A Beautiful Bridal Shower

A few Saturdays ago, things got real.  My mom, mother-in-law, and bridesmaids threw the most beautiful bridal shower and all of a sudden, the reality of this is actually happening sort of hit.  (Did anyone else experience this?  it didn't feel real until your shower?)

My shower was a gorgeous surprise.  Despite the fact that I found out about it about a week before, it was still filled with so many sweet details and touches.  The entire theme of the shower was such a surprise and nothing like what I expected (though apparently, all the inspiration was drawn from my Pinterest!).  They went with a black, white, and pink theme and it was really just perfect.  From the floral centerpieces to the games to the food, everything was handpicked and thought out.  

The menu included croissant sandwiches, chilled strawberry soup, and my favorite, a replica of Magnolia Bakery's banana pudding, among other treats!  Everything was delicious and made by my mom, who put so much thought into every menu item and tried to craft it around things I love...needless to say, she did a great job!  

My bridesmaids planned out some games that were a ton of fun.  They asked AJ a bunch of questions ahead of time and then we played a game where I tried to guess his answers.  If I didn't get the answer right, I had to stick a piece of bubble gum in my mouth (and they didn't choose small sticks either!).  They also had some printed games for people to fill out while I opened gifts and even had people leave me advice and date night ideas.  It was so much fun to read through those later that evening and we will definitely be keeping all of those on hand!

I was so blessed by my bridal shower.  The expert planning that went into it, all of the people that attended, and all of the gifts that AJ and I were given all made us both feel so so loved.  I think my favorite part of the day was just being surrounded by so many women who have spoken into my life and have watched AJ and I fall in love.  I'm not sure what it is about it, but it feels like this whole wedding thing is actually happening now, and not just some distant event we've been planning!

The girls put together a cupcake decorating station.  Once everyone had decorated their cupcake, I chose which one I thought was the best and that person won a prize.  Then, everyone was able to take their cupcake home as a favor!

Some of the decor included photos of AJ and I from our relationship and engagement session.  It was so special and fun to see those photos displayed around the party!  

My mom's friend has a daughter who likes to bake, and my mom knew how smitten I am with naked cakes, so she called her up and asked if she'd be willing to try making one...it was such a hit!  Filled with raspberry and frosting, it was delicious, and it looked absolutely gorgeous with all of the berries and flowers on it!

When I walked into the party, everyone was lined up to throw glitter on me...I definitely ended up with some down my dress, but I thought it was a fun and unique idea and it was a special start to a special day!

This is my grandmother and I...she just had her knee replaced in June, so I was so happy that she was able to make it to the shower!

While I opened a few gifts, Amanda (AJ's sister) called him so that he could "be there" with us.  His two aunts gave him a drill, so he was able to be on the phone while I opened that gift, and our moms gave us a gorgeous set of Calphalon cookware, so we called him while that one was being opened.  I can't wait to decorate and set up our future home!  We are definitely blessed with so many generous friends and family!

I made sure to take photos with each of my bridesmaids...this is Jen, my Matron of Honor (and our little ring bearer in her tummy!).  I had the joy of being her Maid of Honor, so it's so fun to have her by my side through all of this!

This is Chelsea.  She's my cousin's wife and she's also pregnant with a little girl (yay!).  Her husband, Matt, and I are only a few months apart and were best friends as kids (and are still close today).  I was able to be in her wedding as well, so it's really fun to have her as a bridesmaid in our wedding!

This is Natalie, another one of my lovely bridesmaids!  Many of you know her as the girl behind A Tiny Traveler, but she's also about to be my sister-in-law!  She'll be marrying my brother at the end of September, so AJ and I are excited to be in their wedding while they're in ours!  

This is Amanda, AJ's sister.  She was one of the masterminds behind the decor for the shower, and came up with the idea that the shower should be unexpected and different than what our wedding will look like, which was a terrific idea!  Amanda is headed to law school in just a few weeks, but luckily will be flying home for the wedding. 

This is my dear friend Courtney.  She sadly won't be at the wedding, as she lives in Argentina, where she's a teacher, but she was able to be at the shower while she was home for the summer and she and her mom, Sherry, did all of the beautiful florals!

And here are my moms...my mom (on the left), and AJ's mom (on the right), played a HUGE role in making my shower absolutely perfect.  They are both so great and I'm so excited and blessed to be marrying into such a solid family.  Just last night, these two ladies got a head start in tackling our seating chart and they handled it like a boss!  I couldn't ask for better women to be by my side during this planning process.

And last but not least, this is my Aunt Chrissy.  She's my mom's sister and also my godmother and we've been close my entire life.  She was a big help to my mom in prepping all of the food for the party and I'm so grateful to have her in my life! 

I loved everything about my shower and wish I could do it all over again!  It was so much fun and AJ and I are totally blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives!