a shower for the future Mrs. Roth

One month from today my beautiful Amanda will walk down the aisle towards her love Tanner Wayne Roth wearing an absolutely exquisite dress (that I am so grateful I have gotten see many glimpses of) and make vows before God, before family, before cherished friends and she become Mrs. Amanda Jennifer Young Roth. I cannot believe the big day is nearly here. So in celebration, today seems like an appropriate day to post about her beautiful bridal shower, a day that I will treasure whenever I think back upon this season we have shared.

As soon as sweet Amanda was engaged and it was confirmed that I was bridesmaid #10, shower planning became a hot topic of conversation and I was so blessed and honored to throw her personal shower alongside her hilarious and absolutely delightful sister Ashley (also known as Shleyb, Shleybs, or my personal favorite Shleybert). Amanda has a pretty distinct style, so very quickly we settled on burlap and lace with touches of quirky and fun and lots of intentional sentimentality. We had our first official planning meeting just before Thanksgiving and then kicked things into HIGH GEAR with a champagne crafternoon. Invitations went out on December 09, exactly one month prior to the big event and I am proud to say that Amanda cried when she saw them. As a designer, that is the ultimate dream. Shleybert and I laughed our way through the chaos and came up with details galore in hopes of making it a day she would long remember.

Perhaps our very favorite of all the decor items was this amazing fringy bits with "ROTH EST 2016" hanging delicately below. It became the baseline for all other pieces we designed. The entire shower was built around the letter "R" and the very real idea that Amanda is the future Mrs. Roth. The best "R" was the twine wrapped "R" that Shleyb spent at least an hour creating. It is a beauty and if she has anything to say about it, it will be prominently displayed at Roth manor for many years to come! The guestbook was a Bible engraved with Roth est. 2016 on the cover. Each guest was asked to underline her favorite Scripture and then leave a note on an accompanying bookmark so Amanda and Tanner have a family Bible filled with encouragement and love to use as a reference point and a place to turn when they need hope or joy or help. The Bible will also be present at their next shower and the rehearsal dinner and I pray it will be one of their most treasured possessions.

Amanda and I were chatting just a few days before the shower and she confessed she was nervous not many people were coming and that it would be a tinge disappointing. I quietly reminded her that once she arrived she would enjoy every single person there and be so abundantly blessed by their presence. In actuality, almost every person who received an invitation was there to celebrate beside her. With the exception of a few out of town guests, the house was a bustle with her dearest friends and loved ones who absolutely adore our amazingly huge-hearted bride. Amanda is beloved by many and has given much to those the Lord has placed in her midst. It was such a pleasure to pour my heart into her and create a day that acknowledged who she is in Christ and who she has been for each one of us as she moves into this new season of life with Tanner. My love for her is deep and I am profoundly grateful for our friendship. She is truly a gift beyond measure and I know the Lord gave me something rich and profoundly beautiful in allowing us to walk together.

There are some final design things for the wedding day that Mands and I are working on together and Shleyb and I are finalizing plans for "Amanda's Day of Treats" with these lovely ladies! The countdown is definitely on...

bridesmaid #10...

So, it’s official, the joy of being a bridesmaid is here once again. My dear sweet Mands is getting married in February and we are all basking in the excitement and enthusiasm of #tamanda2016. 

My first BIG assignment was the bridesmaid request cards. I don’t think there is anything more fun than dreaming and designing paper goods for my nearest and dearest in their biggest moments! They came together perfectly - black and white stripes with ridiculously cute little arrows and hints of the perfect peachy, coral pink and surprise hearts here and there to keep it flirty and fabulous. Plus polka dot lined envelopes and hand-written notes from “the future Mrs. Roth” - perfection. For her sister Ashley, the maid of honor, the card became a label on a bottle of pink champagne in a darling little burlap bag. They really were everything we discussed and envisioned - and Amanda absolutely LOVED them - and THAT is what made my heart most happy. 

Since they were personalized, she gave me the names of 9 or her 10 bridesmaids and said #10 was a secret surprise and she couldn’t tell me who lucky #10 would be. Of course you know the end of the story - bridesmaid #10 is ME! My dear sweet friend wanted me to feel special and loved and not have to design my own card, so I got a darling floral card in a polka dot lined envelope just a few days ago. I couldn’t be more excited to be part of her day - or her life - she is undoubtedly one of the greatest gifts and a treasure I will cherish for a lifetime. 

