Bride-to-be Kajal Patel may be marrying Nicolas Grey, but her first love was books. Reading has always been a beloved hobby of hers, so together with her mother, sister and Event Collective NJ, they came up with the shower theme of “her next chapter.”
On March 7, 2026, in the Travertine Room at TPC Jasna Polana in Princeton, Kaj walked into her 70-guest bridal shower that was bursting with book elements.
Fun decor that fit the theme included a seating chart with custom leather bookmarks for each guest with their name and table number, a backdrop of love stories with their open pages displayed, and a bookshelf featuring photos of Kaj and her groom-to-be throughout the years. The vibe was cozy and welcoming, just like Kaj wanted. She came across Jasna Polana on social media and knew it was the perfect place for the “romantic, moody environment” she was going for.
Kaj also wanted to tie in a piece of her Indian heritage to the celebration. “During a recent trip to India, I ordered favors consisting of vintage Indian notebooks for my guests to take home and encouraged them to write their next chapter,” she explains.
Cute details aside, Kaj’s favorite part of her shower was being surrounded by family and friends. “We so rarely get the opportunity to celebrate moments with all the people we love at once,” she says, “and every moment in my bridal era has been a wonderful reminder of how lucky I am to have the best people in my life who have been there as Nick and my love story unfolds.”
Vendors
Photographer Nicole Pauline Photography Decor Event Collective NJ DJ DJ Prosh Favors The Bombay Store
