A Rom-Com Bridal Shower in California Planned by Mindy Weiss

More than a decade after mutual best friends introduced Lindsey Markley and Jesse Weiss in January of 2014, Jesse surprised Lindsey with a day-after Valentine’s Day proposal using her grandmother’s heirloom ring. “February 15, 2024: I came home to a house filled with sunflowers and love letters that led me to Jesse in our bedroom waiting on one knee!” says Lindsey. Almost a year later, on December 1, 2024, the couple celebrated Lindsey’s bridal shower at Violet Bistro in Los Angeles, California, where 48 guests gathered to mark the occasion.

When it came to planning the event, Lindsey and Jesse had an advantage: Jesse’s mother, Mindy Weiss, a celebrated event coordinator with decades of experience who happily took the lead. Mindy built the event’s theme around classic romantic comedy films. Guests received custom books of famous movie quotes as their invitation, while references to unforgettable moments from When Harry Met Sally, Jerry Maguire, Sweet Home Alabama, You’ve Got Mail, The Holiday, Say Anything, 27 Dresses, and other films were incorporated throughout the day. “I wanted to have a theme that really personalized the shower, so that when guests got the invitation it prompted a giggle and some excitement,” says Mindy. Lindsey and Jesse were immediately on the same page: “Jesse and I love rom-coms, so it was a perfect theme,” says Lindsey.

While Mindy says the most difficult part of planning a family event “was making sure the celebration was just enough and I didn’t go overboard for them (because I could have kept going!),” putting her talents toward a celebration for her son and daughter-in-law brought her so much joy. “The easiest part of planning this event was that I wasn’t nervous because we were surrounded by best friends and family,” she says. “I’m always celebrating people for audiences I don’t know very well. To celebrate two people that you love so much and help to create their memories was completely heartwarming to me.”

Get inspired by every detail from the curated, thoughtful event, all of which were documented by John & Joseph Photography.

Though 11 women shared official hostessing duties for the shower, Mindy headed up the planning. “All the hostesses allowed me to do my thing, so they were just as surprised as every other guest,” she says. “I love that Lindsey was able to meet all of my friends. I love people coming together. Everyone in my life got to see why I was so excited for this marriage—because I’m getting another great daughter-in-law.” 

The courtyard at Violet Bistro provided a pretty backdrop for the elegant luncheon. Mindy took inspiration for the design from her personal trove of vintage vases—which she plans to pass down to Lindsey. “I pulled as many as I had in my collection, and then I went to the flea market and bought enough to finish filling the tables,” says Mindy. She chose a pastel floral palette to prevent overlap with the wedding design, and asked Nancy Kay from Mark’s Garden to fill the space with peonies, ranunculus, garden roses, tweedia, and anemones. 

A large-format floral print on tablecloths from Luxe Linen complemented the centerpieces. “To accompany the flowers, we made bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils—a detail from You’ve Got Mail,” says Mindy. “The venue had beautiful vintage-inspired and French-style glasses and plates, so those were already perfect for the theme.”

Lehr & Black modeled lunch menus modeled after classic restaurant order pads, adding one of Mindy’s favorite quotes: “I’ll have what she’s having” from When Harry Met Sally. “That was exciting for me,” says Mindy. The family-style service included Caesar salad, warm baguettes, roasted salmon, quiche, and one of the family’s must-haves: French fries.

Each place setting included a small vintage telephone inscribed with the guest’s name and a well-known quote from Jerry Maguire. Mindy bought the telephones at the Brimfield Antique Market a decade earlier and had been saving them for the perfect occasion. “I had no idea why I was buying them at the time, but I did know that one day I would have a use for them, and what’s better than for my own child?!” she says. “They were a total hit.”

While a DIY “find your favorite rom-com” game didn’t work out as expected, the couple’s custom Etsy scratch-off activity was a success. Each guest received a card with a sketch of a groom—the face obscured—and a nickel. “They were asked to scratch off his face, and the card that revealed Jesse won a prize,” says Mindy. “The other faces uncovered were all of famous actors from rom-coms.”

A gorgeous display of sugar cookies from Cake Gourmet Sugar Services was a sweet addition to the décor (and also served as dessert). Each cookie referenced a famous romantic comedy film requested by the planners. “My favorite was her set of 27 dresses,” says Mindy. “She made them on hangers—that was so cute.”

Two signature drinks, lavender lemonade and a spritz cocktail, were poured alongside custom cocktail napkins illustrated with a line-drawing of a scene from Sweet Home Alabama. 

Lindsey found her 1960s Jack Bryan dress with matching coat at designer salon Happy Isles. “I wanted something vintage and it was perfect,” she says. She added embellished heels on loan from a childhood friend—”The color matched to a T and they fit perfectly!” she says—and earrings with a touching history. “I wore a pair of amazing diamond stud earrings that belonged to the late mother of one of my best friends; it was so special to have a part of her there with us in some way,” says Lindsey.

Though Mindy loved sharing the occasion with Lindsey and all their guests, her favorite moment was when the groom arrived. “He was so beyond excited to see Lindsey, and they live together so he had seen her not long before,” she says. “He brought her beautiful flowers all on his own—I didn’t do that! I loved that moment. He was just so excited to be with her.”

Jesse joined the party for a Newlywed Game-style competition where he and Lindsey had to identify the romantic comedy films associated with famous quotes—a perfect way to end the experience.

Guests were treated to personalized weekender bags and their choice of thematic sweatshirt as favors—two of the pullover designs designs nodded to You’ve Got Mail and the last was an homage to The Holiday.

“I had a great time [planning the shower] because it was for two people I love so much,” says Mindy. “Jesse and I have been watching movies together since he was two years old, so I had a great time coming up with movies the two of them would relate to. We all had a lot of laughs planning it.”