The Bridal Shower

Kayla, you really know how to throw a party. 

Last weekend my M.O.H. and sister threw me one helleuve of a bridal shower. She assembled a ragtag crew of family and friends to help with her party planning vision and boy, did they deliver. Decorative cookies? Check. Games that require little work or embarrassment for the guests? Check. A party theme that reflected my love of food and cooking? Check. A heartfelt speech that brought everyone to tears? Check. Who knew teachers make such great party planners?

Not only did these bad boys look great, they tasted awesome! 

As a television producer, I can appreciate a well-coordinated event. A large part of my job is making sure a shoot or an edit is running smoothly. Putting out fires the day of an event? That’s my speciality. It was definitely weird not being part of that process. I love fixing problems. My adrenaline kicks in, and I soak in the drama. Unfortunately, Kayla shooed me away when I tried to help. I guess not being aware of the stressful stuff and enjoying the fun stuff is what being a television host is like? I kid! I kid!

So! What were the party planning wins in my humble opinion? Please read below!

PARTY PLANNING WIN: GAMES

I love games that require minimal work and embarrassment. Kayla delivered on that front. Guests could play a few games while they mixed and mingled. There was a ‘Guess Their Age’ station, a ‘Guess the Spice’ station, and a ‘Guess How Many Kisses Are in the Jar’ station. Lots of stations, lots of fun. We played a few other group games, but the embarrassment was kept to a minimum. Well, kept to a minimum until this happened:

Yup. That’s me trying to put on a pair of pantyhose while wearing oven mitts. Congrats go out to my mother-in-law, Susy! Who knew you were so skilled at putting on pantyhose?

*Thanks for taking this video, Carly! 

PARTY PLANNING WIN: PICTURES

Kayla designated someone (in this case, her boyfriend) to be the official photographer of the event. It was a great idea. It allowed the guests to relax and have fun, and not worry about documenting the entire event.

Team bridesmaid! 

PARTY PLANNING WIN: TIME

A three-hour bridal shower? Yes please! I love that the event was short yet sweet. Guests were entertained, and not bored. Plus, guests still had the rest of their Sunday to run errands, chill, or do whatever else they do on a Sunday

PARTY PLANNING WIN: NOT OPENING GIFTS AT THE SHOWER

I realize this is a very contentious issue. I personally didn’t want to open gifts in front of everyone because I embarrass easily and I think it’s boring for everyone that’s not opening gifts. Luckily, Kayla listened to my wishes and axed the whole opening gifts thing.

PARTY PLANNING WIN: ASKING FOR HELP WHEN HELP WAS NEEDED

Kayla made sure she had lots of help for set up and tear down. I loved it. No use trying to be the hero when everyone wants to lend a hand. An especially big shout out goes to Susy, Deanna, Carly, Monique, Corrine, and my family who helped with the set up. I’m so lucky to have friends and family like you in my life.

And finally! Here are some pictures from the event. I’ve asked Kayla to share some of her party planning tips which I will share in a future post :) 

Love this. Guests were asked to bring their fave recipe, and Carly compiled them all into one book. Can't wait to start trying them out! 

Me and the Mom Squad. 

Guests were also asked to sign an apron. I've already started rockin' it in the kitchen! 

So much deliciousness. 

How Much Is Our Time Worth?

Our wedding date is 138 days away (thanks for the countdown clock, HBC Registry) and as we inch closer and closer to the big event, the budget for my time is spread pretty thin. Life gets busy, and as someone who suffers from the occasional bout of anxiety coupled with insomnia, I know a thing or two about the importance of unwind time. 

Lately, I haven't had a chance to unwind. In fact, I've been the complete opposite -- wound up. It'll eventually pass, but it made me think about how sacrificing time to save a few bucks can be counterproductive. I've read enough entries on the Bunz Wedding Zone Facebook group from brides who decided to DIY and suddenly, days before their wedding, are overwhelmed by the entire process and frantically looking for a wedding coordinator to save the day. 

When it comes to our wedding, we've been really lucky that Peter's parents have taken on a bunch of DIY projects (I'll share in another post), but we don't want to burden them with anything else -- they've done so much. 

So lately, I find myself asking how much my time is worth, and whether spending some extra money (and going over our budget) will make the day run smoother. We want the day to be one that we will never forget because it was romantic and fun and amazing, not because of the stress.