my shower

I must say that I am truly blessed to be surrounded by and related to some of the most gifted, generous people. My sister-in-law Lisa and dear friend Barb threw me the most beautiful bridal shower today, despite their incredibly busy lives. (With the valuable assistance of Lisa's mom Annaley, my sister Micah, and another friend Natalie!) I could not have asked for a more perfect shower. Lisa put so much thought into every detail, making it something that was so special.

Barb coordinated the food and made it all with the help of Natalie and Micah. It was so delicious! We had assorted breakfast delights like eggs tarragon, oven-baked french toast, and a delicious potato and ham casserole. We also ate bacon-wrapped green beans, stuffed mushrooms, fruit kebabs, banana choclate muffins and Natalie's famous chocolate truffle cookies. It was delectable.

The table settings were gorgeous...complete with burlap table cloths (which I plan on using for my wedding, turquoise vases with yellow flowers (my favorite color combination right now... and sun filtering through the windows. It was all so elegant and natural-looking.

This was incredible... because I am a lover of the outdoors, Lisa wanted to create a "field of flowers" going up the staircase. She and Annaley spent hours perusing antique stores for these incredible bottles for the gorgeous flowers she bought. It was breathtaking.

While driving near her house, Lisa and her mom saw some men trimming trees so they stopped and snagged some branches which they spray painted my favorite shade of blue! These branches were hanging from the ceiling above the food. I wish my camera could capture the whole shot, because it was stunning! We plan on getting married in Ashley's garden area under this incredible arbor. I'm going to hang this from the top right above where we stand.

Lisa had this flower centerpiece made and it was incredible. Not only are there gorgeous pink and yellow roses, it has different vegetables and fruits interspersed. Red cabbage, tomatillos, purple and orange cauliflour, plums, kiwi, red grapes, and limes. I am going to see if Lisa can recreate this for my wedding as well.

The Crown Jewel of the day was the wedding dress. Lisa borrowed my dress form and used pictures from wedding magazines to create a beautiful gown. Annaley spent three days putting this together and she has the burns and pricks on her fingers to prove it! I'm hoping that it will stay in good shape for the next three weeks so I can make this part of my photobooth. I don't think my pictures do it justice!

One of the things I love about Lisa is how thoughtful she is. She takes care of all the little details that really make you feel special. She found this print by a Polish artist (Bart is polish). She picked it because she thought that it looked like me and it does! It actually looks like someone painted me. This was such a special day, and the ladies I was able to spend it with were so special. Overall, a great day. It makes me more and more excited for my wedding...coming up in three short weeks!

THANK YOU EVERYONE! I love you!