Bridgerton in Bloom brought the magic of Netflix’s hit series, “Bridgerton”, to life by giving fans a chance to live out the show’s fantasies.
The event was hosted at the Shaw Center for the Arts on March 16 and was an unforgettable experience for the guests. The art complex is celebrating its 20th anniversary and in celebration, the team wanted to host a fun and immersive event series.
The Shaw Center held its first Bridgerton Brunch in October 2024, and it was such a success that the directors decided to host a spring version: Bridgerton in Bloom. Upon entering the building, guests were welcomed with floral arrangements, chandeliers and a board of envelopes with every guests’ name written on them.
Guests began to arrive in elegant ball gowns, floral accessories and fancy headpieces in hopes of being awarded the title of the “Season’s Diamond.” The winner received a staycation at the Watermark and a $150 voucher for The Gregory in downtown Baton Rouge. The idea came to the directors of the event after the latest season of “Bridgerton” dropped, since everyone was talking about it.
“We just thought, ‘how fun would a Bridgerton brunch be?’,” Aimee Dazé, the director of events and operations said. “It’s not necessarily around the show, it’s just a fun, feminine, floral brunch event where people can dress up and just come and have fun.”
Priscilla Simpson, the executive director of the Shaw Center mentioned that there is a lot of planning that goes into creating such a large-scale event like this. Simpson and Dazé usually sit down to brainstorm to figure out an overall aesthetic for the event and how they will accomplish it. Once the event starts to be planned, the two reach out to local vendors.
“Usually it involves just putting everything down on paper, looking through Pinterest and getting kind of an inspiration board together,” Simpson said. “Then the rest is taking the time to make that come to life.”
The event featured live music from Shaun Ward, who played violin renditions of popular songs like “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, “Suit and Tie” by Justin Timberlake and “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus.
A live performer dressed in 1800s themed attire with a powdered wig and vibrant blush entertained the audience with mimicry, juggling and hula-hooping.
Addie Loupe is a small business owner from Baton Rouge who specializes in creating permanent jewelry through her brand Addie’s Blooming Wildly Boutique. She sold some of her work, alongside other vendors at the Bridgerton in Bloom event, making it Loupe’s second time in attendance.
“It’s just so much fun, and I couldn’t miss it,” Loupe said. “I am a ‘Bridgerton’ fan, and today’s actually my son’s 17th birthday, so this is the only event I would have done on his birthday.”
Guests had a variety of food and drink to indulge in from vendors across the city, including local charcuterie from Crafted Nibbles. The attention to detail through the extravagant decor doesn’t go unnoticed and for many guests, and it was what caught their eyes the most.
Valencia Jackson, a guest from Gonzales, came to Bridgerton in Bloom to celebrate her mother’s birthday. She was most excited about the visuals of the event and getting a chance to take nice photos for social media, saying that the place was decorated beautifully.
“A lot of the feedback from the first ‘Bridgerton’ event was really the attention to detail,” said Dazé. “Priscilla and I spent a lot of time sourcing antique items from estate sales and Goodwill, and just really getting unique pieces that were relevant to the event and to the era that go with the theme. We just really wanted it to be different and for people to talk about it.”
Therisha Calthrina, a Baton Rouge native says that she is a huge “Bridgerton” fan. She came to the event alone and left with plenty of new friends.
“I’m just having a good time and meeting new people,” Calthrina said. “Because I am solo, I ended up meeting new friends and just enjoying my time here.”
Attendees enjoyed the magic of Bridgerton in Bloom until the very last moment. Laughter and joy filled the atmosphere as everyone cheered each other on and danced together like one big happy family. This “Bridgerton” inspired event allowed fans to immerse themselves into the lifestyle and make new friendships blossom.
