Bridal Shower #2: A Floral Soiree in Wisconsin!!

Y'all, I am so lucky! Not only did I get to have TWO bridal showers, but they were both AMAZING!

My future mother-in-law came in for the weekend of my Wisconsin shower. She is getting to know my family and extended family a lot during this special pre-wedding season! We all got to spend the weekend catching up, talking about wedding plans, looking through old photos, going out to eat, and just enjoying each other's company!

When the day of the shower came, we got ready and drove to my Godmother's beautiful home! She hosted the event and put all of it together...

...with the help of my mom. The setting was so beautiful, and I had a really wonderful time!

There was so much delectable food served on the most BEAUTIFUL Chintz china! I hope to host and have a spread this GORGEOUS one day!

There were chicken salad croissants, ham salad toasts, cheese & crackers (a Wisconsin staple), petit fours, chocolate strawberries, macaroons, lemon shortbread cookies, chocolate candies, and plenty of mimosas!

We played a few fun games: a wedding word-search and a trivia quiz featuring some challenging questions about my wedding, engagement, and relationship with Ben!

Then came the presents! There were so many and all of them were so lovely and thoughtful! There were plenty of beautiful cards as well!

And after it all, there were surprise cupcakes!

I'm so grateful for everyone who made it to the shower, and for those who were checking in and supporting me from afar!

(My mom took this photo)

It was truly so kind of my Godmother and mom to host such a beautiful event for me, and for everyone to be present for such a special time in my life! Thank you to all involved and looking forward to the months ahead!

Five Whole Years!

I couldn't be more honored to share that Ben and I got to celebrate five years together earlier this month! Rather than from our first date, we technically celebrate our dating "anniversary" on the day that we first said "I love you!"

I ended up buying a card this year, which I believe is a first because I usually love to DIY everything! I was sure to still letter the envelope myself!

I got Ben a nice watch that he was looking at as a wedding accessories. He got me MANY small items, most of which will be displayed and used on our wedding day!

One particularly special gift that Ben got me was a prompted journal to help document our love story! We paged through it together on the couch and got a sense of the scale of our commitment to each other... it was so special!

We got to spend some nice, quality time together at a restaurant that we had never been to before called House of Cards. It's located in downtown Nashville, hidden beneath the Johnny Cash museum, and is set up like a hidden old-time magician's club. Our entrance into the restaurant really set the tone for the night: a descending stairwell lined with stones, leading into a red curtain-lined hallway. Dark mood-lighting, a mysterious air about the place: the atmosphere and ambiance were absolutely top notch!

There was a formal dress code, so everyone was dressed up and fancy. There were two running magic tables throughout the night: sleight of hand card tricks and things like that. They had a photographer roaming around that took your photo and printed it out for you before the end of the night.

The food was yummy, but the scene and entertainment were extraordinary. We were surprised to find out at the end of the night that we ALSO got to go to a more formal magic show in a small theater in the restaurant. The magician was funny and very impressive.

After the show, we sat at the bar and ate dessert, before wandering around and discovering an outdoor terrace. We really felt transported to a different world, and it made our anniversary so special!

I'm so grateful to have this special guy in my life! Truly, he is the best, and I can't wait to marry him this summer! Here's to five years and many, many more!

Bridal Shower #1: Bridal Tea in Tennessee!

Y'all, my first bridal shower was a BLAST! Bridal Tea, like British high tea, was the theme, and it was such a dream!

I was able to stay at Ben's parent's house for the weekend, and my mom flew in from Wisconsin (despite a treacherous mid-April Midwestern winter storm!) for the special weekend. We all got to spend lots of time together talking about wedding plans, catching up, and enjoying each other's company. On the morning of the shower, we enjoyed breakfast together and got ready for the event!

I wore a white dress with a delicately intricate lace overlay outlined in black. This is actually the same dress I used for our engagement photos... there's still a little bit of practical Midwesterner in me!

We headed over to the shower and were absolutely captivated by the scene! Everything was laid out so beautifully and so thoughtfully prepared.

We spent some time out on the back porch until everybody showed up...

It meant so much to have my friends from Nashville road trip down for the day!

We ate a delicious spread of food: scones, cheesestraws, tea sandwiches, cucumber nibbles, ham biscuit sandwiches, fresh fruit, chocolate covered strawberries, macarons, lemon-raspberry cupcakes, peach & pear bellinis, and tea of course!

I got to sit in the seat of honor...

...and opened SO many presents!

It was so wonderful to be surrounded by so many wonderful women who support me.

I got several messages and gifts from faraway friends, and it meant so much to be in their thoughts on this very special day.

It was such a treat to be able to spend time with everyone and celebrate this very special time in my life. I couldn't be more grateful!