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August 6, 2012

My Bridal Shower!

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Morning, friends!

I had such a great weekend — Saturday was my bridal shower, which was an afternoon tea at my parent’s house hosted by my wonderful bridesmaids! Here I am with the four of them — it was awesome to have my very best friends in one place. 🙂 (If you’re new to the blog — I’m getting married to my fiancé Matt in October! Check out my wedding page for all our previous wedding planning-related updates, are here is our engagement story.)

bridesmaids

From left — Laura aka Turner (college), Jenny (high school), me!, Jessica (previous DC roommate), Kris (college)

These beautiful ladies put a ton of hard work into the shower for me and I’m so lucky to have them in my life. A huge thank you to them for making the day so special! 🙂

Another big thank you to my mom, for offering to host the shower at their house, and for busting out all our awesome old family china and linen for the occasion. 🙂 We used tablecloths and tea services that date back to my great great grandmother! So cool.

teacups

And one more big thank you to Gretchen for being awesome and offering to take photos so I didn’t have to worry about taking them myself! Credit for almost all of the photos in this post goes to her. Thank you, Gretchen! Here I am with Gretchen and my MOH, her sister Jenny. 🙂

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We had an amazing spread of food for the shower, plus some beautiful flowers and decorations.

table

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Gorgeous photo courtesy of Gena!

There were also some adorable favors for everyone to take home!

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The favors were little tea packets with a thank you on them, plus some madeleines. Yum.

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The girls were in a frenzy getting all of it ready before everyone arrived! Even my grandmother got roped into helping because she arrived early. 😉

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Since it was a tea party, we had all sorts of cute little finger sandwiches. Cucumber:

sandwiches

Smoked salmon and dill:

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And plain jelly in heart shapes. 🙂

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We also had some unpictured hummus and veggies and lots of fruit, including some amazingly delicious watermelon.

And of course, dessert. 🙂

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How adorable are these mini-pies?! Jenny and Gretchen made them and they definitely won for cutest dish of the day. Delicious, too!

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Plus little mini cups of brownies and lemon tarts!

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Yum.

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Before we knew it, the guests were arriving and the party had officially begun.

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I really wish I’d gotten a photo of all the guests together (or at least more of them), but I was too busy chatting everyone up! We had 26 people total in attendance and it was so much fun to have so many of my close friends and family in one place. There were people there from all walks of life — family friends, neighbors, high school friends, college friends, DC friends, blog friends, and future family, too — Matt’s mother and my future sister-in-law came as well!

Here I am with my friends Kathleen, Hilary, Erin, and Megan:

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Hilary, Ashley, and Jess:

girls

Hilary, me, future sister-in-law Jess, Janice, and Erin (in front of a window, hence the bright white behind us):

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Lara, Jenny, and Gena:

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And so many more!

We spent about an hour or so mingling and eating before settling down to open gifts and play a couple games. The girls know me well and knew I wouldn’t want a ton of cheesy bridal games, but we did play one really fun trivia game.

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For the trivia game, when we all sat down, Jenny (my MOH), told us all that she had emailed Matt about 15 questions (things like, “How do you take your coffee?” “When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?” “What’s your favorite meal that Anne makes?” etc.). She would ask the questions to me and for every one I got wrong, I would have to put a huge piece of bubble gum in my mouth (lol).

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Above I’m celebrating getting one right. And below I am like, oh, crap… what’s Matt’s favorite movie? (Braveheart — I guessed it right!)

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Aaaaand here’s me starting to eat the gum for answering one wrong, lol. I’d say I got about 60 or 70% right. 😉 There were a lot where I was like “It’s either this, or this…” and then I guessed the wrong thing, haha. But I did guess Matt’s favorite athlete — Troy Polamalu from the Steelers! Even though I pronounced his name wrong. 😉

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Buuuuut by the end of the game, my mouth was still exploding with gum. 🙂 Everyone was cracking up — I’d really recommend this game if you find yourself hosting a shower for a friend. So fun!

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After trivia, we moved on to presents. The girls presented the guests with this fun “bridal present bingo” game to keep them interested/occupied during the present opening. 🙂 They would write typical presents (e.g. silverware, frying pan, towels, etc.) in the squares and whoever got bingo first won!

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The girls gave out prizes to the first two winners — they got reusable cups with little Starbucks cards in them. Gretchen was one of the winners and snapped this photo of her prize! 🙂

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Presents!

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My last gift was a fun basket that was a collaborative gift from all of my bridesmaids. I was so touched by how sweet and thoughtful the presents were! There was an assortment of fun little kitchen gadgets from our Crate & Barrel registry, plus this gorgeous cutting board engraved with me and Matt’s name:

cuttingboard

And the main gift was a beautiful cookbook they made by compiling all of the recipes from my blog!!

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How cool is that?! I was so surprised and I can’t even imagine how long it must have taken them to compile all the recipes. What a sweet gift!

book

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The book literally includes every single recipe from my blog, all organized based on the categories on my recipe page. And since it’s in a spiral book, I can get new pages printed to add to it as I make new recipes!

