My 29th birthday party was intentionally a tiny gathering with the girls who truly carried me through the last year. It was the most difficult year, full of heartache and disappointments, and yet I actually somehow had one of my favorite years even still. It was 100% because of the women I call my best friends. I don’t take it lightly that I am blessed with a genuine group of women who seriously love each other equally. We fight for one another, love our differences, and not only embrace these differences but actively learn about them to better our friendships. If there’s a personality test, we’ve all done it [most likely together] and discussed it for hours, later using it as as a tool in our toolbox for things that arise between us as we ARE all so different.
To celebrate the girls who made what should have been an awful year not only bearable but a blast, I honored THEM with a special dinner. I told them to wear a dress that makes them feel like a goddess in the blush/cream or floral aesthetic and to come ready for a secret garden inspired soiree. Originally envisioned as a dinner party under the stars, Texas decided to be unbearably hot after weeks of unseasonably cool temperatures, so I moved it inside. We all looked too beautiful to die of heat stroke š I knew I wanted good food, a table that seated us all comfortably, a lot of flowers, and a variety of our favorite bottles of wine. We had Etta James ringing in the background all night long and it felt like we lived in a different time for just a night.
I wrote a toast to each girl, celebrating the thing they taught me through the year of heartache that I truly see in them. None of it was blowing smoke or needing to come up with something to live up to the rest… it’s incredible who God has surrounded me with. They all are the most beautiful women, inside-out. Writing a toast to each of them was so easy. I wept my way around the table, cheers-ing a toast to each as we all nodded and cried in agreement. These women walked a similar path this year in some respects, all of us have a bond over a life change we didn’t ask for but knew had to happen. But, we also have women who lost another baby and then got pregnant with a rainbow. We have women who lost friends and family. We have women who have struggled with deep anxiety because of autoimmune diseases but confidently champion others regardless of what’s happening behind closed doors. We have women who are infectious about what they love, inherently making everybody love it, too. We have women who are so selfless they make sure everybody else is having a great time even if they need help themselves. We have women who can literally talk to anybody, anywhere and connect with them as though they’ve been lifelong friends, and it always somehow ends with a conversation about God. We have women who teach us that confrontation isn’t a bad thing and is actually a great tool to resolve peace in our lives.
I could go on and on, and sadly there were a few of the people in my life who couldn’t make it this night. But dang, I am so lucky. This goes down in the books as my favorite birthday party ever. It was so special, intimate, and just felt like me. Paul stood in the kitchen as we all were about to eat and he said, “wow, this is so you.” It felt magical!
For my secret garden soiree, I used the following vendors:
The Styled Affair: Farmhouse table and table setting (8-10 seats)
Unrefined Bakery: Raspberry Lemon Cake with Sprinkles added on top
Caterer: Paul Morrison (hehe) But honestly… Y’all. Traeger has changed our life. My husband cooked our entire spread of salmon, chicken, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and grilled pineapple. And it was THE best. The girls said it was arguably the best chicken they’ve ever had. IF you’ve ever considered buying a Traeger… do it. I mean it. Do it. (We have our Traeger Grill Shop, here!)
Costco: 4 bouquets of roses – wholesale price and BEAUTIFUL! I have used Costco florist for multiple big events in my life and they never disappoint!
Dress: Vici Dolls *I bought small with the hopes it wouldn’t be too big (usually an XS in dresses) and it fit GREAT!*
Paper Goods:
I made each girl take a photo with my new camera because they’re just so lovely. I wanted them to leave with a photo of themselves they loved! I mean… can you EVEN with how beautiful they all are?
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