A Simple/Fancy/Fun 1st Birthday: Stella's Pink Party!

Our dear friends, Carrie and Derek's sweet baby girl, Stella just turned one!  Carrie reached out to me to help throw her a party for her first birthday.  Together with our very talented friend, Nicole (and Stella's awesome grandmother, Robin), we had so much fun throwing one precious "Pink Party" (like a "white party," only pink, pink, and more PINK!)... complete with lots of S/F/F touches, and all the guests sporting pink, of course!

Stella's adorable invitation and coordinating thank you note From Etsy shop, MommiesInk

The Drink Bar:

Mimosas and Bloody Mary's for grown ups, lemonade (in beverage dispenser and juice packs) and waters for everyone!

Custom matching water bottle labels from Etsy store, MommiesInk

The obligatory mimosa bar!  Carafes and vases from Ikea with juices and corresponding fruit for garnishes; straws from Etsy, Shoppe3130

Stella's Sweet Shoppe:

Bunting banner made by Carrie over a simple streamer/crepe paper curtain (adhered to yarn and hung with balloons)

Amazing cupcake cake homemade by Nicole!

Candy bar for take-home treats!

Custom mini cupcakes from Lilly Magilly's 

Pink Rice Crispie Treats!

Other sweet det's...

Carrie made a Shutterfly album of Stella's first year for guest to sign with a message for Stella.  We placed it on the gift table with a name sign made by Robin

Birthday banner handmade by Robin using patterned paper and yarn

Deck setup with toys for the tiny tots, including a pop up castle from Amazon

Simple pink Gerbera daisy centerpieces on the outdoor tables

The brunch spread by Robin, including a "baby buffet" with gold fish, pirate's booty, and Cheerios for the little ones

Happy Birthday to our favorite little Chunk!!

the mastermind dream team ;)

What a cool family?!

The family donning pink for Stelly Belly!

4 generations

Gifts galore!

We hope you had the BEST 1st birthday, beautiful baby girl!!!

Down With OPP (Other People's Parties), vol. 1: Deirdre and Jason's Vintage Chic Wedding

To say our weekends have been packed with weddings would be comparable to saying the government shut down is kinda silly. Since Labor Day, we've had back to back weddings to go to every weekend! We've been to everything from an afternoon/early evening barn wedding to a black tie affair.  They've all been such beautiful celebrations of our friends' love, and along the way, I snagged some photos of my favorite things from them, which I'll be sharing with you!  I just love all the extra, unique details that make weddings so sweet!

First up, one of my most funny friends in the whole wide world, my gorg sorority sister, Deirdre, married Jason, the love of her life and the father of their sweet little boy at a super fun and pretty wedding in their cute and quaint hometown of Dover, DE.  Deirdre has always had amazing taste- she always looks great, and she is awesome at decorating and throwing adorable parties for her son, Parker, and her friends (maybe one day I can steal pics from an amazing shower she hosted for her bestie).  All of this showed in her attention to detail on her big day.  Here are some of my fav things from their "vintage chic" celebration:

(photo credits to Artful I Photography)

Gorgeous flowers centered around Dierdre's favorite, succulents

Escort card/favor succulent plants in terra cotta pots with gold foil detail

Gorgeous wedding cake with figurines of the couple and their sweet son on top!

Groom's cigar bar complete with a a picture of him and his late father enjoying a cigar together

Gorgeous linens- lace overlay runner and lace trim napkins

Love this thoughtful gesture for honoring the birthday of special guests!  It was the groom's grandmother's birthday, which the couple celebrated with a cake and the whole wedding singing "Happy Birthday" to her.  How sweet is she?!

This beauty.  Unfortunately those eyeballs are not available on Etsy.

Beautiful bridal hair and makeup; killer earrings; and perfect sweetheart silhouette by Tara Keely

These two... for throwing one rockin' party!

May you two keep tearin' up the dance floor for.like.ever. (or Deirdre, may you alway do yo' thang and make Jason look good!)

xx

Throwback Thursday: Crab-b-que Birthday Party

For Mike's 30th birthday last year, we celebrated with his favorite things: crabs, barbecue, beer, cigars, friends, and family.  Here are some photos and det's from his Dirty 30 Crab-B-Que!

Details, details, DETAILS!:

Custom invitations by By Invitation Only

 Simple photo garland made with twine and clothespins (below photo was our holiday card pic!)

Food & Drink:

 Matching water bottle labels designed by By Invitation Only and printed and cut at Kinko's on glossy paper

Lemonade served with sweet tea vodka on the side- that way people could have it plain/virgin or spike it to make an alcoholic Arnold Palmer!  Striped straws in a mason jar (similar here); chalkboard and slate food & drink labels from Michael's.

cocktails in mason jars (Mike's favorite mojitos and Mike's favorite margaritas- both "skinny")

Beer in red beverage tubs (similar here)

easy snacks for appetizers and koozies in a galvanized pail

get. in. my. belly!!

Along with crabs from the local wharf, to fullfill the "b-que" in 'crab-b-que,' we served Mike's smoked pulled chicken sandwiches (smoked and pulled the day before), sausages, hot dogs, his favorite coleslaw (my "skinny" recipe- look out for it around summertime next year!), corn on the cob (steamed in the oven and displayed in a basket, pictured here), baked beans, and potato salad.  For tablecloths, I had 2 kinds: similar here, and a cheaper version underneath the crab paper without a flannel back, similar here.

festive wooden flatware roll-ups tied with burlap ribbon

Custom cupcake cake and cupcakes by Lilly Magilly's Cup Cakery

Crab essentials/table centerpieces:

 bibs

paper towels, mallets in a mason jar, vinegar in squeeze bottles, daisies in re-purposed Italian soda bottle  vases (just peeled off the labels!); cute niece not included :)

 printed crab paper, Wet Ones moist towelettes, crab seasoning

FUN, FUN, FUN! Happy 30th, Mikey B!

 Bay Blues, baby!!

'Cause THAT'S WHAT MARYLAND DOES!!!


xoxo,
Neels