My Perfectly (Prettier Than) Pinterest Seattle Bridal Shower

When Raz and I got engaged, I told my mom I didn't want a bridal shower. I love the idea of women getting together to celebrate each other, but I don't like feeling like I'm asking for extra presents. I know, totally out of character for me, but a birthday month is one thing. A year engagement and asking a lot of people who have full lives beyond mine is a whole other.

Anyway, I lost. Carol (MOB) and CWoo (HBIC) got together and made me have a shower. I let CWoo loose and what she and my bridesmaids/man created was beyond anything I could have imagined. They filled Zach's (bridesman's) condo with beauty and love, and a few of my pledge sisters traveled from far away to celebrate with me.

It was a weekend of sanity for me. To be with my BFFs in such a gold, pink and collaborative environment felt like my world was coming full circle. Three of them moved into my apartment. I felt like I was home again. Even Prima got in on the girl time, turning her motor on every time CWoo picked her up, squeezed her and scratched her neck.

Not to get too "Live. Laugh. Love." on you all, but I really do feel so grateful for the relationships I have. I've forced a lot of people to be my friends throughout my life (only child over here!) and this is a life moment where I get to watch it pay off. I went from being i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t for 18 years to having 80 built in siblings in the sorority. I chose the ones I wanted to keep forever and I check in with them constantly. I attack my childhood best friends from both Washington and Idaho on all fronts (emoji, social media, parents) if I don't hear back from them in a timely manner. Not that I was thinking about them throwing me parties when I was making them hang out with me, but, hey, there are spoils in love. The snaps from the shower they threw are just a few.

First stop on the weekend - Matt's in the Market.

Pretty food setup at Zach's condo. He designed the florals. My pledge sister Kelly made most of the absolutely fantastic spread. I kept looking at the grapes and saying how prettily they were draped. Art right there.

The spread from another angle. This photo is courtesy of Kelly and the salad on the end is the Hayden Lake Country Club's signature. Kelly made us champagne brunches in college, so this was a full circle moment.

Some of Zach's amazing flower handiwork. Photo courtesy of Kelly.

Pretty little details. They made sure to add a lot of gold for me!

Champagne with gold-sugared rims. I was obsessed.

Special labels made by my bridesmaid and pledge sister, Nagle. She's a graphic designer! #score

All fulled up on rose :) - eyeing the quiches and sal.

GOT A STRAW SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO RUIN THE GOLD GLITTER RIM. OMG + PASTRIES.

Perfect little white on white with gold wrapper cupcakes courtesy of Cupcake Royale.

Red velv cake pops with vanilla frosting and gold sprinks courtesy of an SF DG alum. CWoo brought them on the plane with her from SF. The middle seat was open, so they got to spread out. Pretty neat. That's love, right?

THE TOWEL CAKE CWOO MADE ME. GREEN ACCESSORIES FOR MY KITCHEN. SO EXCITING.

HBIC and me. Zach wouldn't let us wear shoes inside, but I came prepared. #bridalcozysocks

One Whit, two moms. Can you guess which one birthed me?

Platonic life partner, floral designer and bridesman, Zachary.

My DGs! Lindsey in the green flew all the way from Nebraska to play with us.

Outtake trying to make the DG sign. Am I sneezing or angry? Angry sneezing? TBC. I do what I want.

What I woke up to the morning after. CWoo was in the bed next to me. Prima is her mother's daughter and said "I don't care that all your BFFs are here. It's 5:47 a.m. and I AM HUNGRY."

Sunset on Sunday after all the weekend activities. My mom calls these sun breaks "God Shots." I call them my dad shining down, saying hi, letting me know that he sees me and he's with us through it all (even though he wouldn't have been invited to girl time). I just have to stare at it and wave right back.

For all of you almost or unmarried girls out there, I hope you make people love you who force you to have a bridal shower. Above job, hobbies, Twitter, shopping, wine, alone time, etc., they are it for me. I hope you find a man worth choosing every day, friends who will travel from far and away to fall asleep on your couches watching Netflix with your tiny devil of a pussy cat and who torture you with secrets until the big party reveal.

I couldn't be gladder.