Showering the Bride

When you are part of a large, fun-loving quirky extended family full of inside jokes and crazy traditions, you feel kind of sorry for the young gals who choose to marry one of our boys.

Since we want to make them feel welcome and a part of the family right away,  we throw them a one-of-a-kind bridal shower full of family traditions and craziness!

So when Jackie said yes to my nephew Stephen, we gathered the clan and dug out our infamous, homemade and unique Bridal Shower game.

We throw a dice and share memories, or Nana-Shirleyism’s, or embarrassing pictures of Stephen, whatever the space tells us to do.

And since the object is to introduce the new bride to the family, we had to have a space telling us to “Dress-up”! We dig out the dress-up clothes (just like the grand kids have for years at Nana’s house) and we all find something fun to wear.

And I do mean ALL.

Dressing up is a tradition that started in my Grandma’s spare room before I was born.

It is something we take seriously.

Very seriously.

Something else we take very seriously is food.

Everyone cheers when we get land on the “Eat” space!

Then we swoop down upon the table of goodies wearing out lovely dress up attire and fill our plates with deliciousness!

And I do mean fill our plate.

Such pretty food just begs to be eaten!

There is also a space for the bride-to-be to open a gift.

And even some of those are unique and full of funny stories.

Like this vintage cheer leading outfit that has been a gag gift within the family for 30 years or more. This sweet gal was such a good sport!

It was such a honor to bless her with gifts and laughter and traditions!

Welcome to the family, Jackie! You fit right in!

 

Wedding Shower

The wonderful ladies at church put on a Bridal Shower for my Laura on Saturday.

I still can’t believe that she’s actually the bride!

There was a whole room full of people loving on my girl.

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Laura’s family – grandmas, aunts, cousins – traveling many miles to share the joy.

Steven’s family – wonderful people! So ready to welcome and accept and love her.

And our church family – dear friends who have watched Laura grow up and are so excited for her wedding!

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We shared laughter, played games and ate amazing food!

Oh the food! Seriously people can we just talk about the food?!

We had brunch. Isn’t brunch a happy word? We’re talking caramel sticky buns and every kind of coffee cake with all manor of yummy toppings and egg casseroles in all their gooey, cheesy goodness.

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I love brunch.

And I love these people.

Precious friends who prayed over my baby girl and shared words of wisdom.

Dear people who gave up a beautiful Saturday morning to shower my girl with love and gifts.

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Gifts that Including not one, not two, but three identical vacuums.

She prayed specifically for a vacuum.

And God answered – “Exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think”!

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And I love this girl!

Who will – in just a few short weeks  – walk down the aisle and marry the man who has completely won her heart.

And ours.

So blessed. So very , very blessed.

 

A Vintage Bridal Shower

It was such a special weekend!

We were able to honor my niece Milly at a one-of-a kind vintage bridal shower, hosted by her two amazing and very creative sisters ! They captured Milly to a T!

The original plan was to have a vintage picnic underneath huge sweeping oak trees – but the excessive rain through-out the week left our beautiful picnic spot a swamp. So they moved everything inside.

bicycle built for two

Well not quite everything. They did set up some games – like croquet, hoops, and badminton inside – but they left the vintage bicycle built for two outside where it was thoroughly enjoyed. (That’s my Dagmar in the front and my niece Millie – the blushing bride – in the back.)

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Later – after many games and much visiting – we all moved into the “picnic area” where they had laid out quilts of all colors on the floor. Everyone found a seat as my mom, Milly’s Nana Shirley, gave a short devotional.

It was extra-special because my parents were also celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary that weekend. 🙂

DSC_0219In the middle of each quilt, our hostesses had thoughtfully packed a picnic lunch in beautiful wicker baskets. It was so fun to open those baskets – just like opening a gift!

Inside there was plenty of food for a “blanket-ful” of guests, each item beautifully packaged to look vintage.

Squeals of delight were heard around the room as the guests unpacked their baskets and discovered the treasures inside.

There were ribbon sandwiches – each individually wrapped in waxed paper and tied with string, beautiful red apples, and bags of freshly popped popcorn.

DSC_0245 The cream puffs with vanilla  filling that oozed out when you took a bite were a big hit on my quilt! As were the tiny meringues that melted in your mouth.

DSC_0222 Ice cold water and strawberry lemonade were served from mason jars.

DSC_0236And – at the very bottom – we discovered paper bags filled with lemon drops and a vintage box packed with delightful little iced petite cakes – both vanilla and red velvet.

While we were feasting, our hostesses provided us with paper, colored pencils and books of poetry for inspiration. Then they encouraged us to write Milly a poem or draw her a picture – as Mil herself was known to do on picnics -or any other time.

Cream puffs with oozing vanilla filling proved to be very inspiring – and many blankets produced some hilarious poetry! (Mine included!)

The girls did such a lovely job!  Everything was beautiful and so well planned. I felt like I had walked into a page from an Anne of Green Gables book!

“The girls went home by the light of a calm golden sunset …

All the basins among the hills were brimmed with topaz and emerald light…

‘It has truly been a golden day,’ said Priscilla.”

~Anne of Avonlea

Yes – it truly was a golden day!