Tropical Bridal Shower: Fun Ideas, Menu, and Budget Breakdown

Woman holds wedding invitation in a beautiful lace dress, smiling

The key to hosting a fantastic bridal shower is planning a day that revolves around laughter, love, and fun—a day where the bride feels that she is supported and cherished by all her friends and family.

Illinois wedding planner, Sara Elizabeth Weddings did all this while planning a relaxing tropical bridal shower for bride-to-be, Erin. LET'S PARTY LIKE A PINEAPPLE was the theme of the day and carried throughout- from the bridal shower invites to the the custom cocktail napkins. The day was overflowing with tropical vibes.

Read on to take in all the tropical bridal shower ideas. There are so many fun details you need to see like - the bridal shower drink station, the yummy bridal shower menu ideas, the custom cocktail napkins and our favorite the bridal shower signature cocktail. Yum! There is even a complete budget breakdown to give you an idea of how much a bridal shower like this might cost.

Wedding invitation with florals and pineapple party theme

The Tropical Bridal
Shower Invitation

The invitation Erin and her guests received were created to set the tone for this special day. The design was incorporated throughout with custom signage from stationery note pads to cocktail recipe cards for the guests to take home.

Tropical florals were carried from the invitation suite to every aspect of the design. The moment guests arrived there was no question they had entered a Midwest tropic soiree, from the welcome sign to Erin’s throne, they knew they were in for a treat.

Welcome floral arrangement and tropical bridal shower Pineapple wall art with a rustic garden and brick wall background

Bohemian outdoor decor with wicker furniture and floral accents Pineapple party napkins and decor on a vibrant pink table

Lounge Area

From Sara Elizabeth Weddings - I had gotten to know Erin, the bride over the past several months while planning her wedding, and while there were many design elements I wanted to incorporate into the shower it was important that I made it all about her.

I am lucky when a bride trusts my style, love for design and is all in for a surprise bridal shower. Erin was just that bride. To help celebrate her upcoming wedding she gave me free rein to plan her bridal shower.

From Erin the bride- Sara surprised me with the theme and colors for the bridal shower. It matched my personality perfectly! It was a tropical oasis in Illinois.

Sara set up a lounge station for guests to relax and sip cocktails. A special seat was reserved for Erin that was adorned with tropical florals. There were also custom napkins with Erin's bridal shower theme- Party like a pineapple.

Smiling woman wearing a sun hat and beautiful floral earrings A woman holding a stylish straw hat with mr chowdhury written on it

White wicker chair adorned with flowers and green cushion on green grass

Woman in white dress sits in chair adorned with flowers, smiling Close-up of tropical leaves and pink and white flower bouquet

Outdoor party bar setup in a lush green garden setting Elegant strawberry lemonade drink station at a garden wedding

Tropical Teas sign framed in gold with floral design, elegant event

The Bride's Favorite Cocktail

Every bride-to-be has a signature drink that they love. Take that drink and make it the signature cocktail for the day. Erin's Key Lime Refresher was the signature cocktail on hand at this tropical bridal shower. Below is the recipe and I plan to make it.

Erin's Key Lime Refresher

1 cup simple syrup
1/2 cup smoked basil leaves
1 part Amber Rum
2 parts squeezed key lime juice
Top off with sparkling water

If you are wondering about smoked basil leaves as I was, apparently flaming fresh herbs infuse smoky flavors and aromas into cocktails.

Two women conversing at a backyard gathering on a sunny day Colorful flower bouquet in a vase on a light blue table outdoors

Group of women enjoying drinks at an outdoor event

Woman with floral crown drinking from a flower-filled cup smiling

Illinois Wedding Planner
Sara Elizabeth Weddings

Sara Elizabeth Weddings

offers design services, budget and checklist management, vendor research and management, timeline development and day-of coverage for all size weddings; elopements to full planning. Sara also started Petitefete.co for micro weddings. Which, we all know are huge right now.

See More Work

Purple bar cart with drinks and decorations in a garden setting Elegant setup with red stirrers, flowers, and drinks on a table

White outdoor shelving with jars and flowers in a garden setting

Bridal Shower
Activities

From Sara Elizabeth Weddings- My main goal was for Erin and her squad to have a great time and enjoy each other’s company, all while being surrounded by the beauty of a relaxing tropical atmosphere.

They had the option of relaxing in the tropic lounge, making loose-leaf tea sachets, snapping photos at the photo-wall or sipping cocktails by the bar.

Pink flamingo decor with floral arrangement for tropical teas display

Outdoor party table set with pink tablecloth and white chairs

Bridal Shower
Table Decor

From Sara Elizabeth Weddings-The inspiration for the tablescape came from Erin's love of family style served meals and the table was designed with this as its main focus. Platters of wildly creative finger foods lined the tables to be indulged in

I wanted the table setting to match the enthusiasm of the meal with bright colors and unique place settings prepared for the bride's guests. Erin's favorite cocktails include refreshing basil and lime and to compeiment the meal a tropic cocktail was designed just for her, Erin's Key Lime Refresher, which paired nicely with her key lime pie dessert. If you missed Erin's cocktail recipe scroll up to see it.

Tropical leaf with Bride to be text for a bridal shower celebration

Pineapple flavored iced tea straw and blue bag on pink background

Bridal Shower
Wedding Favors

As Sara mentioned above, guests had the option to make loose-leaf tea sachets at the tea station. She filled the large silver containers with different loose teas and labeled them. Erin's guests could design their tea concoction and place them in the cute little bags seen above. Sara kept with the theme, and the sachets had a gold pineapple printed on them.

Elegant floral centerpiece on pink table setting for a party

Woman in a floral crown smiles, holding a drink at an outdoor party Woman laughing with cocktail decorated with flamingo

Tropical menu card in a gold frame on a pink table for event

Bridal Shower
Menu Ideas

I think the hardest part about, planning a party is what to serve. You want to match the theme of the event and appeal to various tastes and palettes. I think that Erin's bridal shower menu looked delicious. I also love that there were three food options as opposed to just one main course and side dishes.

Caribbean Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Roasted Teriyaki Chicken Flatbread
Pulled Pork Sliders with Hawaiian Slaw

Woman reaching for a taco at an outdoor party, floral headpiece Delicious shrimp tacos on a white plate with tropical background

Delicious shrimp tacos arranged on a plate ready to be served

Delicious sliders on a platter, perfect for a party or picnic

Group of women enjoying an outdoor party with a colorful table

Instax Station

Sara set up the cutest Instax station. There were a ton of fun props and the most gorgeous hot pink leaves we've ever seen.

Erin and her friends could take Instax photos as well. Such a great memory for Erin to have of her special day! If you love Instax stations like we do, here are step by step directions on how to set up an Instax Station.

How to make an Instax station

Photo booth props and decor with pineapple and camera on shelf White instax mini 8+ camera on a pink tray with blurred background

Two women smiling together outdoors with floral accents and tree

Woman with flower crown writing at a pink table setup Two polaroid photos of women in dresses on pink background

Happy bride with flower crown holding a Bride to be leaf

Budget Breakdown

Please note that prices vary from time to time, and the prices below are simply to give you a general idea on how much a bridal shower like this will cost you.

Planner: $1,500.00
Photographer: $1,000.00
Stationery: $250.00
Florals: $750.00
Tea: $200.00
Food: $1,500.00
Rentals: $500.00