Chin's 24th!

I just want to say first, thanks so much for your kind words and congratulations! We received such a kind response to our big news, and it made this pivotal point in our life that much sweeter. 

 

So now, onto Chin's birthday! Christian turned 24 last Wednesday and it's practically been a party since. 

This past weekend we went out with some friends and fam to celebrate. He of course wanted to go to PF Changs (it's a Ping fam favorite). We had so much fun and it was just a testament of how much I'm going to miss the ones we love here in Utah when we leave. 

Ali and Aaron, we're obsessed with them!

fwendddssss

My sister, Maren, and her little baby, Ally. She's kind of turned into the cutest little girl ever.

This is my other sister, Les, and her baby Cameron. He's a gerber baby from head to toe, and so precious.

My brother-in-law, Mike, with their two older kids. I seriously have the best family!

Devin and Robli! We'll be really sad to leave some of our first friends in Provo.

 

 Happy birthday Chin!

E's All-White Bridal Shower

If you follow me on instagram/twitter/facebook, you probably saw all the millions of pictures I posted of the bridal shower that I had the opportunity to co-host this weekend.

A while back, my darling friend Elizabeth, told me that she was so excited to get engaged to the love of her life Nathan, but oh don't worry, that was 4 months before they got engaged. It seemed like waiting for them to get engaged lasted an eternity (and certainly longer for them), but I couldn't wait to start planning her shower that I had offered to throw her back in January when wedding plans started to transpire.

When E's best friend Taylor jumped on board too, I was more than excited to plan E's shower with the help of her best friend who knows exactly what E likes. Plus, Taylor has great taste, is extremely organized, and I just love her to pieces. Needless to say I felt like we made a great team and we both really worked hard to make our vision come together!

With the inspiration of my pal Martha Stewart, we decided on an All-White shower for Elizabeth. White decorations, (mostly) white food, all white desserts, white presents, outfits, you name it. I mean because what color better represents the beauty of a bride like white? We added tan (lots and lots of burlap) and gold as our accent colors, to add an earthy feel.

Here are just a few (more like a bajillion) photos from the shower. Enjoy!

 

Our venue worked out perfectly. We held it at a condo clubhouse where Taylor lives, and the clubhouse was actually stunning. So much natural light, and the room even had it's own kitchen for us to store the food. It was so spacious and was perfect for what we wanted!

We put the "Favors Table" in the back. White boxes with sugar cookies, with some grab and go candy: caramel taffy and white yogurt covered raisins. Ali brought over her white ampersand sign for decoration, and we just used my burlap runner my mom made me for the tablecloth.

Honestly, the table might have been my favorite part. We had a sit-down brunch, so we decided to do one long long table to fit all the girls. We wanted to keep it as classy as possible, so we used white glass plates, white and tan linen napkins with gold napkin rings, name cards, mason jars with white straws for the drinks, and Taylor's silverware.

Then there was the dessert table. Taylor found the inspiration to do white jumbo balloons, and they turned out amazing. They added the perfect background. I made another tulle garland, we used a burlap tablecloth and lots and lots of white and clear cake stands, vases, and platters.

For our centerpieces we used white stock flowers in tall vases, and in the center we used the long gold box my mother made me with 4 tall white candles. We covered the table with white tablecloths and just bought a LOT of cheap burlap and folded the edges under for our runner.

The food was amazing thanks to genius Taylor. She seriously came through on the amazing food. A cheese plate with gorgonzola, brie, aged cheddar, gouda, and parmigianno reggiano, veggies, a spinach tortellini salad with raspberry vinaigrette, and chicken salad on croissants.

For dessert we served beautiful vanilla cupcakes made by Taylor's culinary-school-student sister, Rylie, white chocolate covered pretzels, white donuts (donuts are E's fave), lots of white candy, and coconut sorbet.

I love E's reaction. We hadn't kept her out of the planning too much, simply because we were so excited about it that we (meaning me) couldn't help but tell her about what was coming. But I still think she was pretty surprised and hopefully loved it!

A seat just for the bride-to-be.

The dessert spread and one of my favorite details: "Tying the Knot" wooden cutlery. Purchased on etsy!

Elizabeth and Taylor. They make beautiful best friends! E wore a navy top and pink heels to match her wedding colors.

E's cupcake club, the Kindred Spirits. Such nice girls!

Nathan's adorable sister came all the way down from Ogden to join in the fun.

Me and Ali, who stood in the back while E opened presents and made silly comments like 90 year olds.

Planners in crime!

Just a few of E's bridesmaids

Elizabeth & Whitney

And finally, the whole reason we threw this party. Can we look at this adorable couple? Not only do they just gush with love and engagedness, but they are perfect for each other. I'm so excited for them.

I'm so happy with the way the shower turned out. I'm so grateful for all the hard work Taylor put into it, and that I had a co-host who I worked so well with. I'm also so happy that we could hopefully give Elizabeth a shower deserving of her. She is one of the most genuine and amazing girls I have ever met, and she deserves only the best. It's hard to give someone so beautiful on the inside and out a shower worthy of her!

St. Patrick's Day Recap

Sometimes I feel like all I do in life in throw parties.

It's a good life. 

This weekend Ali and I threw a small St. Patrick's Day party for some of our mutual friends in the Comms program.

Between that, my class party a few weeks ago, a bridal shower I'm helping host at the end of March, and a possible graduation party for Chin in April, my life consists of about two things: party planning and running around like a maniac trying to keep up with school.

So, school, it's time for you to end, and to keep the parties coming.

Ali and I were both worried about how the party would turn out. We didn't really know who all was coming (or if anyone would show up at all), and we had never really planned a get-together with each other before. 

But I learned that Ali and I make a great team in pretty much every aspect of our friendship, and that we are partners in crime in every way.

some shots from the night:

green velvet cupcakes adapted from that cake I made...

Fun striped straws added a little pizazz to our otherwise casual get-together

Ali made cucumber sandwiches which were probably some of the most delicious tasting things I have ever eaten. I could have eaten 1,000 of them.

So much food, a few streamers, and some pom poms made our table fun

I bought some vanilla candy melts and dipped oreos in them to make a rainbow, then used marshmallows for the clouds at the bottom. They added such a great pop of color an were so easy!

 partners in crime

The glitter girls minus Mads and Tills. All these girls are in the comms program with me, and I feel so lucky to have friends that I see every day and that we share so much in common.

Ali whipping the boys on the love seat into shape

It doesn't get much prettier than this.

We had a raffle to win a "pot of gold" and Kimmi won it!

Amber and Seth. Poor Seth thought us comms majors were all a bunch of crazies, but he was a great sport and are they not the cutest couple, like ever?

I was so happy to have all 3 of those girls here. Alyssa (on the left) thinks I'm a total freak because I tried to kiss her hand once (wait what?), and Chelsey is one of the coolest girls I know. 

And megan (in the green)? Well she's a glitter girl. Nuff said.

Overall it was a booming success. How was your St. Patty's Day?