The Bridal Shower File

This week on The Aisle Files, we're opening up The Bridal Shower File and recapping Jessica's bridal shower from start to finish.

From the theme and details to the surprises, special moments, and everything in between, we're sharing what made the day so memorable. We also talk about what worked, what we'd recommend to other brides, and the little things that made the celebration feel uniquely Jessica.

Whether you're planning a bridal shower, hosting one for someone you love, or simply enjoy wedding talk, this episode is full of real-life insights, laughs, and behind-the-scenes moments from a day we'll never forget.

Grab your favorite drink and join us as we relive all the fun from Jessica's bridal shower! 🥂✨

Thanks for opening this file with us, we’ll see you next time on The Aisle Files!

Have a wedding story, planning tip, or hilarious mishap? We’d love to hear it and maybe even share it on the show!

Send us your stories: hellotheaislefiles@gmail.com

Connect with us on Instagram: @theaislefilespod

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:13

We always get nervous. I don't know why. Oh, I have so many bridal charms this weekend.

SPEAKER_01 0:18

What? At the venue?

SPEAKER_02 0:20

Yeah, so we can talk about that too. Crazy stories.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

Hello. It's a new week. And we're opening up ourselves to the vibrance of the sun and the heat of the day. Oh my gosh, I sponsored my first pool event.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

How'd that go?

SPEAKER_01 0:42

It was fun. I was scared at first because I was like, how many people? Like, we've never done this before. I'm on our local pool board. I got Stan's donuts. Oh my gosh. People were really impressed.

SPEAKER_02 0:56

I love Stan's donuts.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

They were like, oh my god, Stans? I'm like, what? Oh yeah, of course. Like, also, my son has food allergies. They're the only ones who have vegan donuts that I know of.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

Oh, yeah. They have good ones too.

SPEAKER_01 1:11

Yeah, they taste vegan donuts are good.

SPEAKER_02 1:13

Like, even if you're not any of those dietaries, they're super good.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

I've had and the glutenless, they can't say gluten-free because it's shared equipment, but their glutenless donuts went too. And they're a little smaller for the kids. They just know how to make them taste good. I need to call them though, because I ordered a donut cutter and they didn't give it to me. I know. Come on, Stan. I know.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

We'll fuck it because they're fit.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

Well, I mean, I want my five bucks, but anyway. We are gearing up for a very incredible Saturday this weekend. Woohoo! It is June 9th. A three-year anniversary from one of my couples. Oh my goodness. Gibbon and Steve. So cute. Three years ago, they got married at Dury Lane. Oh god. Did you see their TikTok?

SPEAKER_02 2:07

No. Did I send it to you? They to me it looks like Wizard of Oz. It was super green. Somebody literally transformed the venue.

SPEAKER_01 2:17

I get invited to their shows all the time. So we should go to one. Yeah, I'll be your I'll be your assistant. No, like I get invited to watch them.

SPEAKER_02 2:27

No, I saw I was like just scrolling on TikTok and this video came up, and I was like, oh wow, this venue is stunning. And then I saw the name of the venue, and I was like, no way. Like it transformed into like this wizard of eyes. It was super dark and emerald green. Wow. Stunning.

SPEAKER_01 2:49

They so Gemini and Steve had like little Disney themes as part of their wedding day, but it was so cute. Yeah. And honestly, I love them so much. I ran into Steve like getting coffee like I don't know, a month ago. And I don't think he knew who I was. I know who you are. I have so many photos of you. So, Steve, if you ever hear this, and Jibin, happy third anniversary. But we are getting ready for my bridal shower. It's happening this Saturday. She's been putting so much, like you and your mom have been doing so much planning for all of it. So I'm really excited.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

She has done probably more than me, but I've probably done more than I I thought I was going to do. It's not gonna be like super crazy, elaborate, like over the top. I'm excited. I ugly I also just wanted to be here now because I feel like we have a planner who's doing all of the decor and all of the setup of all of that. And we met with her last week. So we're done. Like this whole week, we are kind of chill, laid back, waiting for family to get in town. So now I'm just like, okay, can I be here already? Because we planned it all. Now it's time for it to be here. But I'm excited that it's like a cute little house in plain field. Oh, it's gonna be so fun. Yeah, and ice cream. There's gonna be ice cream there.

