Spring Party
This party was at least a year in the making & is it one of my favorites ever, yes! I'm trying to think back to what started this whole thing in the first place & I'm pretty sure it was drinking glasses. My friend, Aubrey & I geek out over pretty stemware so when she acquired beautiful (& discounted!) mauve goblets, it was game on. She talked about how much fun they would be for a spring party & so we got to dreaming. Well, spring was quickly slipping into summer & we just couldn't make it work with our busy schedules. (She did throw me the cutest mini spring birthday party at work where the glasses were the star of the show - see below.) So the next year rolled around & we put a stake in the ground, unwilling to let another spring go by without properly commemorating it.
Aubrey has a precious homestead that became the perfect backdrop to our gathering. After running last-minute errands day of, I arrived to her home early so we could enjoy setting up slowly without the right-before-guests-arrive hustle. Jokes on us because there were dark clouds forming with rain in the forecast. To be fair, Aubs was ready to move forward with setting up outside but I was hesitant, ready to just move our plans indoors. I am so glad that Aubrey was adamant to keeping to our original vision. Spring is the season to be outside post a long winter, after all. We set up everything & scrambled to get ready. I am so grateful for my sweet friend's calm. She literally said out loud that she didn't want the vibes to feel rushed even though we were feeling rushed. (My memory is a little fuzzy being that this was a year ago but I think she even prayed out loud about this which was just what we needed to feel peace. I've since prayed this prayer before multiple gatherings.) We reminded each other that our friends would not care if everything wasn't in its perfect place before they arrived. The whole purpose of this party was to cultivate community & enjoy the change in season with all the beauty it brings.
The Itinerary
The thing about me & Aubrey is that we love an itinerary. We just printed these for us to stay on track/not forget anything that we planned. You may not be a list person, but if you are, don't you find this super helpful?? We weren't watching the clock but this helped us as we walked through the plan beforehand & kept nearby as a guide.
The Signage
I love how signage can instantly elevate & create a cohesive look for a gathering. Need I really say more on this?
The Intentionality
Aubs & I wanted this to be a natural but intentional evening. Because of this, she opened with a few beautiful words on friendship & springtime & I read an excerpt from Every Moment Holy's liturgy for "The Planting of Flowers". Quick little note here: I adore a liturgy. They are such sweet poetic prayers. I don't always have the words & they broaden my perspective on how to talk with the Lord. Okie doke, back to it! We also printed some silly & some serious questions to guide our conversations with one another. Lucky for us, we also just have really thoughtful friends who ask thought-provoking questions.
Teehee! I def took most of these (if not all) from questions Jessica & I have used on the "Super Silly Segment" of our podcast.
The Main Event
While there may have been a few drops of rain that sprinkled down, overall we stayed dry & it was truly the best getting to spend time outside in the warm spring breeze. (Man, even as I type this out now, I wish I could go back to this evening!) We enjoyed grazing on everyone's shareable dishes & getting creative with our flowerpot decorating.
The Party Favors
As you can see above, everyone's place setting had a set of four farm fresh eggs with a watercolored name card (thanks to Aubrey & her chickens!). The way everyone squealed when they saw these! Girlhood is the best. We also had scripture cards, fun straws, & biodegradable confetti to send home with each guest.
The After Party
As friends started trickling out, we all just talked about how good this was for our souls. We dwindled down to just a few of us and cranked up the tunes for a dancing clean up party. Could not have asked for a better night!! Here's your sign to put on a favorite dress & gather your girls for an intentional evening to celebrate the beautiful things in life.
The Pre-party
Here's a little bonus content that no one asked for. This day also just so happened to be "Respect for Chickens Day" so obviously I brought a disco ball for Aubrey's chicken coop haha! For the full story listen to this.
