In Wonderland

I’m back and full of exciting bloggy goodness! Things are starting to come together and I am very excited to be sharing all my inspiration with you!
To kick things off I wanted to take a walk down memory lane and reminisce about my bridal shower. This momentous occasion took place exactly a year ago today and is defiantly worth blogging about.
Enjoy!

 
Last year I was a bride-to-be planning a tiny, rustic wedding on an even rougher budget. My hubby-to-be and I had recently purchased our home and we wanted to celebrate our life together but were unwilling to acquire any more debt. Planning a wedding on a budget proved to be an extremely difficult process and we ended up cutting the guest list and making many sacrifices (more on that next month when I write about my wedding)

 I knew that my wedding would never be as elaborate as I had originally envisioned which set a high precedence for my bridal shower. Since the guest list was smaller I knew that I could be a bit more fancy in the festivities. My Maid of Honor, Betsy and I decided on an Alice in Wonderland/afternoon tea theme for my shower. Having tea kept the cost of the shower low because we didn’t have to serve a full meal with multiple courses or stock a full bar.

First decision we had to make was where to have the shower. We needed a place that wouldn’t cost a zillion dollars and was somewhere between my house and where my family lived. Since I was so proud of my new home we decided to celebrate at my house! To some, the idea of hosting my own shower was bizarre but it seemed very natural. Betsy was the perfect MOH and managed everything. I simply cleaned my bathroom and moved the furniture around. We did rent chairs and tables for the event but because it was such a small guest list (twenty including myself) the cost was minimal. 

Having it at home meant that we were in charge of all the food. We wanted to use delicious ingredients with the ability to make and prepare the night before. The menu included three kinds of tea sandwiches on high quality bread, mini quiches, croissants, a fruit salad, a fancy couscous salad, and lots of desserts. We served a variety of tea and champagne.

Betsy and I made the dessert stands!!

While the idea of a tea party was rather luxurious, I knew that I needed to throw a little Mad Hatter into the mix. We achieved that chaotic feel of the Mad Hatter's table by buying random, pretty china from thrift stores. The china didn’t match and it looked amazing all mixed together. We also bought random tea pots, serving dishes and decorative vases. I decided ahead of time that I did not want to spend more than five dollars on a single item which kept the cost surprisingly low. Many of the tea cups were less then a dollar!!

 

 While planning my shower, one thing that I struggled with was the whole game/entertainment thing. I didn't want people to play bingo or bet their money on when the hubby and I would have children. I'm just not a game person (especially ones that involve trivia about me)  and since space was limited there was a strict NO GAME policy!

I needed a fun substitute because most of my guests were unacquainted. There had to be a more creative way for everyone to get to know each other?

I decided that people needed a conversation starter, something that the ladies could talk about (other than me and my hubby).  Betsy and I decided that everyone should wear a hat! It was great fun and all the ladies had a blast talking about and complimenting each other on their hats! Since I surround myself with creative types, many of my guests made their hats and it was wonderful! (tutorial for the hat I made coming soon).

 

 

For my bridal shower I wanted to be in charge of the favors. I was very excited to put together little treats that my favorite people could take home and enjoy. I knew I wanted them to be very unique and tie into the theme. I was on a budget so I knew I would have to use my crafty abilities to come up with something stupendous!

I decided to use some old scraps of fabric and I made my guests tiny drawstring bags that I could fill with goodies. It sounds stressful but it wasn't and I finished nineteen of them in a single afternoon. I then took embroidery floss and stitched each guests name onto their bag.

Since I am obsessed with blooming tea I decided to buy the bulbs in bulk and distribute them among the bags. I found some favor jars at my local craft store and they were the perfect size to hold two bulbs of tea. I also included a few packets of flower seeds and of course, chocolate.

My shower was absolutely perfect and I had a wonderful time. I wanted something that was unique and whimsical with a Victorian flare and I got it! I couldn't have done it without the help from close family and friends and all of our hard work really paid off.

Everyone had a great time and many have said it was the best shower they had ever been to! So throw away the games, boil some water and enjoy the simplicity of conversation.
All photos were taken by my sister Courtney and my dear friend Rachel.
Thanks for looking. Love, Ms. Kate