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Amazing, right? A bunch of people at the shower wanted to buy a copy, too!

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We ended the shower with some advice and well wishes — my bridesmaids handed these cards out during the present opening and asked everyone to quickly write down any advice they could think of for maintaining a happy marriage. I read through the cards with the girls after everyone left — there was a wonderful mix of sentimental, thoughtful, and lighthearted well wishes/advice from the guests.

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What a wonderful day. A huge thank you again to my bridesmaids and my mom for making the day so special for me — I was so touched by how much effort was put into all the little details. And a big thank you to those who are reading that were in attendance! I’m so honored to have such amazing people in my life.

- anne
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47 comments
  • Krissy @ Shiawase Life
    August 6, 2012 · 8:19AM:
    that is the absolute coolest gift - so neat and personal!!! :D I love jessica's dress, too!!
    Reply
  • Kris S August 6, 2012 · 8:31AM:
    Yay! So much fun! :)
    Reply
  • Gretchen @ Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!
    August 6, 2012 · 8:37AM:
    I was so amazed when Jenny showed me your cookbook gift -- totally amazing, and perfect for you! I had an amazing time at the shower, and was more than happy to play photographer! I hope you had the best time -- the wedding festivities are really only just beginning, after all! :D
    Reply
  • claire @ the realistic nutritionist
    August 6, 2012 · 8:54AM:
    I love that cookbook!! What an amazing idea!
    Reply
  • Kathleen August 6, 2012 · 8:57AM:
    What beautiful pictures! Gretchen did a great job. The one of you chewing gum is classic... you were REALLY motivated to get those questions right.
    Reply
  • Gena
    August 6, 2012 · 9:01AM:
    I can attest to the beauty and fun of the day! It was a wonderful shower, and so nice to see friends from various moments in your life, from high school through now, coming together and getting to know each other. It was also nice to see how personalized the gift giving was; to put time and effort into making that very beautiful cookbook is a testament to how well your friends know and love you. And yeah: the bubblegum business was pretty hilarious :) So glad you had fun, and thanks for having me!!
    Reply
  • Kath
    August 6, 2012 · 9:05AM:
    Beautiful event!
    Reply
  • Renie August 6, 2012 · 9:36AM:
    Beautiful pictures. I made myself a fANNEtastic food cookbook. That was a wonderful, thoughtful gift.
    Reply
  • Sokphal
    August 6, 2012 · 9:38AM:
    LOVED the book idea! Totally cool! You are a pretty amazing person Anne! :) Great pics!
    Reply
  • Michelle @Peachy Palate
    August 6, 2012 · 9:42AM:
    That is an amazing gift!!! Looks like you had a lovely day, very pretty dress and food looks amazing!
    Reply
  • Sam @ Better With Sprinkles
    August 6, 2012 · 9:50AM:
    That cookbook is such a sweet idea! You have awesome bridesmaids. :-) And Matt has the same favourite athlete as my dad, lol. I think it's the hair!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      August 6, 2012 · 5:02PM:
      He does have pretty epic hair. :)
      Reply
  • joelle (on a pink typewriter)
    August 6, 2012 · 9:58AM:
    Love the little heart sandwiches.. Looks like it was just a lovely event!
    Reply
  • Theodora
    August 6, 2012 · 10:02AM:
    You look beautiful, and I love the cookbook idea!
    Reply
  • Kim@hungryhealthygirl
    August 6, 2012 · 10:06AM:
    What a special day! Those mini pies are adorable and look delicious. The cookbook is such an awesome idea.....a gift I'm sure you'll treasure for a lifetime. Congrats!!
    Reply
  • Janet
    August 6, 2012 · 10:09AM:
    WOW! What an awesome gift! Beautiful photos... congratulations! My BFF's baby girl got married this weekend. Time flies so fast. Enjoy each and every day!
    Reply
  • Megan@ The Runninc Doc
    August 6, 2012 · 11:08AM:
    What a fun day! And I agree with your guests, when are you going to start selling your cookbook?!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      August 6, 2012 · 5:01PM:
      Haha we'll see ;)
      Reply
      • Jamie October 4, 2012 · 8:49AM:
        I would love to know what company they purchased your cookbook at?? It looks like great quality and I am looking for a spiral ring like yours. I appreciate your feedback :)
        Reply
        • Anne P
          October 4, 2012 · 9:55AM:
          They made it using Tastebook! http://www.tastebook.com/
          Reply
          • Jamie October 4, 2012 · 9:59AM:
            Thank You!!!
            Reply
  • Erin @ erinberries
    August 6, 2012 · 11:17AM:
    Such a cute shower! Showers are so much fun. I wish we had more reasons to throw cute parties like them.
    Reply
  • Sana
    August 6, 2012 · 11:24AM:
    Sooo lovely! I love your hair :)
    Reply
    • Anne P
      August 6, 2012 · 5:02PM:
      Thanks :)
      Reply
  • Calee (@chimes)
    August 6, 2012 · 11:57AM:
