So, I’ve got to tell you about the cutest bridal shower gift idea from all the attendees to the bride. I used this idea a year ago for my future sister-in-law’s shower and I think it went over very well. Basically, I collected favorite recipes  from each woman invited to the bridal shower and along with the recipe, I asked them to include a picture of themselves. Then, I compiled  all the recipes submitted with the help of Tastebook, which basically is a tool that allows users to create their own, personalized recipe book & have it printed.  Here is what her particular cookbook looked like, but there are tons of different themes available as well for you to check out at Tastebook.com

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This is such a cute idea! I’ve never been to a shower where there was a guest book. A recipe book? Yes. But not a fun, interactive guest book. As I plan a wedding but prepare for a marriage, one of the things we always ask other couples is, “How do you do it?” “What makes it work?” I love getting advice from other couples, whether it is how to stay together, how to resolve a conflict or how to give each other the space that we need, it is all important.

Courtesy of The Guestbook Store

This book is a great way to remember who your guests were, have a memento from them long after the day and a reminder of where you’ve been and how to get where you are going! The website walks you through the design:

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As much I have been in full swing planning my wedding, my mom has been equally busy planning my bridal showers. Back in May I had my garden themed ’family’ shower at my Grandmother’s house. This time around it was my ‘friends’ shower, and my mom went all out with a beautiful Parisian theme.

My Parisian Shower

Back in grade 10, my high school offered a trip to the art students to go to Paris. My mom and I excitedly signed up and I have been in love with Paris ever since. Once I returned home my Paris collection began to grow – from pictures, postcards, and mini Eiffel Tower figurines, to the 5 foot Eiffel Tower I painted on my wall in my old house, it was clear I was slightly obsessed (I like to call it ‘in love’). So it was only natural for my mom to incorporate this into my shower theme. She barely had to go shopping for decor because it was all in my room!

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I’ll be honest, I really did not want a bridal shower.  I’m so not comfortable with being the center of attention.  All that attention on the wedding day itself is more than enough for me.  I told my matron of honor that I did not want a shower, and she has respected my wishes.  However, my cousin very much wanted to throw a shower for family and family-friends. I couldn’t say no.

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Friday and Saturday were met with rain showers but Sunday was met with a different shower – my first Bridal Shower!

My Mom and Nonna held a fantastic Spring Garden themed shower for me that included a beautiful shower cake covered in pink flowers, matching cupcakes, and colourful splashes of pink, yellow and green to complete the decor.

My shower cake - Vanilla with Lemon Creme

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My mom has been very busy this past month planning my family Bridal Shower. She’s been so excited with every aspect of the planning that she found it hard to keep it a secret, so I’ve been let in on various details of the shower.

Along the way, a theme began to develop: Spring Garden. My mom absolutely loves to garden and it was really fun to watch her incorporate aspects of this hobby into a really great sounding shower.  One of her favorite projects was the favours – a cute garden trowel and seed combo.

Individual trowels and seed packets

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Showers usually bring little Dandelions (the dude calls them weeds) in our backyard, but this past month the Showers brought us lots of gifts from friends and family.  My showers are done.  The dude and I have one more little family thing to attend over Memorial Day weekend in Indiana (called the Indy 500–more on that another time), and then we have only two weeks until the wedding!  While in Indiana my cousin Nicole is going to host a Couples Brunch in honor of us.  I know it will be a blast, because she has this amazing home and she loves to entertain!

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I have now had two showers that were very different, but both very fun and special. I called them my East Coast Shower and my West Coast Shower. I live in Boston and Hydrangea dude’s family is mostly local, so they threw the East Coast Shower. But, I am from the Bay Area in California, and my mom and my bridesmaids are all on the West Coast, so they threw my West Coast shower out there.

The room at my East Coast Shower

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Our (my) shower was this past weekend. All in all, great success!

Not entirely sure about this pic. The weird one-eyed gaze is a little creepy.

I was astonished by everyone’s generosity given the current state of the economy. And, all the people who really matter in my life were able to make it (minus Pansy Dude’s step-mother and step-sister, who are also very important but live in California, and understandably wouldn’t be able to make it).

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As you all know per my last post, my 1 and only bridal shower is coming. I’m psyched. I can’t wait. I’m working on picking out which beers I want at my party. (Pansy Dude and I are little beer-ies.)

So, I’ve read a few of my fellow Buds posts and I have to say. You all seem to be far more humble than myself. I’m not the least bit concerned about everyone watching me open presents. I love presents. I love being the center of attention (which has gotten me into more trouble than any of you will ever know… unless you were at Charlie’s, The Brown Jug, Connor O’Neil’s or the Theta Tau house in Ann Arbor between the years of 2003 and 2008).

On registries now. I was talking to my mother this weekend and, upon reading my invitations, she asked me why I hadn’t registered at any of the big-box stores, listing a few on her fingers.

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