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Showered with Love: Trunks perfect for socially distanced fete

Guests were welcomed to Taylor Kennedy's tailgating bridal shower by decorations in her mother, Janine Kennedy's trunk welcoming them to the event.

The old expression goes “Necessity is the mother of invention.” And when the pandemic has scotched all your plans to throw your daughter a bridal shower, then you have to get creative.

For Butler Township resident Janine Kennedy, trying to get a bridal shower for her daughter, Taylor, off the ground was continually thwarted by circumstances beyond anyone's control.

“The first one was set for March 21 which was literally the week the government said, 'Sorry' and shut everything down,” she said.“Then we were going to have it in April, but that didn't work out,” she said.She was uncertain what form, if any, the bridal shower would take.“I wanted her to have the experience of a bridal shower. She's my only daughter,” Kennedy said. But time was running out on pulling the event off.She said she had seen bridal showers held on Facebook live or in a drive-by format and found them rather boring and with no interaction between the bride-to-be and her guests.But Taylor had an idea. She had seen on social media some women getting together to have a socially distant wine tasting party.Her mother said the bride-to-be came up with the idea of a tailgating bridal shower.

So on May 16 in a field near Mount Chestnut cars gathered in a U-shape for a socially distant bridal shower.“The guests pulled in and we gave them a bagged lunch containing the things you usually serve at a bridal shower in to-go containers,” Kennedy said.The guests were greeted with a car trunk with a picture of Taylor and her fiancé, Tyler Foster, a banner reading “Love is Sweet” and a second sign welcoming them to Taylor's bridal shower.“Everybody decorated their own trunks,” she said. Gifts were taken one by one to a gift table to be opened by the guest of honor.“We wanted everyone to be comfortable. We gave gifts away randomly,” she said.

The shower didn't feature any games because Kennedy feared it would be too time-consuming. However whenever the music switched to the song “Celebrate.” Whoever's gift Taylor was opening at the time received a gift.“They loved it,” she said.The outdoor theme continued through on Taylor and Tyler's marriage July 3 at Pinehill at Eisler Farms wedding venue at 517 Dick Road. The couple is making their home near Mayport Naval Base in Jacksonville, Fla.“The guests were not restricted because it was outside,” said Kennedy. The couple was married outside on a hill and the reception was in a barn.The only drawback?“It was so hot, it was blistering hot,” the mother of the bride said.

Navy life — always living near the beach — was the inspiration for the trunk, above, designed by Natalie Ray, one of Taylor Kennedy's bridesmaids.At left, are Jenna Schall, maid of honor; Taylor Kennedy; and Rachel Ellenberger, bridesmaid.
Yvette Mollenkopf, Taylor Kennedy's aunt, left, and cousin Brittany Montgomery decorated Yvette's trunk with a romantic theme. Yvette's trunk took the runner-up prize.
Distributing to-go style lunches with bridal shower cupcakes included are, from left, Jenna Schall, maid of honor; then bride-to-be Taylor Kennedy; and Rachel Ellenberger, bridesmaid.
Jenna Schall, maid of honor, hands to-go lunches to Mandy McCreadie, a guest of the bridegroom, at the bridal shower for Taylor Kennedy.
A trunk design inspired by the Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast." a favorite movie and Disney princess of the then bride-to-be Taylor Kennedy, tied for first place at the shower. They also made beauty and the beast favors that they gave out to guests along with mimosa drinks to any adult who was thirsty. This Trunk was created by, from left,Allison Dalcamo; her daughter, Gigi Dalcamo; and Sharon Schaefer. Sharon is Taylor's Aunt. Allison is a cousin.
The other trunk that tied first place at the bridal shower of Taylor Kennedy was the wedding of Mr. And Mrs. Cockadoodledoo. The real live chickens that were wearing bride and groom outfits, whose wedding ceremony was set up out of the trunk of Brandie Craig and Amanda Walker, left. Amanda on the left was holding Mr. Maui cockadoodledoo and Brandie is holding the bride chicken Mrs. Moana cockadoodledoo.
Taylor Kennedy and Tyler Foster
Two trunks tied for first place at the bridal shower of Taylor Kennedy. For the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Cockadoodledoo, presented in the trunk of Amanda Walker, left, and Brandie Craig, the chickens wore wedding attire. Their competition was Beauty and the Beast, created by Allison Dalcamo, Gigi Dalcamo and Sharon Schaefer, featuring the favorite movie and Disney princess of the bride-to-be.

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