Barbie Bridal Shower "Barbie-Que"

It all started with a bride with an extreme fascination with Barbie. So extreme, in fact, that she had an entire room in her house dedicated to the iconic Mattel doll. The amazing "Barbie Room", complete with a pink chandelier, pink walls, black and white damask accent wall, framed Robert Best Barbie sketches, and a white bookcase full of Barbies, served as the inspiration for a bridal shower for an equally amazing bride-to-be.

The thirty-ish female guests were welcomed with a "wishing tree" sign in with vintage-style Barbie note cards. After jotting down some well wishes to hang from the tree, the girls were welcomed by a "Ken doll" server and offered an assortment of pink refreshments. Among the signature drinks were: Barbie-tini, Pink Sangria, Barbie Bubbly (Pink Champagne), Barbie Blush Wine, and for the non-drinkers Pink Lemonade and Pink Cream Soda. Drinks were served in either a pink martini glass or a wine glass accessorized with custom made pink Barbie shoe wine charms.

The barbeque-style dinner served up mini-burgers, mini-paninis and sushi with plenty of salads and appetizers to nibble on throughout the evening. The true indulgence of the night, however, belonged to the signature Barbie dessert table: a pink-fondant covered Barbie cake, a display of cupcakes topped with three flavors of buttercream icing in different shades of pink (french vanilla, banana and mint), pink cake pops (recipe courtesy of Bakerella), a pink chocolate fountain, and finally a pink candy buffet.

Decor for the event consisted of pink tablecloths (obviously!), Barbie busts, pink and white peony arrangements, strategically placed Barbie dolls in pink convertibles, and pink damask accent pillows for the lounge area. After opening many Barbie-esque shower gifts, along with some more traditional ones, guests made their exit and were thanked with a of set of four hand-made wine charms in Barbie gift bags.

If you'd like to view more photos from the event, check out the "Events" section of my portfolio at www.hellobella.com