Fall Tea Party

For Young Womens last week, I was unexpectedly in charge of the Laurel activity. I talked with the class president and we both came up with a really cute, last minute activity: a fall tea party!

For a craft, Maddie (the laurel president) found a great idea: we bought white teacups and decorated them with permanent marker, they turned out really cute. 

Menu:

Orange and Spice Tea

Bengal Spice Tea (you HAVE to try this)

Herbal Peach Tea

Hot Chocolate

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 

The girls with their finished cups! Except... you can't really see them, but I promise they were cute. 

I think this fall tea party thing may have to become a new tradition

Weekly Wedding Planning Tips

Hello everyone! Right now I am on Spring Break (no work! yippee!) and I suddenly have alllll this extra time. I am seriously bored. When I am bored I start planning parties.

Right now I am planning a "Royal Treatment" Night for the Young Women and their moms. We will be doing facials made from ingredients found right at home...  it will be a chance for moms and daughters to "beautify" themselves and relax....thus they will be getting a "royal treatment...." We are trying to tie in a princess theme with it... still working on that one without it being too complicated.

Since I have some extra time on my hands, I am going to give you some wedding planning tips.... according to the Wedding Planning Gospel of Annie.

First of all, I want to say that I totally and completely believe that you can have a beautiful wedding on a tight budget. Sure, money helps, but there are many things you can do to cut back on costs and still have a wedding you love. Here are my tips:

1. Get married on a weekday! Prices for many reception centers are less expensive on Mon. - Thurs. nights because everyone wants to book the weekends. If you have family coming in from out of town this is a little bit harder to do... but it can save you a lot!

2. Read between the lines.  What do I mean by this? When you are looking at reception centers and you read a contract and see that big number at the bottom.... read the WHOLE contract and see what renting the venue includes. Are linens, silverware, dinnerware, floral arrangements, food, a wedding cake... etc. included in the price? Let me tell you now, it can be SUCH a pain renting your own linens, dinnerware, silverware... etc. and it can add up. Many people think "Oh, I'll just have it in my grandma's backyard" thinking they'll save money that way... but if you have to rent tables, chairs, and everything else, it can cost way more than renting a reception center (and it is a huge head ache). So, look around and make sure you compare prices with rental companies and venues to make sure you're really saving. Sometimes it really is less expensive to go with your own vendors.. but make sure you take the time to compare!

3. Have simple, fresh flower arrangements instead of large ones.  Some people opt for using artificial flowers for arrangements so they can use more for less. Totally understandable... and artificial ones last longer right? yes... they do... but there is just something so pretty and elegant about fresh flowers. They add brightness and a fresh feel to a reception (and they smell great). So, instead of getting rid of fresh flowers, do a small, simple arrangement with two or three fresh flowers. Or even ONE.

I love this example. You can find old, colored vases from antique stores in your wedding colors and use that for your flowers. 

So, there are my wedding planning tips for the day. Do what you will with them. I'm sorry if you totally disagree with them... please don't send me mean comments.

just keep swimming

oh my heck,
i have not blogged in a MONTH!

i have been busy, I always say that.
young womens+work+training to become a parent educator+reading the hunger games = very-busy- and- unmotivated-to-blog-annie

Here's what we've been up to:

- Christmas was great and fun, filled with lots of food and new clothes

- Made my first turkey (I would put the picture up if I was using my own computer... I am on my boss' computer at work... shhh!)

-made a wedding cake for Mal and Wren

-Started training with Parents as Teachers to become a Parent Educator (hurray for using my degree!), which is where I am at now.

- I tried a gyro from crown burger for the first time.

-Steven's grandma died a few days ago. :( We're sad she is gone but happy she is with Grandpa Jack again.

- young womens, young womens, and more young womens.

- planning a baby shower for one of the young womens leaders

- eating lots and lots of chocolate

there is my little update for now. Maybe I'll update again later this week? It all depends on if I get the second Hunger Games or not....

cupcakes and cake pops

Last weekend, my mom was super busy making 2 wedding cakes, 6 dozen cupcakes and cake pops. Being the good daughter that I am, I went over to help her make the cupcakes and cake pops for her neighbor's baby shower, they turned out pretty cute!

 lemon cake pops dipped in tinted white chocolate

 Lemon cupcakes with random blue dots

The lady who was hosting the baby shower was using a "dot" theme she wanted used in the food too (and she has a super cute blog you should check out here, when I have kids i may have to steal her ideas for parties because they are adorable). I thought it turned out pretty cute! 

Walking on Sunshine...