Since we are racing towards a February wedding, things have to move FAST friends! Mands already found her dress and it is all kinds of magical and dreamy and definitely made me cry more than once. I have tentatively picked my bridesmaid dress though I haven’t officially pushed order or said YES (what is it about bridesmaid dresses that instantly make you feel more insecure and hideous than ever before - I’m absolutely convinced I will look HORRENDOUS in anything and nothing will fit and it’s just entirely too hard. I took my measurements and I might just barely squeeze into the largest size - nothing like feeling giant while on display…blarg!). Bridal shower plans are well underway and those invitation designs are completed! This weekend there is a crafternoon session that is sure to be epic including tons of burlap and lace and all things rustic and chalkboard and woodsy vintique. I’m in process on the wedding invite and dreaming about what to buy the Roth’s for Christmas this year. This is the good stuff friends - in the midst of the chaos and overwhelming busy - and a hint of sadness that she is getting married and everything is going to change soon - it is SO VERY GOOD - the Lord gave them each other and it is beautiful and astounding and getting to lavish them with love and blessings is a tremendous joy. So much more to come - my tales as a bridesmaid are never quite complete…

hey juliette...

I grew up with Anna and Jenny - we were a trio from day one and I am beyond grateful to say we are still celebrating life's big moments together even today - 30 years later. Jenny is expecting her first child, a sweet baby girl in August. Jenny and Josh are naming their daughter Juliette Leigh and we are all eagerly anticipating her arrival. In early June, Anna and I had the pleasure of throwing Jenny and Juliette a shower. It was all kinds of pink and sparkly and glittery - it was loud and perhaps a hint obnoxious - Jenny walked in and said "Oh yeah, this is my style" - it was perfect and made all the planning and preparations worth it. I designed the invite and Anna and I did everything else together, which was honestly so fun - another reason to praise the Lord for technology - planning showers via text message and emails is not to be taken lightly! From the paper pinwheels to the balloons and streamers to the apothecary jars and a group photo, it was a wonderful morning full of love and expectation - Juliette Leigh will be deeply and richly loved by MANY!

a sprinkle as a springboard...

I haven’t posted anything even remotely design-y in a long time. But I have done a bit of design work here and there, on the side, in my spare time. Par usual, most of my recent design work has been for friends - but that’s honestly my favorite kind. There is something about knowing and loving the person who is going to use the final piece that makes it so much more fun and meaningful and significant. I don’t think it works that way for everyone. Lots of people are happy to design for strangers - but I love stories - I love knowing hearts and hearing heartbeats - so I think that underlying current helps me when producing even the most insignificant of pieces. It’s the motivation I need to keep the computer open and make InDesign work for me even in the wee hours of the morning (in case you were wondering, I hate mornings. And I love sleeping. And beds are WAY more comfortable without computers in them!)

My latest creation was a sprinkle invite for my childhood best friend Anna. She is hosting the sprinkle for her older sister Sarah who is currently pregnant with her second child, another little boy. I grew up with Anna and Sarah - I’ve known them for as long as there has been knowing, so it is especially fun to design for them. Anna is also one of the most enthusiastic receivers of all things creative which adds another layer of amusement to the entire process. She is ridiculously complimentary and never fails to make me think I’m obscenely talented and should quit my day job and just go into business on my own. (This would NOT be a good idea. I would NOT make enough money to survive and I’m almost 30, paying the bills should absolutely stay a priority in my life!) In this particular case, my mom was also a recipient of the invitation and my dad almost instantaneously sent me a text asking if I had designed it because it “looked like me” confirming I do indeed have a signature style. I told him my logo is on the back, but he said he didn’t see it because it’s on the fridge. I feel a smidge bit like the elementary school kid who got a gold star - my parents have my artwork on their fridge! ha!

Anyway, there is a lot of conversation currently happening behind the scenes (and it causes me to have to stop and take deep breaths and calm myself) about moving my blog to my shop URL and working towards a more active online presence from a design perspective. It feels really scary and so much less anonymous, but there is also an element of excitement that is also hard to deny. I have no idea what will ACTUALLY come of this. Perhaps nothing. Maybe I will totally chicken out. But, nonetheless, I will keep designing for friends, and maybe for some strangers, and maybe make some monies on the side and all of that’s a good thing, right? EEEEeeeek! I am really not sure I can do this. CAN I DO THIS? Yes I have an undergrad in Communications and an MBA, I should be able to run a little online shop - but the time, OH MY GOODNESS the amount of time it takes to do this. But maybe it would make my heart beat faster and maybe it would be exhilarating. Maybe it would fail, but would that really matter? Probably not. I haven’t invested TONS of crazy cash. What do I really have to lose? Maybe I should just start running and just see what comes of it. Things always appear so different in the rearview mirror, in retrospect, but we can’t know what we’ll see looking back until we actually move forward…