“I’m very girlie and told [my bridesmaids] I wanted sparkle,” says Vanessa Lopez of her wishes for the look of her bridal shower. Her attendants, who happily planned the stylish event, also drew design cues from the aesthetics of the forthcoming wedding celebration – where she would marry her fiancé, Matthew O’Connell.

Bubble vases with gilt glitter glinting in the water were filled with blush, ivory, and amber blooms accented with verdure. The arrangements were lined along sequin pink table runners, which popped against black tablecloths. Champagne flutes featured golden sugar rims to match chargers, and a petite rosebud finished each place setting. A black-and-white striped backdrop emblazoned with the word “Cheers” was set behind the head table. “When I walked in, I was stunned! It was everything I wanted and more,” muses the bride – who was perfectly attired for the spring occasion in a vanilla shift dress with a peach swath at the hemline and a necklace featuring stones in coral hues. “The little details were the best part.”

To honor the matriarchs of the couple’s families, Vanessa’s mother, grandmother, and mother-in-law were each given a lovely corsage to wear for the festivities. Vanessa was especially moved by her mother’s welcome speech and how her mother-in-law led guests in prayer before brunch was served.

The afternoon was also filled with fun activities. For one of them, bridesmaids orchestrated their version of “The Newlywed Game.” They asked Vanessa questions about the couple’s relationship and personalities, and then played Matthew’s responses on a screen. For every question she got right, she received a gift card, and for the ones she got wrong, she had to put a piece of gum in her mouth. Another diversion was “Guess the Movie.” Everyone received a list with 20 quotes from romantic films and the person with the most correct answers won a prize.

The Dodgers- and White Sox-themed cookie favors captured Vanessa and Matthew’s baseball loyalties. “My fiancé is from the South Side of Chicago and is a huge White Sox fan. I have lived in Los Angeles my whole life and love the Dodgers. It is a fun rivalry between the two of us,” the bride says with a smile. Clearly, they’ve found a common ground in their love.