Bridal Shower. Woodland Wedding Inspiration.

Back in October I threw a bridal shower for one of my best friends, Rachel. I wasn't able to post the images right away because we had to wait for our feature on the WeddingChicks blog! I thought maybe you would all want some more detail about the planning, execution, and how we kept it all a secret from Rachel :)

The details . . .
Event stylist : Melissa Lewkowicz
Invitations/Menus : Ashleigh's Fine Paper
Tableware/Linens : Partymakers
Antique furniture : Thrill of the Hunt
Catering : Sweet Basil's Restaurant
Cake : Maxie B's


I knew it would probably be pretty chilly in October so I asked Rachel if it was ok to do the shower outside. She said yes, but that's all she knew about our plan! I worked with my sister to pull together a theme before asking for help from all the amazing vendors listed above. Rachel was an English major in college so we themed the shower around books, words, and quotes, with a nice dash of color so our setup would stand out against the trees. The huge paper chandelier you see hanging above the table was a labor of love by my mom, sisters, and I. We used yarn to string up old book pages, tissue poms, and garlands onto a frame. My dad called it a "trash tornado" but he helped string it up in the trees anyway because he loves us and Rachel is like another daughter to him. It absolutely pulls everything together and it moved so pretty in the breeze!





All the old books on the table were from the free section at Ed McKay's bookstore in Greensboro. I took quite a few trips there, picking out the perfect books to complete our table decor. The books now have a home in my office :)



I am in love with the blue chair below. Isn't it gorgeous? Thrill of the Hunt antique store recently changed focus and is now Preen, a vintage jewelry store in Greensboro. Make sure you check it out if you're looking for some unique jewelry for your wedding day (or anything else!).





Melissa did an amazing job of taking our vision for the shower and adding all the little details. The napkin holders are actually headbands that she makes by hand. Genius!



We set up this gorgeous little area for our guests to type a message to Rachel, like a guest book.







I love the mantle that we got from Thrill of the Hunt. It was the first thing guests saw as they entered the shower and featured one of the photos from Rachel's actual engagement!





This vintage chair I picked up off the curb one day was perfect for piling gifts for our bride-to-be! We also posted cute little quotes about love and marriage on the shutters, and tucked one of the shower invitations into the shelving.



Ok, two things... Ashleigh did an AMAZING job on the invitations and menus for the shower. I met up with her to go over the shower theme, colors, and design, and she took it from there designing a beautiful invitation that set the tone for our event. She also worked with Renee from Sweet Basil's to design the menu. I love that the menu and cupcake icing are the exact same color! Speaking of cupcakes... man, those were delicious. I cannot say enough good things about Maxie B's bakery! Each guest had a cupcake beside their plate. Don't they look cute on their little cake stands?















And again with the cake... aren't they adorable? I gave Maxie B's our shower colors and theme and they came up with these adorable, whimsical designs for us.











My sister brought Rachel down to where we were set up. I love her face in this photo! She was so completely surprised and happy :)



And then it was time to eat. I wish you guys could smell this food through your computers. It was honestly the best food I've ever eaten! And not only was it good, I love how beautiful everything looks! Sadly, Sweet Basil's Restaurant is closed now but they still do catering! And if you ever get a chance, you *have* to stop by Basil's & Co for dinner sometime. Same owner, amazing food. I promise, our girls are still talking about that soup! And check out the gorgeous tableware... I met with Emily from Partymakers during the planning stages and she was so incredibly helpful in picking out colors and dishes that weren't matchy-matchy but still looked good together.



So there you have it! If you saw the shower photos on WeddingChicks, I hope you enjoyed getting some behind-the-scenes details! And yes, I'm leaving you with the food pictures last so you'll go see Renee and try it yourself. Don't forget to leave a comment while you're visiting the blog! The vendors worked so hard on making everything look amazing and I know they would appreciate some love :)

Valentines sessions. The photos.

If you've been reading my blog, Twitter, or follow me on Facebook, you know that I have been looking forward to these Valentines mini-sessions for weeks! I finally got to shoot with all of my groups and it was perfect! We had beautiful weather, lots of smiles and laughs, and plenty of hearts to go around.

I shot Emily and David's wedding in July of last year and they traveled two hours to do the mini-session with me on Friday! It was so fun seeing them again at this new stage in their relationship. Emily and David are both doing stuff in school so they're super busy. They seemed pretty happy to break from the routine and spend some time cuddling in front of the camera :)













This is the Taplin family. Both kids ended up getting sick right before the session and weren't feeling good. As Holland said, "I just want to sleep!". Poor babies. We were still able to grab some cute photos before sending the kids off to an afternoon nap!













I didn't get to meet Leah & Adam until our session Saturday afternoon. They just recently got engaged and are in the middle of wedding planning now. I'm so glad they were able to squeeze in this quick engagement session! They have great smiles and seem so perfect for each other. See for yourself!















Kristin & Spence were among the first of my clients in 2009. I shot their engagement session in Myrtle Beach, Kristin's bridal session, and their wedding at Revolution Mills Studios. Now they're expecting a baby boy in a few months and took advantage of the mini-session for some updated/maternity photos :)



















Deidra is a wedding and event planner here in the triad. You can see her website here! She brought along her puppy, Kizzy, and her boyfriend, Nate, to the session. Deidra and Nate are so absolutely perfect together. They're both silly and love to tease each other and laugh together. . . as you'll see below :)

















Scott booked a mini-session as a surprise for his girlfriend, Madison. He was so excited to see what her reaction would be... such a thoughtful boyfriend :) I think it's safe to say she was really happy. They were so cute and natural in front of the camera!

















P.S. Each couple got one of these adorable cupcake topiaries from Maxie B's at the end of the session. I like to think they're cute enough for the girls, yummy enough for the guys :)