The NAMIWalk on Saturday was a HIT! I had so much fun. Thanks to everyone who made it successful and came out to support me!

 Brent, the juggler. He is a part of Wasatch Youth Jugglers and didn't charge anything to come and do juggling for the kids. And they loved it! 

 Team name: Walking on Sunshine. Aren't these some great shirts?? 

 Mom and Tiff doing face painting... 

 Whole team minus Russell 

 My friends Matt and Abby came and did Leather Stamping and other fun games with the kids, thanks you guys!! 

Being on the Walk Committee was hard and time consuming, but it was so fun to see how it all turned out in the end. 

For those of you who haven't heard of NAMI, or the National Alliance on Mental Illness, let me fill you in. NAMI's mission is to reduce the stigma of mental illness in the community and to provide (free) support to those who are suffering. The Walk was to help them raise funds so they can continue to provide these services to the community. 

I loved being on the Walk Committee and supporting NAMI with their mission, I can't wait until next year! 

Thoughts in my head right now

Katherine's wedding...NAMIWalk...Jewish Wedding Project... Katherine's wedding...NAMIWalk....Jewish Wedding Project....Katherine's wedding....NAMIWalk.... and so on and so forth. My head might explode right now. It's one of those crazy weeks.

Not bad crazy, it's definitely the "fun" kind of crazy, except for the moments where I can't remember what I'm doing for which event. I have to remind myself that I don't have to pick up a chuppah (planning a Jewish wedding for school) for the NAMIWalk or that I don't need to plan potato sack races for Katherine's wedding. I'll be glad this weekend when I'll have the NAMIWalk crossed off my list.  Here are some of the thoughts going on in my head:

Jewish Wedding (this is fake, but it's for school)

Budget: $120,000 (I know right??)

I really haven't made much progress on this. I know nothing about Jewish Weddings except that there is a chuppah... which I learned from Gilmore Girls.

So, naturally, the chuppah should be made Gilmore Girls style:

 Also... I think this should be a mountain wedding. It just sounds nice, doesn't it?

NAMIWalk:

This includes:

-Leather Bracelet Stamping (thank you Matt and Abby!)
-Relay Races
-face painting
-Brautwurst (I'm not in charge of the Brauts but it sounds good right now,  so it's on my mind)
- Juggling
- Team T shirts


The NAMIWalk is this Saturday at Valley Regional Park, it will be a great time!

Katherine's Wedding:

Burlap linens (yup. burlap). Scrim, green, or muslin sashes for chairs? What to choose? 

 (I'm in love with the burlap, great for a countryish/rustic/mountain wedding)

 Is it ok not to put chair covers on old wood chairs with maroon pads? Even though your colors are orange and green and will clash badly with maroon...

 sigh...maroon. And my mom's leg right there.

Katherine has also expressed a desire to include S'mores in the wedding somehow... after all, what says mountains and rustic more than a good, old fashioned s'more?

She actually hasn't mentioned this to me in a few weeks... so I don't even know if she still wants it (by the way, do you still want it Katherine?), but that doesn't mean I can't do some poking around. 

"Poke around" is exactly what I did, and I found this:

 S'mores cake from a website called "Desserts for Breakfast "

I pretty much need to have this now. If Katherine doesn't want it, I will just make some for myself and eat it in front of all the guests at the wedding. Because, that's really good manners and stuff.  

So yeah. I hope you enjoyed that. You will probably be looking forward to the day when I won't always be blogging about weddings and things.  

Does anyone know anything about Jewish weddings? Or what kind of fabric I should get for sashes?

Wedding Idea

Now that I am taking event planning classes at SLCC, my mind is on wedding planning a lot. So, here is my latest idea:

Have you ever seen Arrested Development?


If you haven't, you should. It's hilarious.



I have a wedding reception idea that was inspired by this show.

Introducing....

 The Frozen Banana Stand.

Wouldn't this be so great?? I would totally go to a reception if I knew there was going to be a Frozen Banana Stand (especially if George Michael and Maybe were there). 

I can tell some of you are still doubting me. Here are reasons why this is such a great idea:

1. It involves fruit,  chocolate, and toppings. You're getting several of your basic food groups (my main food groups are fruit and chocolate) in one food choice.

2. It's different. There are a lot of receptions out there with gelato or ice creams stands now, and while that is delicious, it's just not as exciting as it used to be. It's good, just not as different anymore. Sorry for any ice cream/gelato stand lovers out there. 

3. They are delicious.

4. Just look at the picture:

Will someone please get married and do this for me??? I will plan your entire wedding for free, I will buy the bananas, and man the banana stand. And hug you and cry with joy.

