Carolyn's Bridal Shower

This is going to be a pretty picture heavy post! I'll start from the beginning....when I first met Carolyn many years ago (right after Ethan and I had our big December ceremony) it's fair to say that we didn't instantly hit it off. It's not that I didn't like her, but she was just very quiet. As time went on, we got to know each other and she was no longer quiet around me - and I grew to absolutely love her. She's on my speed dial and we text frequently. I can say exactly what I think around her, and vice versa...and most of the time we're thinking the exact same thing. Plus, she and I can shop for hours. HOURS. Matthew finally proposed to her (it was high past time!), and he had a little help finding his ring from moi... I knew Carolyn's dream was a canary diamond engagement ring, and I took advantage of some connections I had with a jeweler here in Atlanta to help Matthew make it happen. The ring was shipped to my grandparents and locked in their safe until Matthew was ready to pick it up. Ethan and I are so thrilled that she's going to be officially part of our family because we've regarded her as such for several years.

When Matthew and Carolyn set an official wedding date, I immediately asked Carolyn if I could host her bridal shower. She agreed, and I set about the planning of it. Carolyn actually allowed me to plan every single detail myself and trusted me to do so. I did ask her to choose the menu though, since I wanted to be sure we had her favorites and nothing that she hated. I knew exactly where I was going to have it....Pewter Rose Bistro, which is known for amazing food and excellent service. It's been open for years in Charlotte, and I actually hosted my bridal luncheon there so I knew it would be perfect. If you're ever in Charlotte,  I highly recommend eating a meal at this place! I wanted something that would reflect Carolyn's eclectic tastes, not feel too "showery", and have excellent food. It's safe to say that I succeeded on all counts. My best friend Erica came to the shower as well, and she snapped all of the below photos as a gift to Carolyn so she could have her shower documented. I know I love looking back on my pictures of my bridal showers! 

This was the first bridal shower I planned and hosted, and I had so much fun doing it. Hopefully it won't be the last as I still have some pals that aren't married yet! There are no photos of Lily in this post, and it's because she didn't attend the shower. I didn't feel it would be appropriate to bring her to an event that I was the hostess of, since I needed to be focused 100% on my responsibilities and on Carolyn! Lily had a blast with her Gramie and Grandpa and didn't miss me at all, so it was all good. She'll be staying with my parents again when we attend Matt and Carolyn's wedding in less than two weeks.   We're so excited...it's going to be a great time! Enjoy the photos below.

Caroline, me, and Grandma
Caroline helped out so much by being my local contact and scout!

Vanilla Sugar Scrub favors (yes, I made them myself with help from Emily)

Carolyn's sister, grandmother, and mom
(does her mom not have the most gorgeous hair?!)

The spread
I made the menu placards myself 

The beautiful bride

Some of the lovely guests

Origami cranes dangling from the ceiling

Sisters at last....(in less than 2 weeks officially!) 

The only game we played - "What's in Your Purse?"
Guests teamed up and dug through their purses to find the items on the list which had a point value.
I love this game because it's not cheesy like I find a lot of typical bridal shower games, and it's a lot of fun!

Gift opening time
(*note to self: it's hard to carry heavy presents in 4 inch wedges) 

Ethan dubs this "Hostess with the Mostess"

This was the finishing touch of the shower.....cheesecake from Junior's in Brooklyn, NY!
It has five billion calories.
And nobody cared.

When I asked Carolyn what her favorite dessert was, she told me it was raspberry cheesecake.
I immediately know EXACTLY where to get it from and had it shipped to Charlotte from NYC.
If you've never had it...you should. You can order it online!


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