Showered with Love

One fine, summer day a few weeks ago, I was naively walking towards a lunch date with a few of my bridesmaids and chatting on my cell phone with my mom about how my brother was down in Florida visiting her and all the clothes shopping they were doing for his birthday.

I met up with a couple of my friends and they lead me towards our table in the back of the restaurant, where I found 25 of my closest friends and family waiting to shower us with love and gifts. This is how I felt about that:

Sorry for the fuzzy picture, but that face is too priceless to not share

There was also champagne and trivia questions about me and Mr. Star:

And a poster that Sassy Bridesmaid and Fairy Bridesmaid made to mimic the invitations they sent out in secret!

Oh, and did I mention it was a tea party? Because everyone knows how much I looooove high tea. Scones and chocolate -- how can you go wrong, right?

I was most shocked, though, by the people who were there! Out-of-towners galore! My mom had been lying to me all morning and secretly flew to New York for the shower! And my best friend from middle school was there; I hadn't seen her since we graduated 8th grade.

My FMIL, Mr. Star's Aunt, Momma Star, and my middle school best friend!

We played games and had tea and then it was time for presents! I used my overly dramatic faces big time (P.S. this was not intentional).

One of my friends enclosed a picture of me from middle school in that card -- hence the horrified face ;)

And my college gals made sure to include some hilariously inappropriate gifts and cards. Reaction shot here:

Cute face, right?

I was so glad to have so many of my Hofstra ladies there:

And I want to thank my amazingly wonderful and loving bridesmaids for such a thoughtful and beautiful shower!

My MOH, Boston Bridesmaid, Blonde Bridesmaid, Fairy Bridesmaid, Me, and Sassy Bridesmaid

Major kudos to my ladies for totally catching me off guard. I was so thrilled to be surrounded by the love of women from all eras of my life. It was just a taste of what the wedding will feel like, with people from various parts of our lives mixing and mingling and showing their support for us. It was a truly wonderful feeling. I was a little awkward with the gift opening, like most brides, I think. But it was a very special day; and we celebrated my brother's 21st birthday later on that night in style!

Was your bridal shower a surprise? Were there people there who shocked you like my middle school best friend and my mom who fibbed her way through two days?