This past weekend our family celebrated something wonderful {well, we've actually been celebrating for months but on Sunday we went all out}! My daughter Elizabeth and her husband Jon are expecting their first baby in January. Her sisters and I couldn't wait to plan the shower. In fact, the minute we found out they were expecting we were on it. It's who we are. Planning parties is my favorite thing to do and my daughters are right there with me. It was a beautiful shower and a fabulous day so we wanted to share it with you.
We chose a unique location at Historic Acres of Hershey. The venue was once a working farmland and is home to an Antique Mall that has been in existence for over 20 years. The Coop was the perfect setting for our Rustic Chic themed baby shower.
The bright yellow doors were a wonderful welcome into this adorable building. The antique wood floors, exposed wood beams and scattered chandeliers had me at hello.
Elizabeth and Jon live in Alaska (I know, let's not go there) so we wanted to keep the theme clean, fresh and earthy to mirror the life they are living. The gender of the baby had not been revealed so we decided to keep the decor all white with touches of green. The tables were covered with Staccato linens and topped with beautiful fresh flower arrangements that included succulents, a personal favorite.
We added a non-traditional touch by placing gilded woodland animals (reminiscent of Alaska) around the tables along with potted succulent favors for the guests.
A sweets table was a must and all white was the theme here as well. Pretty little paper bags were placed on the table so guests could take home their treats.
This simple white cake was the highlight of the dessert table. I think we all fell in love with the adorable handmade bear topper that Kyrsten of Kyrsten's Sweet Designs created especially for Elizabeth.
A clothesline full of onesies added the baby element to the shower and was the focal point over the buffet.
In order to stick with a simple, clean look we opted for neutral colored baby clothes and added handmade fabric tassels to the onesie garland. I'm in love with this look!
Pink or blue drink stirrers were a fun way for guests to share their opinion on whether the baby was a boy or girl.... most people chose blue!
Shower games seem silly at times but offering them as an option creates an element of fun and sparks conversation. This game gave the guests a chance to guess how big Elizabeth's baby bump was. It was a huge hit!
The Price is Right guessing game was a hit as well, mostly with moms who know all too well what it costs to shop for a baby!
The absolute most favorite moment and highlight of the day was when Elizabeth surprised her guests as she opened a huge package (supposedly from Jon) that released pink helium balloons revealing that their little bundle was indeed a girl. Words just cannot express the joy that filled that room. It was truly one of the most exciting things I have ever witnessed. I had the privilege of helping with the surprise so to have the opportunity to sit back and watch the reaction was awesome!
Elizabeth loves s'mores so we decided to set up a s'more bar for the guests outside on the patio.
We got the men in the family involved and asked Elizabeth's dad and brother Michael to create a table top version of a fire pit to keep things simple. It was a huge hit with no mess and easy clean up!
It was a fabulous day and these girls made it happen. I am truly blessed to not only have 3 amazing daughters (and a very talented son) but to have the most wonderful family and friends to share these special moments. Life is so much better when you are giving so find what makes you happy and share it with someone.
Celebrate the little things and find the joy in everything. It's what makes life so worthwhile!
Enjoy the day,
Leslie xo
Photo Credit- Doug Reese, Leslie Reese
*A special thanks to Doug Reese Photo for the use of his photos.
A simple invitation was tucked inside a velum envelope filled with tissue paper confetti.
We filled the drawers of a baby dresser with colored tissue paper and small gifts. It was a nice way to display a large item that could not be wrapped.
