Dinosaur-obsessed woman gets the bridal shower of her dreams

A D.C. bride-to-be had the dinosaur-themed bridal shower of her dreams. (Photo: Courtesy Katelyn Machnica)
A D.C. bride-to-be had the dinosaur-themed bridal shower of her dreams. (Photo: Courtesy Katelyn Machnica)

Many of us went through a dinosaur-loving period in our childhood, easily encouraged when those seemingly mythical creatures are all over kids’ clothing, furniture, books, and toys. One bride-to-be in Washington, D.C., never outgrew that phase of her life, and though grown-up Jurassic decor doesn’t come standard from typical wedding vendors, she just had the perfect dinosaur-themed bridal shower.

“I’ve been obsessed with dinosaurs for pretty much my whole life,” Katelyn Machnica tells Yahoo Style via email. “I was a stegosaurus for my first Halloween, and I started wearing out a VHS tape of Jurassic Park when I was about 6. Even when my fiancé proposed, he did so with dinosaurs.”

Machnica’s future sister-in-law, Andrea, picked up on that cue — “She just gets me,” Machnica said — and she helped turn the shower into a party that would make Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg proud.

Machnica wore a stegosaurus-print apron from Ankara Streets. There were dinosaur cookie trays, cookies, and banners hung over succulent centerpieces. Naturally, they served food from a spot called Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (along with more traditional mimosas). But the highlight had to be the various dinosaur brides and grooms that Andrea decorated, complete with miniature duct-tape flowers that are just like the ones Machnica made to use at her wedding.

Katelyn Machnica (second from right) with her man of honor, mother, and future sister-in-law. (Photo courtesy of Katelyn Machnica)
Katelyn Machnica (second from right) with her man of honor, mother, and future sister-in-law. (Photo courtesy of Katelyn Machnica)

“My man of honor even made a shower game called ‘Dino Doppelgängers,’ where guests had to guess which dinosaur I assigned to our family and bridal party members,” she tells Yahoo.

When Machnica shared a photo of her dino doppelgänger on Reddit, she inspired others to rethink their own wedding and party themes.

Photo courtesy Katelyn Machnica
Photo courtesy Katelyn Machnica

“This is the best weddit post I have ever seen,” RedLovesPeaches wrote.

A few others shared what they’d done to express their love for those overgrown lizards.

“I had a dinosaur element in my wedding!” wrote alongstrangetrip, adding a link to this hilarious video on Instagram. “I used the T-Rex costume for my first look while both our parties wore dinosaur masks.”

First look #2become1budinger

A post shared by Keri Terzo (@kdelterzo) on Aug 12, 2017 at 1:08pm PDT

Another couple made headlines in 2013 when they let their photographer make it look like their wedding had been attacked by a hungry Tyrannosaurus.

Machnica says she’ll have a dinosaur cake topper and an inflatable costume for the photo booth at her wedding, which will take place in October in her hometown of Rochester, N.Y.

“I am ALL about doing what makes you happy for your wedding!” she wrote on Reddit. “And I’m very lucky to have family and in-laws that are so on board.”

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