My sister's bridal shower! (grays, lace, polka dots, boxwood, and a train station)

It's been a few weeks since my sister's bridal shower, but it was so beautiful and such a special time I still want to share it here. It was the last big party I was responsible for this fall, and it all came together so well. I felt so relaxed during the whole planning process of it, which made it even more enjoyable.

I started thinking about her shower months ago, gathering things along the way, and I had an awesome group of girls to help. Her wedding colors are grays and whites, so we used that color scheme and then added in boxwood, lace, lots of textures, touches of polka dots, and strands of globe lights and held the shower at an old restored train station. It was beautiful. It still feels a little surreal, my little sister is getting married in a week and a half, and her shower is already behind us. I got choked up just before I prayed to bless the food and fellowship on the day of her shower. It was the moment when it hit me, all of the time and love poured into making the day special for her, and suddenly it was happening and I was looking around at all the faces that make up the timeline of her life and I saw my baby sister next to me only she is a woman now, and not the little girl I sometimes still think of her as, and I couldn't be anymore proud of her or love her any more deeply. I pretty much didn't leave her side for a second of the shower. Funny how living far away from your sister makes you value your time together so highly.

Ok, so before I lose it again....

 

Here are her invitations, I ordered them from Wedding Paper Divas and loved the way they came out. The photo on the front was one of their engagement photos I had taken, the back of the invitation looked like a chalkboard, and I loved the scalloped edges.

The beautiful bride to be just before her shower started :)

 

I think the photo below does a pretty good job capturing the feel. The little tin buckets I got from the dollar bins at target and filled with boxwood from Shaun's parents' farm the day before. I wrote little endearments like "my darling, honey, my dear, sugar, sweet heart, etc." on the chalkboard panels and we used them plus mix-matched lace table cloths plus tea lights on the tables.  In the back ground you can see the fabric tassel garland we made and the globe lights we strung up over the train bench Randi sat at to open gifts. 

One of Randi's bridesmaids had the idea to have a soup bar, which was perfect because it was a chilly November day. There was tomato tortellini, taco soup, butternut bisque, fish chowder, and chicken and dumplings. They were all so good. Besides the soups we had hot ham & cheese poppyseed glazed sandwiches, the most delicious waldorf chicken salad on croissants, layered taco dip, veggies and dip, and the best desserts... mini pumpkin cheesecakes, coconut macaroons, oreo truffles, and fractured prune donuts.

At the drink bar we had apple cider, spa water, hot tea, and Hawaiian hazelnut coffee.

 

After the shower we took lots of pictures outside the gorgeous brick train station. 

Hopskotches live on...

(I have no idea why we call this face that, but when Randi said "let's do hopskotch" everyone laughed that we actually had a name for this face, which led to us laughing, which led to the candid photo directly after this one, which is probably my personal favorite picture from the shower...)

A week and a day from today starts the rest of the wedding festivities... I CAN NOT WAIT for the epic bachelorette party we have planned... AHHH!!! Then of course comes the rehearsal and then the WEDDING!!!

I love you, beautiful sister of mine, and I hope you loved every second of your bridal shower.