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Ice cream. Who doesn't want ice cream in the summer?

SPEAKER_02 4:24

Well, our theme is we did the whole she's been scooped up. If you know Alex and I, you know we love our ice cream. Like, love our ice cream. Ashley did our engagement shoot at an ice cream shop. Still my favorite photos out of the entire one.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

I know those were so cute. You didn't like the other ones?

SPEAKER_02 4:45

No, I loved them all, but they were sort of my favorite.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

Yeah. Did you not see my screensaver? Is it ice cream? No, I do love it. It's that is so cute. I should post this. Yes, just the ice cream ones.

SPEAKER_02 4:58

I'm obsessed with them.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Do you remember what flavor you got?

SPEAKER_02 5:01

Mango and limon. And my tongue was green.

SPEAKER_00 5:07

You're so silly.

SPEAKER_02 5:09

And then I was I laugh every time I look at the photos because I send them to her because she's printing like a welcome sign with us. And the planner was like, Yeah, there's some interesting photos in there. I'm like, luckily, Ashley gives me all the photos that I of like me being weird and something like that. It was so cute.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Interesting. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 5:29

Like me liking the ice cream like a weirdo.

SPEAKER_01 5:32

No, you looked adorable.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

No, I was like, it was so cute. I loved it. But somebody as a bystander is seeing, like, this is an interesting photo of you. But yeah, we're excited.

SPEAKER_01 5:49

When you started thinking about what you wanted that to be, where did you start?

SPEAKER_02 5:53

My mom actually I told her I wanted her to plan it because I didn't want to plan another event. She had a couple themes because we wanted to do a theme and like play on that theme. She came up with a couple ideas and then we were sold on like freshly off the market or off the market theme. I don't remember the whole name. But then as like random week, my mom goes, I don't like it anymore. So I just sat there and I was like going through, like, okay, what other ideas can we come up with? And I sent her, like, oh, she's been scooped up, and she's like, Oh, yes, because that matches everything. Like your photos, like you guys love ice cream. And then we just have had a lot of fun like playing with that theme. So I don't know exactly because this planner has been working with my mom. She does a lot of corporate events. Birthday is just more like other social events or corporate events, yeah. But she's really good at just saying, like, okay, I'm gonna give you this, and then just shows up and it's just like over the top and it's grand. I'm not used to that, so I'm like, what are the centerpieces gonna look like? My mom's like, I don't know, she's just gonna make it look beautiful. My mom 100% trusts her, and I do too. But I think we're doing something like ice cream cone bottom with like flowers coming out of them. Stop. And if that's because that was kind of like our vision like board that we gave her, who knows? Because this this planner is amazing. She does some, she did my mom's corpor sidetrack. She did my mom's corporate event. They were up in Donner's Grove and like the back of it kind of looks over the Morton Arboretum. But they have this big pond and the whole thing, they had like little gnomes and like the little trinkets lining this long pathway that went all the way up to like this big tent. She did all the decor, like she found it all. So she does some amazing work. Holly Who with whose assisting, she's she's just amazing. Like, she just she's like, Oh, yeah, I'm gonna just throw in a couple other things. If you guys want to put them out, you can. If not, go it's okay. And she didn't show my mom, she just said, I bought this thing and I thought it was super cute. If you don't like it, then don't put it out. Like, but my mom's like, it's probably super cute because you know us. She has really good work.

SPEAKER_01 8:13

Um, I really can't wait now.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

I know, and food. So excited.

SPEAKER_01 8:20

Is the venue the host or cater, or it's like outside?

SPEAKER_02 8:25

We got an outside catering company, but we wanted like a really large charcuterie board because I love them.

SPEAKER_01 8:34

And I feel like you're threatening me with a good time.

SPEAKER_02 8:37

I am just because the drinks are gonna be so good too. We uh we did the drinks yet last week, and I got this. So I love tequila, like love tequila, love my margaritas. Give me that over, like a vodka martini, please. And I got butterfly pea tequila, so it's color changing.

