Bridal Buzz

Image via Dallas PinUp and Anne Taintour

Hop in a time machine to celebrate female beauty and girl power with this unique vintage themed bridal shower. Any bride who is infatuated with the retro styles of the 1950′s and 1960′s will love to have a full makeover into June Cleaver or a 1950′s pin-up model, courtesy of Dallas PinUp. This bridal shower will leave the bride with the perfect souvenir - a scrapbook of professional pin-up photos of her and all her friends. For all the details on this blast from the past, follow the jump.

Images via Marry This and Martha Stewart

This week’s Haute Hostess shower is an updated version of the “stock the kitchen” shower – but instead of providing a bride with appliances to create a meal, we think it’d be fun for your bride and guests to participate in a cooking class! Send out the invitations attached to cutting boards, with a recipe RSVP card for guests to write down instructions on to prepare their favorite dish. Guests can still bring the bride to be kitchen themed gifts, or everybody can go in for a big item, like a colorful Kitchen Aid mixer. Regardless of whether the bride loves to cook on her own or savor the culinary creations of others, this shower will be a hit with any food lover. Follow the jump for more details.

If you book your wedding reception, rehearsal dinner, or engagement affair (or any wedding-related party) at Sonny Bryan’s between now and January 31, you’ll receive 20 percent off catering for 75 people or more. The local BBQ joint can book private rooms at the West End and Richardson locations. It’s the perfect way to add a little Texas charm to your wedding event! If you’ve got the venue already picked out but want to serve up some BBQ grub, you can always hire them to come to you–they can accommodate up to 10,000 people at any event! (Now that’s a Texas-sized party). Visit their website or call 214-353-0027 to book.

Candy Button Cake from The Cake Blog, Ring Pop Invitation from Martha Stewart

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, there’s an abundance of pink, red, and heart- shaped candy for sale. Why not take advantage of this opportunity by turning it into a shower for a very sweet bride? The theme of this week’s shower could be “Sweethearts” or “Love is Sweet;” a theme that is heavenly for a bride who can’t resist her sweet tooth! Through a little creativity your invitation will present an impressive proposal – we’re thinking a ring pop elaborately wrapped and decorated with your invitation. Another fun invitation idea could be printing out the invitation and using it as the wrapper for the bride’s favorite candy bar. Find out more about this sweet treat of a party after the jump.

photo courtesy HairBar

We’re starting a new series on BridalBuzz called The Haute Hostess. Our very creative and resourceful intern Margaux Anbouba has been charged with creating creative shower ideas while including helpful tips and hints. She’s focusing on local business so you can make these shower ideas a reality.

Planning a wedding can be stressful for the bride – so why not use her bridal shower as an excuse to pamper her? We aren’t talking about your typical “spa day” themed shower, but something a little more creative. Take the bride to get her hair and makeup done, and then to a photo shoot to commemorate one of her last days as a single lady! Make sure you warn your guests ahead of time, so they will know to bring a photo-ready outfit with them. Check out how to get your guests photo-ready after the jump.

Meri Meri It's British Cupcake Set

Since the Parisian bridal shower is a little overplayed (according to the movie Bridesmaids, at least), why not theme your bridal shower around another international hot spot, like London or Rome? Imagine a bridal shower for the ultimate jet-setter bride–let’s just say her name is Kate or Sophia. This bridal shower will be a cultural experience, with delicious food as the centerpiece of the event. The country can be anywhere significant to the bride: honeymoon destination, a place she studied abroad, or a city on her must-travel list. Invites can be sent on post card, preparing both the bride and her guests for a shower that will be a total trip. Check out the details for a destination-theme shower after the jump.

We’re starting a new series on BridalBuzz called The Haute Hostess. Our very creative and resourceful intern Margaux Anbouba has been charged with creating creative shower ideas while including helpful tips and hints. She’s focusing on local business so you can make these shower ideas a reality.

Move over, summer camp memories of your childhood, because there’s a new scavenger hunt in town. It’s making an appearance at a bridal shower near you. This is the kind of wedding shower for an adventurous bride – she’s someone who gets an adrenaline rush from a little friendly competition, is outgoing and isn’t easily embarrassed. While this bridal shower is all about competition, the bride always wins because once the hunt is over, it’ll be time to open gifts! Check out more details about this fun-filled shower after the jump.

A while back, we ranted and raved about the Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa, and now, there’s even more to gush about. The hotel that has been a permanent fixture in Uptown Dallas since the ’20s has recently become part of the Luxe Hotel group. With more than 6,000 square feet of renovated space for hosting events and a high-end catering team from T/X, the Luxe Stoneleigh Hotel and Spa has gone from great to even better. In addition to the event space supplying all the necessary amenities for hosting the party of your dreams, the penthouse suite (which we raved about in this post) is a slice of Heaven for a newlywed couple, and the spa has seven private rooms that offer hydro tubs, saunas, and premiere treatments. The recent improvements combined with top-notch service and an upscale environment gives guests even more to love.

Kristi McCann is a D Weddings intern.

photography courtesy of Guiltless Sweets

When the clock is ticking down to your wedding day, it’s hard not to calorie count every last thing you’re chewing on. And as much as you’re worried about what you will look like adorned in your perfectly fitted gown, your bridesmaids and guests are equally concerned about their figures. Thanks to Guiltless Sweets, a company created by Dallasite Janet Sigler, the celebrating can commence without having to make a mental note to visit the gym later.

Guiltless Sweets offers original-recipe mini muffins and mini bundt cakes that are perfect for pre-wedding festivities, such as a bridal shower. The bakery focuses on making its treats with no added sugar, no cholesterol, no trans fat, and low calorie counts. And we can tell you from first-hand experience that they are moist and delicious!

Already had your bridal shower? Why not order some cakes or muffins for your bridal party to enjoy on the morning of the wedding, or to put in welcome baskets for your out-of-town guests? However you use them, we can pretty much guarantee rave reviews.

Kristi McCann is a D Weddings intern.

The Courtroom offers a gorgeous restored ceiling and wood accents throughout.

If you’re looking for a reception, shower, or rehearsal dinner location that is equal parts vintage, unique, and classy you should definitely check out The Venue at 400 North Ervay. The building, which was erected in 1930 and is now a registered historic landmark, houses not only the downtown post office but three fabulous venues reminiscent of a bygone era. The first floor Grand Hall, complete with original, ornate iron-work, high ceilings and marble walls can work for cocktail hour or for seated dinners. If you’d prefer an outdoor location, the Rooftop Garden, still under construction but taking reservations for all of 2012, boasts New York-style city views. The Courtroom is a former, well, courtroom with a gorgeous, restored ceiling, big windows, and elegant wood paneling. Valet parking is available as well as event planning services and custom invitation design. The Venue has three caterers to choose from – Festive Kitchen, Food Glorious Food, and Beyond the Box, and there’s a bonus for the budget-conscious – clients are free to have their own alcohol brought in. – Bailey Powell