Behind the Scenes Bridal - Bridal Hospitality
"It may be no surprise to some, but the parts of wedding planning I have found sweetest, are those you can only do as the bride herself."
After spending my early career planning for other brides, seeing their vision come to life, and executing two seasons of Ashford weddings, my own big day has been highly anticipated. Though I have loved it all - the vendor bookings & connection, design of the space I’m working with, and the logistical planning of timelines, layouts, and more; I have found myself falling most in love with all things “Behind the Scenes Bridal”.
It may be no surprise to some, but the parts of wedding planning I have found sweetest, are those you can only do as the bride herself. Hence the beginning of my new blog series, Behind the Scenes Bridal!
In today’s blog post, I want to write about the element I’ve found most inspirational in my personal life, and that is Bridal Hospitality.
Hospitality, as defined by Oxford, is “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, and strangers,”. In your bridal season, it is commonly understood that you are to be the one on the receiving end, most often, of hospitality (whether this be bridal showers, bachelorette parties, Rehearsal Dinners, and, the Wedding Day). I, for one, am here to make the statement that being a bride has inspired much more hospitality provision, rather than reception - more so than in any other season of my life.
Aren’t we, in fact, inviting others into our love stories (the most intimate parts about ourselves), in being a bride? What a humbling, and exciting, opportunity! Today, I want to cover several avenues for Bridal Hospitality, how that has looked for me, and how it can be custom to your unforgettable engagement.
Tradition
Though “tradition” can be received with negative connotation, there is something incredibly, deeply, special about the traditions held in bridal customs. It is wildly rare to see a version of the same thing existing for countless generations and cultures, but for weddings, that is the reality!
I have leaned into tradition in several areas in my Wedding Planning, and have found myself more in touch with the women and wives in my life, and the little girl version of Olivia, who dreamt of this day 20 years ago.
One custom I hope to never see fade is that of hostess gifts. Hostess gifts are more than a mere obligation, but an opportunity to thank the women who are celebrating you in this season. For my own recent bridal shower, the theme was “Feather Her Nest”, with all things avian sprinkled throughout the day. As my hostess gift to my mother, grandmother, and three aunts, I gifted them a Le Creuset Pie Bird.
This Pie Bird, accompanied by a handwritten card, is a small gift to give to 5 of the most influential women in my life, however, it was the perfect sentiment to express gratitude. Each of them are homemakers, and this “traditional” kitchen tool felt like the perfect punctuation of hospitality on a splendid day.
At my bridal shower, I was able to wear my great grandmother, Norma’s, (clip-on) pearl earrings! Call them traditional, but it’s hard to find anything more bridal than pearl accessories.
Reinvention
One of the elements that stands out most to be about Ashford Acres is its ability to reinvent itself, day in and day out, after more than 300 distinctly different weddings have been hosted on site.
With that being said, there are hundreds of unique ways to reinvent Bridal Tradition to fit you, your story, and your day. These next two reinvented elements are part of my Wedding Day, actually, that I am thrilled to share.
One reinvention is that of the First Look/Private Vow Ceremony, which my fiance and I are taking a unique spin on. It was important to me to have our closest people hear our vows and hold us accountable to them, however, I was not prepared to do so in front of 200+ guests. For that reason, he and I are hosting (if you will) a private vow ceremony before guests arrive, with only our Wedding Party, and parents. In this way, we are welcoming our most cherished guests into the day by hearing our commitments to one another.
Another reinvention will be our concept of a Memory Table. I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to honor our loved ones, whose shoulders we stand on, as we step into marriage. Rather than wedding photos, though precious, I am framing love letters and cards between the married couples in our family, in order to highlight their stories. Sourcing these letters has been the sweetest way to connect with my grandparents and parents, and see them as just kids, who once too, fell in love. I was moved to tears when my grandmother sent me her letter of choice, which followed my grandfather being drafted to the Vietnam War. Though they may not all be read, I will treasure the time spent being invited into their love stories.
Customization
In today’s era of personalization, the possibilities are truly endless for gifting! However, bridal gifting, in some ways, can lean towards wasteful, as trends come and go, and women are consistently gifted bridesmaid “proposal” gifts, bachelorette gifts, and wedding day gifts.
My Bachelorette Trip took place in Florida, and because of that, I gifted each lady a monogrammed beach towel, which can go with them for years to come. Each of these, also, came with a list of my favorite things about each woman who joined the trip!
Conclusion:
With less than 75 days out from my wedding, these moments of hospitality are coming to an end. However, I am so humbled by the love I have been on the receiving end of during this season of life, and that is something I will carry with me through life. Hospitality is, after all, a posture of a person.
In a book that truly changed my career and outlook,
Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara (author) is quoted in saying, “There are few things more energizing than the look on someone’s face when they receive a gift you’re responsible for giving them,”. May we be energized by our giving, whether you’re wearing white or not; and lean into the celebration of others and ourselves, day in and day out.
With love (& wedding bells, wrapped in lace, glimmering in sparkles),
Olivia Freeman
Director of Operations
