One Step Closer to the Wedding!

We made it through the baby shower! Yesterday was the bridal shower for a friend of mine and thankfully it went off without a hitch! According to the thermometer in my car temperatures were reaching into the 100 degree area yesterday so I was very nervous when we arrived at the restaurant and I saw a brunch line and tables set up on the wrap around porch. Thankfully this was not for our party! We had the shower at the Grenville in Bay Head, New Jersey and they did a wonderful job! It is a gorgeous Victorian hotel/restaurant one block from the beach, everything was decorated beautifully and the food was delicious (even the regular brunch line includes a chocolate fountain!). If you ever find yourself in the area you might want to check it out! Anyway the bride was super surprised. She thought she was attending a baby shower with me. Even after she saw me with camera in hand it took about 30 seconds to register what was going on! Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Of course when you have a group of women there is always one with lots of opinions but not willing to offer any help. I'm usually the quiet one who backs down but after all the hard work that was put into this shower that was not about to happen! I'm happy to say we still ran things the way we wanted and the angrier she got the tighter the stupid bun on the top of her head got! If it got any tighter I think her eyes may have popped out of her head! Sorry about the tangent I was just in no mood. All in all it was a great time! Madison and I. You can tell by my shiny nose and huge hair that it was hot even in the restaurant but nowhere near as bad as outside!
The wedding party
Me, Madison, Joni (groom's sister), Brenna (bride but you could probably tell that by the cool hat I made, Marisa (groom's niece) and Meyling (bride's friend and matron of honor)

To Give or Not to Give

Let me just start by saying that I'm generally or at least think I am a good gift giver. I enjoy giving gifts to people and often times more generous than I should be (at least that is what my husband Justin says when he sees what I spend). With that tidbit of information about me, I'm asking for any advice you can give on a particular predicament that I find myself in.



Last summer friends of mine and Justin's got engaged. They asked Justin to be the best man, our daughter Madison to be the flower girl and me to be one of the bridesmaids. We said yes of course to all three although deep down wondered why. We knew Justin would be asked because he has been best friends with the groom since he was 8 years old. Although I really like the bride we don't spend time together other than when we get together as couples and they already had a niece as a flower girl so they really didn't need a 2nd one. I also let them now immediatly that we were trying for another baby so a maternity dress may be needed.



Fast foward to now. The dresses have been ordered, the shower planning has begun and we are already quickly approaching the $1,000.00 mark for money spent on this wedding. We have yet to pay for dress alterations, Justin's tux, shoes, hair, two nights at an upscale hotel, bachelor party (the groom has high hopes of a weekend of golf in Myrtle Beach, guess he thinks we hit the lottery or something), wedding gifts and other incidentals. By the time the wedding hits I will also most likely be a stay at home mom (other than my Mary Kay buisness that I am building) with a new 7 week old baby added to the mix.

Now maybe it is because I'm not one for a traditional wedding (hubby and I had a destination wedding in Mexico) or maybe it is because I'm not really close to the bride. Then again maybe it is because there are only 3 bridesmaids that are throwing a very pricey shower at an upscale B&B at the Jersey shore or because I will soon be out of a steady income but I find myself questioning my choice of gifts for the shower. The other two girls in the bridal party want to do their own thing for a gift instead of all chipping in together for one nice gift. This leaves me in limbo. Do I get a gift on my own, do I chip in with my mom or do I say screw it your wedding (2nd by the way) is already costing more money and more aggravation than my own so the shower and all the little extra touches that I've added are your gift. I can't help but think that if this were one of my truly close friends or if the crazy future sister-in-law who calls me on the daily left me alone, I'ld be a little less bitter. So my question to you is what would you do and am I making a big deal over nothing? Can't wait to hear your advice and as always any stories of similar situations that you have found yourself in.

Tracy