Friday, August 3, 2012

Bridal Shower for my BFF: Travel Theme Wedding Shower

My BFF is getting married!!!  To say I am excited is really an understatement....I am ECSTATIC.  She truly is one of the most amazing people I have EVER met...and I am so happy for her that she has found someone just as amazing as she is.  Can you just imagine the amazing babies they will make?  LOL


And I know we're not related...but don't we look like we could actually be sisters?  We are -- soul sisters, that is....

Amanda's REAL sister, Stevie (aka Stephanie) -- the maid of honor -- and I planned and hosted the shower together.  (A Stephanie and a Stefanie....and her future husband's name is Steve...hmmm)  :)

While we thought about all the countless themes we could use for Amanda, the one that we kept coming back to was a travel/map theme.  You see, Amanda and Steve have done A LOT of travelling together in the short period of time they have been together.  It is remarkable, really.  I'm glad they are getting all their travelling in now while it is easy to do (minus kidlets).  Plus, travelling is a GREAT way to find out *just* how compatible you really are with someone.  And their travelling seems to confirm just how absolutely perfect they ARE for each other!


Invitations were hand made by 'yours truly'.  I found a printable map online of the state of WI that I used and then cut it into heart shapes and adorned it with scrapbook paper in a similar color to Amanda's wedding colors.  I think they turned out pretty darn cute!


The cake was also handmade -- red-velvet cake with a white frosting.  I used scrapbook flowers to soften the look of the cake (also in her colors).  I think it turned out really pretty, and I didn't have to write on the cake (my frosting handwriting is pretty horrible).


Side view.


Another one of my favorite crafties for the shower were these homemade pinwheels.  I did some just with scrapbook paper and others were two-sided -- one side with scrapbook paper and the other side with maps.


To go along with the travel theme, I made luggage tags for our shower attendees. 


 
 I found the template online and then used this kit I found at Office Depot.  They turned out super cute and seem to be pretty sturdy.  I would have loved to print the addresses/names on them before laminating, but I think if guests just use a sharpie to write on there it should be fine (or use an address label). 

 

As part of my gift to Amanda, I made this travel map for her and Steve.  I modge-podged a map from my atlas onto a canvas.  Then I used scrapbooking brads to mark all the locations they have travelled so far (they punched really easily through the canvas).  I used heart shaped brads to denote locations where significant romantic events happened (where they got engaged, where they will be married) and star shaped brads for all other travels.  I love it so much I will be making one for our house next! 


The punch was a German recipe (according to my mom) that we modified a little bit.  It was a combination of N/A champagne, a bottle of white wine, a spritz of sprite zero, and cut up strawberries.  We froze water and basil in a jello mold and then popped it out to keep the punch cool. 


Stevie was in charge of ALL of the food (besides the cake and the punch).  She did a phenomenal job and everything was super delicious!!  We had veggies, bean/roasted pepper roll ups, mini caprese salads, mini fruit salads, spinach dip in a bread bowl, and little BBQ chicken sandwiches on rolls.  No one went home hungry!!


Isn't the cutest idea ever to serve the caprese and fruit salads?  LOVED IT!


I also re-potted some plants that were green/purple/orange to decorate the shower with (in lieu of fresh flowers) that were part of the take home for guests.  I love multi-purpose items!  :) 


I also made a flag banner that alternated scrapbook pennants with map pennants (that had pictures of Amanda, Steve and Amanda and Steve together).  I think it turned out super cute and was a great back-drop for where Amanda sat for the gift-opening.  I hope she hung it somewhere in her house... :)


Do you see the second picture from the left?  That is my favorite one -- Amanda in a coonskin cap.  Doesn't get any better than that!  :)


My mother graciously offered the use of her house for the shower.  Isn't her backyard just beautiful!?  I could get used to this....
   
Overall I think the shower went really well!  I am happy that my crafties turned out the way they did.  I was just so happy to be able to do something nice for Amanda (after all she has done for me over the years).  I hope I showered her with as much love and excitement as she deserves.  She is just such a wonderful person.  I am blessed to have her in my life, and now, so is Steve.  :)

To see more of my Pinspiration, check out the Pinboard I created just for this shower. 

3 comments:

Amanda said...

This was a great day!! Thank you for being an amazing soul sister! Love you.

mel said...

Wow, Stef, that's amazing! It is so great to be able to give back to someone you love so much.

Emily said...

amazing job!!! I LOVE the cake!