My Bridal Shower - May 1, 2010

After this weekend I know just how blessed I am. I have the most amazing network of women in my life – friends, family friends, family – and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

This weekend my mom’s friends hosted the most beautiful bridal shower for me – everything from the food to the decorations, the game and the special touches was so thoughtfully planned out. I just couldn’t say ‘thank you’ enough to these wonderful women who made my one and only ‘bridal shower’ the most amazing afternoon any bride could ask for.

The morning of the shower I woke up and went for a run outside. The weather on May 1st was absolutely beautiful – couldn’t have been more perfect. After my run I came home and all of the women in our house started getting ready! My Aunt J. was in town visiting with her daughter Kathryn, my cousin and one of my bridesmaids. Everyone got their dresses ready, did their makeup and fixed their hair. We arrived at the shower location around 11:45.

Upon our arrival we were greeted by the hostesses (Linda, Karen, Judy, and Sandy) of the bridal shower who all looked absolutely beautiful! They offered us mimosas (which were DELICIOUS!) in beautiful flutes hand painted by Judy (which served as part of everyone’s favor at the end of the shower). Linda’s dining room table was set up with a gorgeous display of luncheon favorites – two delicious salads, shrimp, chicken salad, a fruit display and a gorgeous three tiered display of chocolate dipped strawberries. There was a beautiful pink and green floral arrangement completing the amazing set up of the table.

We all immediately started chatting and catching up and the guests started arriving. I was so thrilled with the women that came out for the afternoon to support me. My heart was so warm with the kindness and love that surrounded me all afternoon. It was so nice catching up with some of my college friends/sorority sisters who I haven’t seen in a very long time. I enjoyed chatting with my family members (My Aunt P. and grandmother arrived together!) and all of my mom’s close friends.

After everyone had arrived we enjoyed a delicious lunch and did more chatting of course. After lunch everyone gathered in Linda’s beautiful living room to open presents! I stood up to thank the hostesses and my family and friends for being there with me and of course I started to cry and get emotional. It really meant so much to me that everyone was there to celebrate this exciting event happening in a little over a month. I’m hoping that the crying at the shower will take the place of any crying I may do at the wedding!

We started opening gifts and I swear, it seems like I need to create an entirely new registry because everyone at the party was SO generous. I really believe I was given everything I will ever need! I was gifted so many amazing things – cooking appliances (including an ice cream maker and blender!), serving platters, dishes, wine glasses, beautiful home accents, baking accessories, cookware, cook books, “memory” pieces and even a little lingerie! :) Amazing!

A few very special gifts came from my mom, M., and M.’s mom and sister (who couldn’t be with us that day!). I’m not sure if I’ve already mentioned this or not, but my mom made me a bouquet wrap for my wedding bouquet. She made it using white silk and a piece of lace from her wedding gown. She embroidered on the inside, my initials and the date of the wedding in a beautiful pale blue. For the shower she added to the wrap by including a gold pin that I wore at my baptism and a gold heart with an opal that my dad gave to her on her wedding day. Finally, she had her mother send her my great-grandmother’s pearl rosary to carry. My mom was very close to her Grandmother Catherine and my mom made my middle name Catherine after her. It was another very emotional moment and one that I will remember forever.

Michael sent me a special gift as well! I was so surprised when he handed me the plain white bag the day I left for North Carolina. He told me not to open the bag until I was opening presents at my shower. When it came time for his gift at the shower we all joked about how “men tend to wrap presents” since his gift was in a plain white bag taped at the top. What we didn’t know was what was inside! I opened the plain white bag to find a beautiful Tiffany & Company blue bag with pale pink tissue paper! The women joked at how I said that it was “my first Tiffany” as though there would be many to come in the future! :) I opened up the bag to find a note from M. that said that I would always have “the KEY to his heart” and in the little blue box was a beautiful silver fleur de lis key pendant. M. is seriously SO good to me and always thinks of the sweetest gifts. I absolutely love the necklace and it will not only remind me of how much I love M. and how much he loves me, but it will also remind me of just how special my bridal shower was!!

Finally, M.’s mom and sister couldn’t be with us the day of the shower, but they sent a wonderful gift. I opened up a pink bag to find the perfume I told all of you about!! I had been meaning to get it ordered to have it ready for the day of the wedding, but M.’s mom and sister beat me to it and I am so excited to wear the beautiful scent on my wedding day!

After the shower ended (I really didn’t want it to!) all of my girlfriends came over to my parent’s house where we snacked and enjoyed a little wine and cocktails together. It was so nice catching up with all of them and the entire day was SUPER fun! I wish I would’ve had more time to spend with my Aunt J., cousin Kathryn and my Aunt P., but the shower and my weekend in NC couldn’t have been any more perfect!