SPEAKER_01 9:02

So hold on, hold on. Yeah, um, are you gonna have like a special cup?

SPEAKER_02 9:11

No, I need to get that.

SPEAKER_01 9:12

Okay, so if you don't want to buy anything, I want you to look in my cabinet. You're amazing. Because I have so many cute ones, okay, and they're mostly all from Antherol, by the way. Some of them might be like from somewhere else. Okay, but yeah, just take a look and like we could bring like some of them if you want like certain ones just for pictures, yes. Well, and then you can drink out of it.

SPEAKER_02 9:35

Well, yeah, because we have a martini that's like a pinky raspberry, and then we have the margarita. The margarita is gonna be like a bluish purple color-changing margarita, it's super cute.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

We had so much blueberry margarita.

SPEAKER_02 9:52

No, it's called butterfly pea.

SPEAKER_01 9:53

Butterfly pea flower, the butterfly pea flour.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

Yeah, yeah. You can get like a syrup or like they have like that infused gin, but I'm not a gin girly. I'm a tequila girly.

SPEAKER_01 10:05

I like gin.

SPEAKER_02 10:06

So I found this brand that does butterfly pea tequila.

SPEAKER_01 10:11

Oh, and it changes color.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

So we're making it as the margarita.

SPEAKER_01 10:16

We are going to record a recap on Saturday after the event.

SPEAKER_02 10:23

Yes, that'd be fun. Food's all done, drinks are all done. I will say, I keep telling my mom, I'm like, I hope it just goes off good because we had a weekend of bridal showers this weekend where they are they were so high stress that like they were yelling at each other. The bride in the mom. Oh. And I'm like, I don't want that. Like, I'm gonna be like super relaxed walking in, just taking my photos and drinking and eating. Like, I don't want to deal with like all of the stress this two this past weekend really well that's what Holly stressed me out. Yeah. I mean, Holly's gonna be there now. Uh her team is, she's actually getting married on Saturday.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

I know.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

She's like, I'm gonna do everything snaps for Holly.

SPEAKER_02 11:05

I know she's in I want to say Italy too. Okay, I know, and she's like, I'm so sad that I'm missing it. I'm like, girl, you'll make it look good, anyways. Like, I know you will.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

So yeah, you know what, you guys, I'm pretty sure you're gonna be able to hear my dogs walking around. One likes to try to keep sitting in Jessica's lap, the other one tries to get cozy on the couch, and then if they see something or hear something, they get down. You come here and they're like, okay, I get a mommy, I get a friend to hang out with. I think bridal showers are I love like the themed bridal showers because it gives it like I think anytime you're letting your personality come through in an event, it's that much more enjoyable, not for just you, but for the people that you're inviting.

SPEAKER_02 11:57

Yeah, and that's why I'm gonna do Raspberry Martini. Alex always makes me margaritas, and he loves margaritas, and it's we both love tequila, so like that's why we did that one, but then we made it fine, like with the color changing, you know, like we tried to like bring that in. The ice cream is something like we had the ice cream last night. So will he be at nine o'clock at night? Yes, he's gonna be there from the beginning. From the beginning, I'm making him be there the entire time. And he's like, What? Are there gonna be other guys? Uh I think one of his friends, his like best man, is coming okay with him. Because I was like, Don't make him be there by himself. Because my dad's like, I am coming to pick up the gifts and help carry all the stuff out. He's like, I want my Saturday. So I think he'll he's got his friend that will be coming there. But that's nice. I know it should be fun. A little I'm also excited for not in a bad way, but I'm ready for it to be over so now I can focus only on one event because focusing on two events at the same time, yeah, it's hard.

SPEAKER_01 13:00

It's a lot of work for yourself, yeah. Yeah. So I mean, because you've been recently going through this stuff, what advice do you have for people who are planning something like this that don't have, you know, uh somebody that's like in the event industry that's or that's worked in the event industry themselves?

SPEAKER_02 13:26

I got a lot of advice. Um, I would say from the beginning, do one vendor at a time. I see couples all the time do try to do all at once, and then they get so overwhelmed. Like if you focus on just the venue, then you focus on photographer, then you focus on DJ, video, like you focus, you book one at a time. It helps like just not make the decision fatigue as bad because you're not looking at 70 vendors, you're only looking at 10 vendors at a time, and then you make a decision, and then you can take like two weeks off and then start the next vendor. Um, and also just don't do it every day. Don't plan your wedding every day.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

Your shower specifically.

