Here’s a thought: Why not host a bridal luncheon for your inner circle after the Big Day? That was the thinking behind this shoot put together by the two girl-bosses of The Curated Weekend, a social media managing outfit and content creation group run by Andrea Serrano and Liz Martin. (The two recently embarked on their partnership; Andrea’s known for her Charleston Shop Curator blog and Liz for both her Charleston Weekender blog and Cannonborough Collective boutique, where everything from gifts to seriously ’gram-worthy balloons are sold.)
“The wedding weekend becomes so much about the bride,” says Liz, “that scheduling time with your besties gets squeezed in as time allows.” When you all gather post-“I do’s” you can break down the best of the wedding weekend, fill each other in on what was missed, and reconnect for the newest chapters in each other’s lives. And because every get-together goes better with a theme, Andrea and Liz came up with a “The Golden Girls” styled brunch to say “Thank you for being a friend” (for the uninitiated, that’s the theme song from the 1980s show about four golden-years women living together in a tropical retirement community). Take a look at what they put together in the gallery and tune into their takeaways.
TRY THESE TAKEAWAYS
Hand-address invites.
No matter the scale of the gathering, Andrea and Liz say hand-addressing sets a more intimate tone.
Say “Yes” to a staycation.
Make your gathering a getaway and book one of the myriad rentals around town just for the day.
Pick a theme and coordinating palette.
The wedding festivities may have passed, but you can still pamper yourselves with a posh party. Edit your decorations, florals, and palette. Here, they filled the house with tropical plants, rattan elements, and pastels—all apropos for “The Golden Girls” theme.
Gift some goodies.
Assemble themed swag for your honorees. The pineapple earrings they picked impart a tropical “welcome.”
Slip into something comfortable.
Greet guests with a pair of slippers (like these Birdies from The Skinny Dip Charleston) upon arrival.
Outsource.
Consider putting aside a small portion of your wedding budget for your after-the-fact bridal luncheon to allow for hiring a caterer and florist (like Hamby's Catering and Events and Petaloso here).
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