    So pretty! My friend had a bridal tea party. I love that idea.
    Reply
  • Lauren
    August 6, 2012 · 12:16PM:
    OMG Anne, so beautiful! You and the party. :) So glad you had a wonderful shower.
    Reply
  • Elle
    August 6, 2012 · 12:16PM:
    LOVE the cookbook and cutting board! Sad I couldn't be there but looks like you had a wonderful time with the ladies! xo
    Reply
  • Brittani
    August 6, 2012 · 1:37PM:
    I would definitely purchase a copy of that cookbook! Your dress is beautiful, where did you get it?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      August 6, 2012 · 5:01PM:
      It's from Limited, but like 10 years ago! I discovered it hiding in the back of my closet :)
      Reply
  • Lauren T August 6, 2012 · 2:32PM:
    Looks like you had the perfect bridal shower :) What a thoughtful gift from your friends too! I loved seeing all the pics from the shower!
    Reply
  • Hunter August 6, 2012 · 4:01PM:
    Anne this looks like the PERFECT shower!! I was with you all in spirit, can't wait for the bachelorette and wedding!
    Reply
  • Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See
    August 6, 2012 · 4:33PM:
    What a gorgeous shower! Those mini pies are adorable, and I love the idea of the bubble gum :)
    Reply
  • Lauren
    August 6, 2012 · 5:40PM:
    This looks so fabulous!!! Seems like you had such a wonderful time! You looked stunning as well...a true 'blushing bride' (err...bride-to-be!). LOVE the blonde hair by the way- looks so awesome on you! :)
    Reply
  • Olivia
    August 6, 2012 · 5:43PM:
    Woooow, so many great ideas! I bookmarked this post so I can use the games, handouts, and favors in future shower's I'll throw. I'm glad you had such a good time! :)
    Reply
  • Kristy @ Southern In-Law
    August 6, 2012 · 6:06PM:
    What a gorgeous Bridal Shower! The recipe book is an awesome idea!
    Reply
  • Jill K August 6, 2012 · 7:54PM:
    It was an awesome Shower -Thank You for including me. And it was awesome meeting everyone -your friends are so fun! One last thing.....I "still" think that was a small frying pan! Hehe! ;-) BINGO!!!!!!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      August 7, 2012 · 7:58AM:
      Lol!
      Reply
  • Michelle
    August 6, 2012 · 8:43PM:
    OMG The cookbook -- what a SWEET gift!! I think I would start crying if my friends gave me something like that. What a great shower -- you are definitely blessed with wonderful people in your life!
    Reply
  • Adventurer August 6, 2012 · 9:22PM:
    Looks wonderful, Anne. Congratulations. Creative, fun, classy -- and all with friends and family. Very nice! (And great photos, too!)
    Reply
  • Kait @yogabeautylife
    August 6, 2012 · 9:33PM:
    What a beautiful shower! Congratulations. :)
    Reply
  • Sloane @ Life Food and Beer
    August 6, 2012 · 9:44PM:
    I love the cook book. Such a thoughtful idea!! I agree with some of the other post... I would have cried too. Congrats on your up coming wedding!!
    Reply
  • zulma August 6, 2012 · 10:54PM:
    You really had an excellente Bridal Shower, everything in your pics are so beautiful. Your best friends really thought in every detail. You are lucky to have them. I saw the details of the little finger sandwiches, I liked it, and the idea of the favors Anne really pretty, the cook book great idea...everything was great, congrats!! P.D. what's the red thing in a bowl???
    Reply
  • Pat Elsberry August 7, 2012 · 11:25AM:
    What a very special day!! I loved that is was a tea and your Mom was able to use all the family china, tea cups, dishes etc. That makes is all so special! I just LOVE the cookbook - such a unique gift and made with much love! The cutting board is so cool, too! I'm sure your getting SO excited!! :)
    Reply
  • Min
    August 8, 2012 · 11:59AM:
    Oh, Anne! What a beautiful and heart-warming bridal shower! I love that everything's so mini ;) Cuteness always has a soft spot in all of us ladies. You have such amazing friends! So sweet! And that cookbook is so special! You look stunning, Anne!
    Reply
  • Katy August 8, 2012 · 8:15PM:
    I just had to comment b/c my small group threw me a small bridal shower and made me play the bubble gum game too!! If I got one right, I got to open a gift... if I got one wrong, a piece of gum went in! I'm so glad someone else has had the joy of this game :-) hahaha
    Reply
  • Amanda
    August 11, 2012 · 10:44AM:
    That recipe book looks amazing, I think you and your friends probably could make some money off of it if you put it up on your store! :)
    Reply
  • Jennifer
    May 30, 2013 · 12:19PM:
    What a lovely bridal shower...and it looks like it was really FUN! I'm very familiar with the trivia/bubble gum game...it's harder than most think! The photos of you doing it are hilarious. I also think bridal shower bingo is really a must (the starbucks cards you gave are a great prize). You can actually get a printable bridal shower bingo game from www.bridalbananas.com and print it instantly...super easy. BTW, the photos of your shower are really wonderful; kudos to the photographer!
    Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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