Spring Bridal Shower with flower "undertones"

I didnt know what to do for the invitations, but I remember a conversation I had with the Bride about how she was including orchids in her arrangements...so, I google "drawing of an orchid" and found this beautiful drawing. Perfect!

Since it is flower planting season (something I know nothing about), I picked up these adorable pots at target to double as favors and decorations. The day before the shower, we planted little flower in them and topped the soil with green moss.

The bride loves cheese, so I had cheese and crackers on the table for guests to munch on. I also had a barefoot contessa cookbook for guests to write advice in (I used some recipes out of the cookbook for the shower)

I love pastry-wrapped brie, more than many things...it is so easy too! Buy puff pastry sheet, let it thaw, cut off the top rine of the brie, spread raspberry jam all over it (or sliced pears, brown sugar, nuts...pretty much anything yummy) place brie in the middle of the pastry sheet and fold corner over the brie. Brush with milk if you want a shiny glaze...bake at 400 for 25 minutes!

The other cheese is a goat cheese rolled in cinnamon and cranberries. I will never be the same after discovering this at costco...it is amazing!

So here is the spread...since it was 2-4 in the afternoon, we kept it light and simple.

My signature salad that I make for everything (see recipes at the side) and rolls that I am just learning to perfect...I have made them successfully twice now!

raspberry lemonade and water with lime

Annilee made these cupcakes...chocolate cupcakes with, get this:

white chocolate raspberry cream cheese frosting! AMAZING! Ill get the recipe and try it and share!

She also made the chocolate dipped strawberries. She said she just used the Godiva milk chocolate chips, they were divine!

So, my sister gave me this idea as a shower activity. We made drink glass charms! I found a selection of different pewter charms that reminded me of the bride and groom (golf clubs, church, dog bone, flip flops, etc) When people were through eating they came and picked out colors of beads to string on the wire and the charm they wanted to add. So the bride had a little set of 10 drink charms to take home with her!

There are tutorials online as to how to make them. I bought "memory wire" in the ring size and cut loops that were 1 and a half loop in length. Then made a little loop on one end and after the guests strung the beads, made a little hook on the other end.

The of course we had to play the traditional "how well do you know eachother game" I had asked the groom all the questions before hand and wrote them on tags with the answers on the back. I tied them to little bags of candy so the guests could take turns asking the questions.

I had an empty vase that I used for a "meter" with different levels marked by ribbons.

(level one "did you even ask his name before you said yes?" etc.) If she got the question right the guest poured the candy in the vase, if she got it wrong they kept their bag!

Then for the shower favor I sent each guest home with a potted flower. The tag read "bloom in the shelter of eachother"