Over the weekend, I flew to Atlanta to surprise my sister for her bridal shower.
As my sister is the opposite of a bridezilla, she made it clear that I was not required to go after planning her bachelorette party in New Orleans. And because she had already generously let me off the hook, it was all the more meaningful to attend.
I was absolutely blown away by the aesthetics of the shower. (I skipped that part of the wedding planning when I took the plunge, and I got a vicarious thrill from the party.)
Here are some of my favorite moments from the fiesta. Props go to my mom, Nancy, and my sister’s future mother-in-law, Rosemary, for planing a great shindig.
The shower was in a private room at Sun In My Belly in Atlanta. The overall theme was what I’d call “rustic chic.” The otherwise bare-bones private dining room was transformed with strands of bistro lights, well-placed picture frames and mason jars filled with autumn-tinged florals. The result was elegant without being stuffy or pretentious.
The tables were filled with quirky touches, from the table runners (made from butcher’s paper) to the favors (homemade jam and scones) to the glassware (antique, mismatched teacups). The napkins, a navy-floral pattern, had been specifically chosen to mirror the wedding’s color palette.
Even though it was a decidedly non-stuffy affair, I was delighted by the rainbow of dressy brunch clothes modeled by the guests. My sister’s navy floral gown, like the napkins, echoed the wedding color palette. (The wedding party is wearing navy.)
The food was eclectic, upscale Souther. The menu included umami favorites like bacon-pimento cheese omelettes and drool-inducing sweet stuff like berry-smothered French toast. (I also fell in love with a zippy apple salad, which I tried to tell myself was healthy.)
The desserts included platters of mini-muffins, cookies and three different types of cake (chocolate, strawberry and carrot). Needless to say, we had lots of cake leftover, which I promptly ate for breakfast the next day. (Which is why I just went to two spin classes within 12 hours.)
I chose my shower outfit from my closet “archives.” (I’ve had this dress — last seen here — for years.) Not only was the navy color perfectly thematic for my sister’s autumn wedding, but the dress also comes with a handy dandy drawstring waist. (All the better to adjust the sizing after your second helping of the cheese platter.)
The shawl is actually a vest I bought at a secondhand shop. I wore it the morning of my wedding when I was getting ready at the salon.
I’m so excited to celebrate my sister’s upcoming wedding celebrations. She’s got a great eye, and I’me excited to see the design details she’ll include at the wedding.
I’ll be sure to provide another update next month after the big day. XOXOX, Grahameltons!