SPEAKER_02 14:09

Oh, just have fun with it. Like make it. I I would say like that was the thing that like my mom and I just kept saying is like, let's have fun with it. Like, let's not be have it be like where it's stuffy, or you know, we it's up, we can do whatever we want, and no one's gonna judge it. They're gonna be like, oh, this is so cool. So I would say that's my biggest thing is just have fun with it because the shower's not I would say the shower's the fun event, the wedding is the more serious, the like sentimental event. So just have fun with the shower. That kind of helps with the nice.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

Yeah. I mean, well, for and like for people, just what I'm thinking of. Like if you aren't in the industry, you don't know a lot of people in the industry looking for a small event planner would be like tea for you.

SPEAKER_02 15:02

Yeah, I would say I have enjoyed having a planner for absolutely everything. And I used to be like, oh, I can do it myself. Like, it's not that hard. No, it's hard, it's a lot of work. So having a planner kind of guide you and be that buffer too, where you're you're you don't know your ideas, but they know how to execute your non-ideas, yeah, that's really helpful. So, I mean, Holly is taking every inspiration and just probably gonna like blow it out of the water beyond what we actually thought. Like, I wanted a welcome sign. I was like, Oh, I'll just print this like cute little like sign. And she's like, No, I'm gonna do this. And I'm like, you know, so in probably what she is doing is gonna be 10 times better than what I would have done. Yeah. Because she knows what I want and the vision that I want out of the shower too. Right. So small planners, I mean, even if you have like a wedding planner for your wedding, see if they can do it for your shower too. Like a small, like it's not gonna be as time consuming as the wedding, so they it's probably like a smaller fee, but it's so worth it. And then they have to set up and they will tear down so you can actually come in and semi-enjoy the shower, not just set up and yeah, feel like you're working right your shower, your own shower versus getting to enjoy it. That's what I saw this weekend too. Like both the parents well, no, one had a whole rental company planner set everything up, so they showed up for the introductions and they were blown away. The second one, they had to set up absolutely everything. It took them two hours, and you could tell they were so stressed out. It's like if you had somebody that would just come in and set this all up for you and take care of all of this, it they probably would have been less stressed.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

Yeah. Well, I mean, that's my thing too, yeah, is with planning that little tiny, you know, because all of us are volunteers on the pool board. And it was just like trying to figure out how many people are we gonna expect because we don't know that we've never done this before. Yeah. So I get that like nervous feeling, and then on top of it being your bridal shower can be times 10. So listen to Jessica. And if you need the best way to find someone like that to help you with events is by asking your friends, looking on Instagram, website. But with all that being said, you guys don't have to wait to hear about how it's gonna be. You're just gonna hear it next. We have to wait.

unknown 17:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:49

So we will see you in however many couple days, a few days, and then we can go live that week next week. Okay, like following week five, four, three, two, one, future, Ashley and Jessica. We're back.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

We're back. Ridal shower is done. Debriefing starts. I'm exhausted. You got up so early though. I was up at five o'clock to get my hair makeup done. And I will 100% say I loved it because then I just felt beautiful, and it started my day off just like on a like a good start. So beautiful. I know the girl too. You guys, she looks so good. I was nervous because I'm really ner picky about my makeup and she know it looks really good. Flawless. It's not the girl who's doing my makeup for the wedding, but she's amazing. Good. It was beautiful, it was so beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 18:48

And wait until you guys see the dress.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

I did not wear a white dress or white shoes, nothing white, all colors, all flowers, everything.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

Give me everything and the freaking spread. Why is that thunder?

SPEAKER_02 19:06

No, I think that's the moving the tables. We're in the venue right now in our little bridal suite area, having this conversation.

SPEAKER_01 19:13

So, some shout-outs here because one, the parsonage house in Plainfield is so cute, so well done. Staff is so nice. Yeah. Also, you picked catering by busy butternut. An amazing charcuterie board. Please, please. There's nothing we could say to give it justice. You just have to like look at the pictures because like I can't even say words. No, that's how beautiful and yummy it was.

