Sugar Sweet Baby Girl Shower

girl, baby, decoration, decor, pink
Banner from Thimblepress

February was a fabulously  fun and busy month for us!  First, our son’s rehearsal dinner and beautiful wedding at The The Stave Room (stunning photo backdrop, thanks to ASW Distillery) and then we hosted a baby girl shower for our oldest daughter who is expecting their first child very soon.

So, please enjoy some moments of pink and gold happiness from the Atlanta and NYC Baby Girl celebrations, perhaps taking some notes on recipes and decor for your next celebration.

baby girl shower, sugar sweet
Balloons by Thimblepress
flowers, cupcakes, cookies, pink, shower, sugar sweet
CamiCakes cupcakes, floral by Steve McKenzie

Topping off the light chicken salad luncheon, guests had their choice of delicious CamiCakes cupcakes or pretty pink sugary sweet iced butter cookies.  Some of us had to taste both!

 

 

pink, cupcake, cactus, succulent, sugar, shower, sugar, sweet
Sugar succulents by Nicolettsy and cupcake toppers by SmashCaked, both on Etsy

Aren’t those sugar succulent toppers the cutest?!  It’s amazing what you can find on Etsy.

cocktail, cups, straw, mint julep cup, pink, girl, baby, shower
Pink and gold decor on the bar with cups and napkins by our fav, Sequins and Lipstick

In keeping with our baby girl pink and gold theme, our dear friend and tastemaker, Paige Minear of The Pink Clutch suggested the perfect rosemary, grapefruit cocktail recipe from Australian blogger, Tell Me Tuesday and you can get it here.  Pretty and pink!

Remember to look in your cabinet for serving pieces as shown by the mint julep cup holding the gold and white paper straws.

baby, girl, pink, shower
Parents to be, Molly and Jim
baby, stuffed animal, gift, Dockatot, blanket, crib gift
Do you know Atlanta-based Blablakids? The cutest, softest stuffed animals ever…here is Rivier the elephant, all ready to welcome Baby Girl!

We’ll keep you posted on upcoming developments as there’s nothing like a new baby to bring joy to our world.

 

 

Top Tips for a Relaxed Rehearsal Dinner

As our family had the privilege of recently hosting our own rehearsal dinner,  I want to share some thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind.  Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner is held the night before the wedding and hosted by the groom’s family.  It’s the vehicle to gather the close family, attendants, officiant and bridal couple together, break bread, and fellowship together, and kick off the Big Event with food and merriment.

Take a look at these top tips for a successful, relaxed rehearsal dinner ~

1. Choose a style that is distinctly different from the wedding.

Not wanting to compete with the black tie optional wedding, we went the other way – a pizza truck!  Here we used black and white gingham tablecloths from steve mckenzie’s, pulled up a wood-fired pizza oven food truck, and served ice tea, beer and wine.  Father of the groom, Atlanta interior designer Steve McKenzie created the lush winter floral arrangements.  Festive color-coordinated napkins from Dot and Army completed the table.  More about their easy napkin rental program soon…

The wedding is the main event, so offering a different experience to the wedding party gives them a more complete weekend.

 

textiles, gingham, dot and army napkins, floral
Black and white gingham fabric anchors the tables in the window-filled venue. Floral by Steve McKenzie

2. Consistent Details

Any well done event, especially a wedding, follows a curated path of carefully chosen details.  From the save the date to the invitation to the floral, consistent colors, fonts and written tone set the stage for your special day.  The groom’s love of outdoors and hunting were celebrated with custom stadium cups, monogrammed napkins and photo booth props.

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Custom monogram by Sequins and Lipstick
hunting, Etsy, lips
Photo props by Captivating Creations
Carter McKenzie, Jill McKenzie, The Homestead_GA
Groom + Jill aka Mom

3. Choose the Rehearsal Dinner Menu Secondly to Wedding Menu

The wedding menu plays a starring role in the event, and the budget.  Tastings are held, serving pieces are surveyed, table-cloth colors are coordinated, all these details culminating in this once in a lifetime event.  The rehearsal dinner should coordinate with this evening, not compete with it.  Southern Crust Catering food truck provided this complement to the sit-down dinner on Saturday night.

rehearsal dinner, Plaza Towers, Atlanta GA
Bride + Groom
Atlanta GA, Serenbe , green Chevy truck
Southern Crust Catering
Southern Crust Catering, rehearsal dinner
Hot pizza on a cold night!
roses, winter, floral
Floral by Steve McKenzie
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A moonlit magical rehearsal dinner!
 Cheers to your next celebration!  Hopefully these tips lay the groundwork for many special evenings for you and yours. All photos by Christina Wedge Photography

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10 Minute Makeover: The Guest Bedroom

With just 10 minutes, and a bit of creativity you can transform an entire space!

Today, we’re tackling the guest bedroom. With wedding and graduation season upon us, soon house guests will be too. An often overlooked space, the guest bedroom can be a hodgepodge of reclaimed furniture, bedding and accessories. Even if you don’t have the time or budget to create a totally made-over space, 10 minutes will provide the perfect opportunity to freshen your space.

Bring in a colorful quilt – it’s amazing what a new (even if it’s just new to the space) textile will do for your guest bedroom. Keep the rest of your bedding neutral and add a colorful quilt or throw at the foot of your bed. Remember that hodgepodge we mentioned earlier? A colorful piece like this may be the perfect cohesive element your guest bedroom is calling for!

Check linen throw from steve mckenzie's
Libeco check linen throw from steve mckenzie’s

Switch up a lampshade and let there be NEW light! Select a lampshade from another space in your home (or if you’re a design hoarder – select one from your stash) and switch it with one in your guest bedroom. A new texture and tone surrounding the light source will truly create a new feel for your space.

Relocate a plant and breathe fresh life into your guest bedroom. No matter the size of your space, even the tiniest of succulents will liven up your space and add some much needed greenery – especially if you get creative with the potting (think antique milk glass, or a bright metallic pencil holder).

Pewter cup from steve mckenzie's? The perfect succulent planter!
Pewter cup from steve mckenzie’s? The perfect succulent planter!

And, voila, there you have it – a 10 minute makeover of your guest bedroom, courtesy of the team here at steve mckenzie’s! Now, what are you doing with your next 10 minutes?!?