Countdown: 317 Days - Bachelorettes & Engagements!

You know when there comes a point in your life when everyone you know is either newly married or engaged? Well that’s where I am right now. And I LOVE it!! We have so many weddings between now and next year to look forward to, including our own!

This past weekend we kicked off a year of weddings with my sorority sister Ashley’s bachelorette party here in Chicago. We had a blast and it was so great to see everyone who was able to make the trip.

We kicked off the weekend with a lovely dinner at one of my favorite places for outdoor dining, Trattoria Isabella to catch up.

 

It was also the first time we had all been together since I and my two friends Katye and Lisa got engaged, so we had A LOT to celebrate!

Notice how we’re positioned by order of wedding: April, May and June!

 

On Saturday we hung out at the pool (and all got burnt), then headed to the Swissotel to shower Ashley with some very exciting gifts. We ended the night at a club where we danced the night away.



Next up, Ashley’s wedding!! I can’t wait to celebrate with her in less than six weeks! Should be a great party and I’m so excited to be a part of her special day.

Countdown: 325 Days – Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

I have some very special bridesmaids, so I knew I needed a very special way to ask them all to be a part of our big day. I racked my brain trying to come up with something creative. I found some pretty cute ideas online including personalized, handmade “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” cards, scrapbooks, etc. but I still wasn’t sold.

Then I remembered that I know THE BEST and most creative cookie baker in Chicago! Any time I have an excuse to bring cookies anywhere I call Jenna at For Sweets Sake and am never disappointed.

So, I asked her if she could make me cookies that were in the shape of dresses (of course she could!) and I had her write part of the “Will You Be My Bridesmaid?” question on each one. Then I put them into little bags and tied them off with a cute ribbon. Plus, I was able to freeze the cookies until I was going to see each girl which was great because it took me a few months to get to everyone!

They turned out so cute…and delicious! These seriously are the best cookies I’ve ever had, and my bridesmaids must agree because they all said yes! One of my bridesmaid’s fiancé even told me that my friend had to think about it, but a second batch of cookies would probably do the trick. J

Countdown: 333 Days - Happy Birthday Hailey!

Yesterday was the birthday of my beautiful niece Hailey! I can't believe she is SIX! Where does the time go? I remember the first time I saw her and her perfectly rounded cheeks! I've included some pictures of her throughout the years below. Cutest flower girl ever, right?!

Countdown: 337 Days - Bridal Gown Shopping Survival Kits

There are many things that can happen during the process of shopping for a wedding gown, and I wanted those accompanying me to be prepared for anything. So, I created these fun Wedding Dress Shopping Survival kits to help get them through the weekend!

Survival Kit Items:

Pad of Paper and Pen – To take copious notes on dress styles, colors and cuts

Tissues – For tears of joy of course…and we needed them!

Advil – Trying on dresses for two days straight is known to cause a headache or two

Wine – Initially, I thought this would be used to calm any nerves. However, these ended up providing us the support we needed while we were stuck in Chicago Friday afternoon gridlock

Trail Mix – To keep our energy up (which came in very handy as we didn’t have time in between appointments to eat on Friday. Oops)

Colorful pails – No real reason besides I thought they were super cute and could hold all the other items

What started as just a fun way to thank the ladies for joining me, turned out to be really handy!