a shower surprise

Surprises are not an easy thing to pull off. What makes them even more difficult is that the majority of the time you're planning a surprise for someone who you usually would be sharing all the details with! You constantly find that simple things turn into major decisions that could normally be solved by a simple text message to your friend.

I've attended many bridal showers, but last month was the first one where I was actually involved in planning the details. It was lots of fun (and work) planning the menu, cake tasting, and figuring out all the details. After some back and forth, we settled on the idea of a Sunday brunch at her future mother-in-law's house. Overall, the food was delicious, company was great, and most importantly the bride-to-be had a wonderful afternoon.

Throwing your own bridal shower? Here are a few tips:

• First step - decide on a venue. I've been to showers at restaurants, country clubs, and houses. Afternoon brunches and evening events. All were fun and the bride-to-be left thinking "I have the best friends and family, that was the perfect shower." It really depends on what your bride-to-be is going to prefer (and if it's not a surprise, just ask her!), budget, and convenience.
•  Don't stress about planning every detail up front. When we started the planning process there was no "theme." We started by picking an invitation that we liked, conveyed the bride-to-be's personality, and worked for an afternoon brunch. The end result - a simple, slightly modern invitation, brown and white with pops of blue and green. From there, the "color theme" of the event turned into blues and greens, with hints of chocolate.
•  Decorations don't have to be over the top. When I saw these tissue paper decorations I thought they would add the perfect touch. The paper goods followed our blue and green color scheme, as well as the cake.
•  Favors - I personally love edible favors. You can't go wrong - everyone loves sweets - whether it's a cupcake, cookie, or cake pop. Whether you make them yourself or get them from a bakery, you can add a personal touch by attaching a customized label.

Do you have any other bridal shower ideas or have experience planning one? I would love to hear your thoughts and see photographs!

happy valentine's day

{homemade card for my valentine}

I absolutely love anything girly - lace, bows, ribbons, hearts, cupcakes, etc. All of these adorable, cute things are definitely in their prime during the month of February. The thing I love about Valentine's Day is that everyone can celebrate in their own way.  Some people go all out with fancy dinners and gifts, others take advantage of the abundance of flowers and sweets. Some people celebrate with a bottle of wine with their girlfriends, and some don't celebrate at all. This year my Valentine's Day will be low key. The plan is to cook my valentine a nice dinner and dessert (see below) and just enjoy each other's company.

{work in progress - valentines day ice cream sandwiches}

{the finished product - you can find the recipe here}

{flowers from my valentine}

{jeweled candles at an art store near my apartment}