PS - remember "There's always money in the banana stand" (for all the other arrested development fans)

Good-bye summer, hello fall

Ok, so I know it's been like... 10 years since I last blogged. For some reason... I really just didn't want to. Partly because I couldn't think of anything to write, and also because I didn't feel like it. Wedding planning and planning a fundraiser at the same time just takes a lot out of you (more on the fundraiser later).

BUT I am back. Not only back on the blog, but also back at work. I am at Rose Park Elementary working as a Pre-K assistant... it's pretty much awesome.

With summer coming to an ended, here are some great things that have been going on as we have ended the summer:

 How about that thunder storm a few nights ago?? That was crazy! you can't tell here, but our porch was flooding because there was so much water! Steven was shoveling it out moments before. See that bucket? That was filled just from water dripping from the porch above us within 2 or 3 minutes.

 Lots and lots of rain. Secret: I love summer thunder storms. 

Then there was "pie in the sky":

 I made this key lime pie for cousin Lara's bridal shower. I played around with a new recipe I found, so I'm glad it turned out ok (I was supposed to put zest in... but I didn't. I didn't want to bite into little green things in my pie).

 Pies at a shower? Best idea ever (thanks Lisa, Paige, and Courtney). Cupcake shops better watch out, because pies are making a comeback. There was also apple (with yummy streusel-type topping, best way to have apple pie), berry, pumpkin, heavenly coconut cream pie, two kinds of chocolate, lemon CHIFFON (love to say that) 

My mom and I did Holly's wedding cake/cupcakes/eclairs. Oh my gosh, the eclairs were so good.

We also had an ice cream party... which I have no pictures of. We just told people to bring ice cream, and it was wonderful. we made caramelized banana ice cream. and.... it was wonderful.

I was also going to blog about fall stuff I want to do, but I made mac and cheese (nope, not homemade... please don't judge) so I am going to go eat. I will try to blog more!

Musings of a potential future Wedding Planner

All this wedding planning for Kat Call has made me think how fun being an Event Planner could be. Planning a wedding is a bit less stressful when you're not planning your own.

So, I am applying to SLCC this semester to take a few Event Planning classes! Just one or two, to start. I think it should be fun though. :)

Here are some things we (me, mom, and Katherine) are thinking for the reception:

 Booked the Commander's House at Fort Douglas for the reception (imagine those trees with lots of pretty fall leaves)

Mason jar arrangements with twine and then put in rustic wood boxes

Mexican Catering from Rico's! 

Everything else is still getting figured out. We just need to rent linens, dinnerware and flatware, invitations, Katherine's dress issues (she needs a "bolero"), MY outfit... etc. etc. etc. Fun!

I never did get one of those anthropologie dresses. Instead we are going the neutral color route for bridesmaid dresses. We thought it'd be really cute with the rust orange flowers we are doing. What do you think of these?

 Ann Taylor dress

 Picture this dress in Khaki with an orange or green sweater and a belt. I know it's tricky, but we think it could be super cute.

Obviously, this would need a sweater and belt too.

Let me know what you think, I like them all!

Vegan-Lady Gaga Bridal Shower

Last night me, Angie, and Heather threw a bridal shower for our extremely talented and wonderful friend Holly, who is getting married in August.

We wanted to do something different from a traditional bridal shower, so I told Angie to come up with a theme that she thought Holly would like.

And obviously, that theme was Lady Gaga. And the results were amazing.

Lady Gaga is a little wacky, so we needed wacky decor that was still bridal shower appropriate, and we needed to do it on a budget. And here is what we did:

Decorations:

-White Christmas lights strung around the room (borrowed from parents... thanks mom and dad)

-Roses covered in black wax (I know it sounds weird, but so is Lady Gaga) these were from Angie's garden 

-Random high heels around the room (from Heather) didn't get a picture of these... :(

-Sparkly white pebbles on a black table cloth for food... already had both of those

-Pictures of Holly and Russell displayed around the room

- And of course, Lady Gaga music

 Menu (Holly is vegan so all the food was vegan)

- Hummus with pita bread and carrot sticks

- Tortilla Chips with Guacamole and Salsa

- lots and lots of Peanuts

- Chocolate Olive Oil Cupcakes (that were so conveniently Vegan)

- Vegan Dark Chocolate Fondue with bananas, strawberries, and oreos (who knew those were vegan?? so great)

- Virgin Margaritas

- Mike and Ike's and Red Hots (those count as food, right?) 

Sadly... I didn't get very many great pictures, but here are a few more that I got:

We had so much fun last night and we loved putting it together. Congratulations Holly!