SPEAKER_02 19:46

In mind, like, I just told her I want a large, beautiful charcuterie board for this many people, and that's what she did. And there was no direction. Well, I guess the only directions that I said I want the olives on the side because I want olives on my meats and cheese.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

I did love the olives.

SPEAKER_02 20:03

And then same with the food for lunch. Like, we gave her like a little idea of what we wanted, but other than that, I really left it up to her and said, Here, have have fun with it. Do whatever. I just wanted a lote. So I'm back that she was a lote.

SPEAKER_01 20:17

So cute. Yeah. And she just like the little care that she put into making not just like making the food, but making it look beautiful. Yes. Is I just have so much appreciation for people who work like that because I feel like that's how we work. Yes. And I I just really enjoy that. And I think everyone should get to experience that, you know.

SPEAKER_02 20:42

Yeah, their display was stunning. The staff was amazing. They were so accommodating. Amazing. Yeah. We had Holly who with who assisting did all of the decor, all of the planning. She had her bartenders, the servers. I I I just could not uh speak more about them, too. Like everybody was just amazing. And then we had Ashley. She was taking the most photos.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

The best. Your mom calling me out during a speech. She mean she was making me cry. I was videoing you.

SPEAKER_02 21:15

She was so cute. My mom is, I love her to death.

SPEAKER_01 21:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:20

She gave me the best shower.

SPEAKER_01 21:22

Like, ah, it was so much fun. I'm so glad I got to be a part of it with you and like watch you shine a little. And so I'm like even more excited for your wedding day.

SPEAKER_02 21:32

I know. It'll be so much fun. It was funny. I was sitting, I was eating at the high top, the meats and cheeses by myself, and you were like, oh, come sit with me. I'm like, no, it's quiet right here. I'm like, I have so many people to say hi to like touch me. You don't have to talk to me. Like, I just like my little alone time right here.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

No press. Oh, yeah. Can't can't say enough about today. Yes, perfect.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

Vendors were amazing. Family was here, friends were here. Alex's family was here. That was awesome to see all of literally all of them here.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

Yeah. So it was just a perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Exactly. My friends were here. Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_01 22:18

You need to have like little napkins made of your cats or something. For the wedding. Yeah, no, I gotta figure out what I'm doing with them. I am ready to get listening. Bailey and Bonica.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Ailey and Bonita. It's the B and B group. B and B. So when I yell at them, I just yell at both of them. B and B.

SPEAKER_02 22:41

Babies. No, but they were like, what are you doing today? Like they're because we're both home and we're never home on a Saturday. Oh, that's true. So they're like, what are you doing? And they're like all super cuddly. And I'm like, sorry guys, we gotta go.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

We home later. Good. Yeah, let's get you home to your sweatpants and needs my swimsuit. I need my sweatpants and sweatshirbon, girl. I'm over this looking pretty. Okay, I'm closed. Okay, wait a minute, because you have this like this or that thing. And I was a little perturbed by some of your answers, ma'am.

SPEAKER_00 23:18

Which one?

SPEAKER_01 23:19

Uh the not the one that was summer or winter, the one that was like hot weather or cold weather. Something like that. And it was like about I don't know, I like crossed it out and I put sweat a weather.

SPEAKER_02 23:33

I heard you.

SPEAKER_01 23:35

And when you were like hot weather, I was like, what?

SPEAKER_02 23:40

I need the in-between. That's like the sweat-a-weather, the middle.

SPEAKER_01 23:43

Yeah, it's uh you what you need is like the swimsuit with the sweater on top. It's like those kind of those California days, you know? Yeah, yeah, that's what I like too. But like I like it here when it's like 60 in the morning, yeah, and then like 85, and then 60 again.

SPEAKER_02 24:05

Nicer, colder in the warm.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

If only it could be like that all the time.

SPEAKER_02 24:09

Not in Illinois.

SPEAKER_00 24:11

No. Oh well. Uh thank you so much for opening up the bridal shower file with us. Yes. We'll see you next time on the aisle file. Bye.