie look stunning here?
I was so honored to help celebrate the arrival of such a loved baby. Mackenzie and Collin are going to make amazing parents - do you think it will be a boy or a girl?!
HOW TO DIY
Balloons: Party City Basic balloons cost about $1.20 each (helium included). Find a store closest to you and order a day or so before your event. They will have your balloons ready to go the morning of your event. I used 3 teal, 3 white, and 3 pearl. Layer colors to make a visual statement.
Cake: SusieCakes I ordered the vanilla celebration cake, which is not only the best flavor (in my humble opinion) but it also automatically comes in TEAL - umm, hello, thank you for perfectly matching my color scheme! With 25 guests attending, the 6" cake at $38+tax was the right amount. The "welcome baby" stork sign ($12) was also from SusieCakes. The small flowers on and surrounding the cake were added later (by me) from the bouquets I got for the rest of the flower arrangements.
Flowers: Trader Joe's You can cut some serious costs by buying and arranging flowers by yourself. Buy 4-5 different bouquets that compliment each other with texture and color. The long cylinder vase ($25) and two short square vases ($12 each) were from Michael's, which has a huge selection. I looked at it as an investment, as I'm sure to use them again in future events. There's no "right way" to arrange flowers, so don't worry about getting it perfect - just start cutting and placing and all of a sudden, you'll have a gorgeous arrangement!
Food: Trader Joe's Talk about a one-stop-shop! They have the best cheese selection at a fraction of the price you'd pay at other stores. I also made Bacon-Wrapped Dates and Deviled Eggs.
Chalkboard Sign: Target + Chalk&Awe I picked this sign up a while ago at a back-to-school sale for maybe $5. My amazingly talented friend, Gabi Milo, is an incredible chalk-calligrapher and did this sign as a gift to Mackenzie and Collin. Check out her Instagram @chalkandawe.
Table Reservation: Malibu Wines Now here's where the bulk of your cost will come from. An extra large table (fits 12 guests) is $192 plus minimum 3 bottles of wine. They do have free seating on the grass, but for this event, I definitely wanted the table (where else would the decorations go?!) My boyfriend works in the beer industry and happens to know the owners of Malibu Wines...who generously gave us the table for free!
