Showered with Love

Here are a few snapshots from my bridal shower last weekend. My mom's best friend Jana hosted this lovely event at her home that boasts sweeping views of the Cascade mountains, to which we took full advantage. It was an gorgeous sunny day in Seattle!

Check out my bridal Barbie cake!

Some of my best girls...

My flower girls...

My family - four generations.

It was such a fun day, though opening presents is an exhausting business, let me tell you! Everything was perfect; from the glorious sunshine to the delicious lunch and creatively clever cake...And of course, being surrounded by my loved ones from near and far, I'm feeling the love. Thank you to everyone who made this day wonderful.

Alice in Wonderland

We have now officially entered bridal shower season. I helped my mom co-host two weekends ago, and I have 2 on the calender for April. While bridal shower themes vary from bride to bride, I quite like this whimsical theme - Alice in Wonderland. Perfect in light of the recent movie and it makes for darling table displays with "eat me," and "drink me," place settings, hanging mason jars brimming with flowers, and the lovely blues and purples. So creative!
images/everours

Orange You Excited

With two of my good friends newly engaged, bridal shower season has arrived once again. I'm inspired by this chocolate & orange color palette, it's a welcome shift from the traditional pastels typically associated with a spring shower for a summer wedding.

Create a menu of ridiculously rich chocolate cupcakes, orange slices drizzled with chocolate, and other sweet treats and you're good to go. Take advantage of the rich autumn colors, long stemmed orange blooms, patterned place cards. Inevitably, steer clear of the usual while aiming for the beautifully unusual, and you're bound to host a lovely time!

images/hostesswiththemostess

Bon Voyage

My mom and I hosted a bridal shower on Sunday for my dear friend Sarah. After the games, food & beverage, and present-opening had concluded, I was surprised to be presented with a hostess gift of my own. Imagine my delight to unwrap these darling hand painted dessert plates by Seattle tableware designer Rosanna. My set of 4 "Bon Voyage" plates includes the lovely cities Paris, London, Venice, and New York.

It was such a thoughtful gift, as Sarah and I traveled to Paris and Venice the summer after graduating college. Our goal and pseudo "pact" we made at the end of or first adventure was to make a reunion trip 5-years later. Looks like New York and London are at the top of the list!

image/rosanna

Cupcake Bites

Last Sunday, my mom, aunt, grandma and I had a "Quatro-de-Mayo" cupcake sampling party. My mom invested in a tiered cupcake tree for the upcoming bridal shower we are co-hosting, and we decided that before we stack it full of treats, we ought to sample the various cupcake varieties, to ensure our guests have a the sweetest experience possible.

I've mentioned locale Seattle cupcake phenomenon Cupcake Royale in posts past, but when it comes to me and cupcakes, Red Velvet takes the cake. However, at our sampling, we did encounter a few new flavors that might give good ol' Red a run for their money; including Carrot Cake, Dreamsicle, and most surprising of all, Lavender! Yes indeed, CR swears that lavender buds are mixed right in the the buttercream frosting.

With our menu solidified, I'll be sure to keep you posted on which flavor is deemed the shower favorite.

image/cupcakeroyale

From My Shower to Yours

This weekend's bridal shower was punctuated by a favor...from the bride! After the games had been played, the food eaten, and the gifts unwrapped, we received a favor from the bride.

Each favor was a bar of goat milk soap scented by the Philosophy perfume "Amazing Grace." Each bar had impeccable presentation, tied up in a pale pink organza bag with a small note of origin. The bride's tag-line to accompany the gift was perfection, "From my shower to yours." Literally.

image/etsy

Here Comes the Bride

Wedding season anyone? My first bridal shower of 2008 is just 'round the corner, and I found the perfect gift. While cruising Sephora I came across this Philosophy gift-set, appropriately titled "The Bridal Party." Inside are three luxurious shower gel/body washes befitting of the bride-to-be, affectionately named 'wedding cake,' 'bubbly,' and 'bridal bouquet.' And in case you're curious (as I was) - the scents are clean and refreshing. In particular, "wedding cake" which is not nearly as sugary smelling as it sounds.

Running at $30 for the set, this makes an ideal shower gift. With all of the usual registry items the bride is sure to receive, I thought this would be a fun way for the bride to indulge in some pampering before the big day.

image/sephora

Invite Me

This afternoon, my fellow bridesmaids and I from summer wedding #1, are having an "Invitation Party" to make our bridal shower invites. For those who want the elegance without the effort of making them yourself...I am quite taken by these elegant wedding styles from Dauphine Press.

images/dauphinepress