Haute on the Ranch: Oh the Desert Romance

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When one of your most favorite gal pals starts planning her wedding and you’re lucky enough to be her maid of honor, the bridal shower is a privilege you don’t take lightly. Such was the case I recently found myself in, and I’m super excited to share these outtakes of Ryley’s “Desert Romance” bridal shower from a couple weeks ago. For the record, this was FAR from a solo effort. Kerry and Erin were vital lead hands in pulling this shindig off -- couldn’t have done it without them!

First things first: Venue - Finding a fun, unique venue in the middle of Kansas, can be tough -- especially when you live four hours away. Kerry made the venue challenge pretty dang easy by offering up the loft above her garage. It’s absolutely beautiful and was the perfect size to host around 30 people. It had a ton of bar space for decor and food, beautiful wood floors and lots of natural lighting.

Next: Invitations - When in doubt, Etsy. I found some super cute designs from Casa Confetti that I liked, and knew with a little bit of tweaking, they would be perfect. When the planning started, Ryley had mentioned that her recipe box could use a little love, so I also had matching recipe cards made and asked each attendee to bring a favorite recipe to share to the shower. It worked out so well -- lots of new recipes for Ryley to try out on Michael!

Followed by: Food & Beverage - We planned the shower for 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., so hitting the lunch hour we wanted to ensure we had plenty of options. However, we didn’t want anything too heavy. We opted for several finger foods, including yummy chicken salad sandwiches, hawaiian ham and cheese sandwiches, chips and dips, and some sweet treats (of course). Ryley’s dearest mama made her favorite sangria, Erin handled getting the cake, and one of my other favorite ladies made these super cute cookies. I’m certain nobody went home hungry.

Finally: Decor & Party Favors - Succulents and cacti, oh my! Knowing Ry’s love for cacti and succulents, I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to be able to share that love with everyone who attended. Erin turned me on to the Succulent Source, and the rest is history. They arrived absolutely beautiful, and although I struggled keeping them alive (highly recommend reading instructions BEFORE beginning care), they were perfect for decorating and party favors. The rest of the decor was a hodge-podge of Kerry, Erin and my wonderful mother-in-love, Paula.

Of all the events I’ve planned in my life, this was undoubtedly one of my favorites. Watching my best friend get one step closer to the most special day of her life is something I’ll forever be grateful to be a part of. Cheers, friend, to you and your new electric skillet on your upcoming day -- love you with all my heart and can’t wait to celebrate in just three short weeks!

~ Sammie