Wedding Wednesday: Surprise Shower

  Two weeks ago I had one of the best weekends ever.  I keep smiling just thinking about it.  My bridesmaids and my mom  threw me a Surprise Bridal Shower.  I can honestly say I was 100% totally shocked.  I didn't see it coming at all.  I wouldn't say I am necessarily nosy, but let's just say I am usually pretty aware of my surroundings, so I am shocked this was pulled off without me suspecting anything.  I need to give kudos to my mom and bridesmaids for going WAY out of their way to make sure it was a successful surprise. 

  So here is how it happened:

*Sorry for the picture overload*

Two weeks ago I was planning on going home to NJ for the weekend to celebrate Easter with my family.  DFH had to work on Good Friday so he stayed home in Pittsburgh.  About two weeks before Easter my sister had called me and asked if two of my bridesmaids in Pittsburgh that she knows could come with me for Easter so she could meet with them to discuss "bridesmaid stuff" over the weekend in person.    This did not throw me off AT ALL since the two bridesmaids were suppose to come home to NJ with me in February to meet with my sister, but we ended up having to cancel our trip due to snow.  Also both of their parents were supposedly "out of town" for Easter so it wasn't weird that they would spend Easter with my family. 

 I actually almost ruined everything because I told my sister I might just come home alone without my bridesmaids so I could celebrate Easter with just family hahah, but I changed  my mind and the three of us travelled from Pittsburgh to NJ the Thursday before Easter. 

Anyways, Saturday my grandparents arrived at my parents house for the weekend for Easter, and weeks ago they had asked if they could take me out to lunch on Saturday for a belated birthday celebration for me and my grandfather ( our birthday's are one day apart).  The plan was while I went out to lunch with my grandparents my sister was supposedly going out to lunch with my two bridesmaids to discuss wedding things. 

So my grandparents and I go out to lunch, do some shopping and return to my parents house.   I opened up the door and there are about 40 people standing in my kitchen saying SURPRISE!!

 

 

It took me a few minutes to register what was going on.  First I saw my cousin RPS and then I saw DFH's family, and was trying to figure out if all of these people were here for Easter?? haha.  Then my cousin RPS, said to me, "This is For You."  hahah.  And then it hit me.  Of course my first concern was that I had nothing to wear.

 



 

My mom had also previously told me that my neighbor across the street was hosting a bridal shower for her future daughter-in-law who is getting married this summer, so when I saw all of the cars going up the street I didn't think anything of it.  (Sneaky Sneaky)

I went around the kitchen saying hi to everyone.  I was shocked to see so many family members and friends had come into town to shower me.  I was shaking.

After I had said  hi to everyone, my sister said there were a few special "guest bartenders" for the party.  My mind searched to think of who it could be, the only person I could think of was DFH. I was wrong.

All of a sudden my three bridesmaids from New York, Charlotte, and Chicago appeared in the kitchen and I lost it. 

 

I hadn't seen my best friends in months, and I was shocked to see them in my house.

 

I cried and cried. haha ( happy tears)

 

Posing with the ladies of the Plate side of the family

 

Me with the Plate cousins.  I had brought this dress home to wear for Easter dinner haha.

 

Completely Spoiled.

 

 

My special Bride chair, designed by my cousin RPS.

 

 

Posing with my new last name.

 

 

 

At my shower I received an extremely special gift from my mom.  She had made a bag and garter for me out of her wedding dress. 

 

 

Again I lost it.  It was such a special special gift.

 

 

The bag with my new monogram made from my Mom's wedding dress.

 

 

 

The inside of the bag.

 

 

The Garter made from my mom's wedding dress, with a little blue ball that says L + D and our wedding date.

 

 

My bridesmaids made me a special scrapbook of old pictures and memories.

 

 

When my sister sent out the invitations she provided a  Lilly Pulitzer recipe card  for each guest and asked that they write down their favorite recipe on the card.   I love that I now I have each guest's favorite recipes.  This is a keepsake I will have forever.

 

 

 

Obviously I also love the Lilly Pulitzer recipe cards with my new monogram. 

 

And I love that the shower theme was pink and green.

 

 

 

Three Generations of Women.

 

The details were gorgeous.

 

 

Old pictures of DFH and I

 

 

Tulips everywhere.

 

 

The Bloody Mary Bar was fabulous, and so me!

  YUM!

 

 

Guests were given heart shaped measuring cups as favors and a card with my favorite recipe.

 

 

It was so incredible to have so many of my favorite people in one place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Grammy is also a Sigma Sigma Sigma like myself and my three bridesmaids, so a sorority Sigma picture was necessary. 

 

Look at my bouquet!  FNN did quite the fantastic job.

 

 

MOB and friends.

 

 

Posing with my mom and future m-i-l.

 

 

Mom, me, and JLP

 

 

All of the bridesmaids and me.

 

 

I am so so lucky to be surrounded by so many amazing women in my life, who showered me with so much love.  Every last detail was amazing.  So many women, especially my mom and bridesmaids went so far out of their way to make the surprise and shower a success.  There are no words to describe how perfect that day was to me.