When Jonny and I first started to think up baby shower ideas, we only knew two things: We wanted it to be a co-ed shower and we wanted it to be hosted in a meaningful place in San Francisco. If you have been following me for awhile, you most likely know how much we love the historical and stunning Palace Hotel. Jonny and I have stayed at the Palace Hotel many times and I have also stayed there with girlfriends. Every time I visited the Palace, I was always blown away by their hospitality, their impressive attention to detail, and the very classic San Francisco vibe that the hotel emits. The Palace Hotel holds a very near and dear place in our hearts and we decided that it would be the perfect place to celebrate and shower our Baby Beeb.
From day one, working with the Palace team to plan this event was incredibly easy and efficient. I have to give a major shout out to my friend and Palace Hotel Director of Food and Beverage, Kimberly Straube, who took on the head of planning for our event. Not only did she oversee every single detail from start to finish, but she was there on the day of our shower making sure everything was perfect. Kimberly and the rest of her team were absolute rockstars and we literally couldn’t have hosted this shower without them. From planning menu cards to drinks (both alcoholic AND non alcoholic!) to seating arrangements and guests, not one detail was overlooked. Since the Palace Hotel oversees all event details, you don’t really need a ton of outside vendors because they have their own supplies in house, like tables/linens/food/glassware/etc. This was a huge relief for us because bringing in outside vendors can always be a bit of a headache to juggle. Jonny and I were lucky to stay at the Palace the night before the shower and it was the most heavenly decision. Since Kimberly and the Palace team were on top of every detail, Jonny and I could sit back and relax the morning of the shower and take our time getting ready without any stress. Speaking as a Type A Control Freak Planner, it takes a great deal of trust for me to relinquish control, especially for an event like this, but I trusted the team 100% and they truly delivered. We honestly cannot thank them enough for everything they did for us.
In addition to the Palace team, my sister created all of the beautiful garlands that graced the tables and fireplaces in the French Parlor (the room which we hosted the shower in). She did a fantastic job and created exactly what I had envisioned for the day. I completely trust her with anything related to florals (she’s so good!) and she made the space even dreamier with her floral touches. We also hired Shelby Makin’ Cookies (@shelbymakincookies on Instagram) to create our signature cookies for our favors and she knocked it out of the park. She created two different designs, a classic San Francisco cable car one and a beautiful “b is for beeb” one. Everyone LOVED them!
When we started planning the actual shower with the Palace team, Jonny and I knew that we wanted to host our nearest and dearest in the French Parlor, which is a room that overlooks the Palace’s famous Garden Court. The French Parlor is the most dreamy space, complete with stunning chandeliers, gold moulding, original fireplaces, antiqued gold mirrors, and incredible windows that open up to reveal the Garden Court stained glass ceilings. When you step inside the French Parlor, it truly feels like you traveled to Paris. I would highly recommend using this room for your own dreamy event!
When our guests arrived, they were greeted by the Palace Hotel waitstaff with a tray of drinks. The waitstaff were so on top of every detail, that no one’s glass, whether it be water, champagne, or tea, ever went empty! We even had a delicious mocktail (concocted by Kimberly!) that was served for those that prefer something non alcoholic. There was also a bar set up in the back that was serving champagne and other delicious drinks for our guests. However, the main event was the Palace’s signature High Tea. All of our guests were treated to the High Tea experience, which was a huge thrill for all. We found out later that many of our guests had never experienced High Tea before that day so we were pleased that they got to enjoy our very favorite High Tea in San Francisco. Along with an assortment of delicious treats, the Palace also served their famous tea sandwiches (my favorite!), which were to die for, and four different types of tea for each table. It was so fun to watch our guests giggle in delight as they poured themselves cups of teas and feasted on tea sandwiches and desserts.
The most beautiful part of this shower, aside from the exquisite decor of the French Parlor + the efforts of the Palace Hotel team, was being able to look around the room and see the faces of so many that we love and cherish. To see our friends mingling with each other and expressing excitement over Baby Beeb’s arrival was truly overwhelming in the best possible way. It was incredibly special for Jonny and I to see and feel all the love in that room on such a special day and we are eternally grateful to the Palace Hotel for making our baby shower dreams come true. I highly recommend the Palace Hotel for any and all your event needs as the staff will not only take great care of you but will turn all of your event hopes and dreams into reality.
What I wore:
To create your own special event at the Palace Hotel, contact Mary Anne Cox, 415-537-6347, maryanne.cox@marriott.com (tell them Tamryn sent you!)