A Colorful Surprise Bridal Shower in Texas

When Ashley Rose and her friends started talking about her bachelorette party, the plan was always to do something low-key. And so, the month before she tied the knot, the owner/creative director at Sugar & Cloth, and her seven friends rented The Wilde House in Ben Wheeler, Texas, for a mellow getaway not far from her home in Houston.

But her friends had a surprise in store for her—an impromptu bridal shower. Most of the planning and designing was done by Kayla Haykin and Brittni Mehlhoff, who incorporated many of the bride-to-be's favorite elements, like balloon garlands, sugar cookies, and pom poms, and used the wedding day's color palette as inspiration.

"They set up the entire party, gift boxes, etc. while I was out, so everything felt really magical when I got to the house," Ashley says of the pop-up party. Her fiancé, Jared, was an accomplice in the scheme, by distracting her and taking her in to town so the gals could set everything up.

Just a few hours from Houston, The Wilde House was the perfect setting for the girls' getaway, and accommodated the group of eight. Outside of the modern farmhouse in eastern Texas, a laser-cut sign by Studio Noel boasted the wedding's hashtag, which celebrated the couple's low-key and relaxed vibe.

Ashley snagged an inexpensive emerald green wrap dress from ASOS and paired it with nude heels from Steve Madden.

A message board from Ban.do spelled out the celebration's hashtag, #ashgonemild—a play on the wedding hashtag #smithsgonemild.

One table held the entire group. "It was quaint, fun, and all in the details," Ashley says of the backyard bridal shower.

A few arrangements of blooms (including ranunculus, garden roses, and lamb's ear) ran down the middle of the table. The flowers themselves were sources from Flower Muse and arranged by Meredith Staggers and Brittni Mehlhoff.

Palm-print and gold-foil menus from Minted sat atop each place setting's plates. The gals dined on assorted flatbreads that they made later that night in the venue's kitchen, and sipped on Miraval rosé.

An installation of white balloons blown up to various sizes framed the space.

Cocktail stirrers made by Studio Noel added a fun, and humorous, touch to the drink glasses.

Another entertaining part of the shindig came with a twist on the Newlyweds Game. Ashley's husband-to-be, Jared, had been filmed answering questions, which Ashley was asked in person. She answered first, and they showed his responses after. "One of the best questions asked was 'what is your partner's go-to dance move," Kayla recalls. "It was hilarious watching Jared impersonate Ashley, and vice versa. They know each other so well and totally nailed the mannerisms."

A two-tier red velvet cake from Maple and Love was decorated by Brittni Mehlhoff using fresh flowers and French macarons from Tout Suite, which were also served for dessert along with sugar cookies by Okie Doughkie.

Inside the house, the communal area also got a little tszuj with extra blooms.

Each guest got a goodie box loaded with items that made the weekend getaway that much more fun: Sugarfina candies, hair mist and an exfoliating face sponge by Artifact Skin Co., pink oval good to go flasks from Ban.do, clear clutches from Ban.do, and matching sweatshirts by Sudara.

The following morning, clad in their matching black "this is not a sweatshirt" sweatshirts, the ladies toasted the bride and continued the festivities.

Photography, Jared Smith of Sugar & Cloth

Location, The Wilde House

Event planning, Kayla Hankin; Brittni Mehlhoff

Flowers, Flower Muse

Stationery, Minted

Cake, Maple and Love

Macarons, Tout Suite

Sugar Cookies, Okie Doughkie

Bride's dress, Asos

Bride's shoes, Steve Madden

Bride's manicure, Olive & June

Stir sticks and laser-cut signage, Studio Noel