Raise a glass - it's time for the Engagement Party!!

Finally, after months of waiting....this past Saturday we hosted an engagement party for our oldest daughter, Megan, and her fiance, Matt.  In case anyone missed my shouts from the rooftop, they got engaged back in March on a trip to New York City and I've been basically planning this event in my head since then. 

They're having a largish formal wedding in the fall of 2012, so I decided to go in the exact opposite direction with the engagement party.  Meg loves the whole "barn/rustic/mason jar look", so that was my jumping off point.  Unfortunately, I don't have a barn, but I can collect jars and boy, have I collected (and bought) jars in the last few months. 

You can't have a party, especially in our family, without sweets.  I opted for cupcakes rather than a cake...3 different kinds, cause you can never have enough cupcakes, right?

Chocolate Bavarian cream filled yellow cake with fudge frosting,

lemon poppyseed with cream cheese frosting,

and strawberry with strawberry whipped frosting

...oh and petit fours...chocolate and white...mmm

...more cupcakes...I said you can never have too many...

...and mini sugar cookies

....and Hershey's kisses....

A sideboard with a variety of cheeses, crackers and a

make-your-own bruschetta station. 

We also had an array of hearty foods in the kitchen that I completely forgot to take pictures of...jambalaya, crawfish pasta, the best chicken gumbo furnished by our dear friends Mike and Darren, meatballs, mini muffulettas, salad, stuffed mini peppers...

I sure hope nobody left hungry. 

We decided to set up the bar on the patio outside.  The kids are big wine afficionados, so I opted for the "wine crate chic" look

both inside and outside. 

Lots of Prosecco

...and a variety of red

and white wines.

The "signature drink" for the night was a "Something Blue"...

a dash of blue Curacao with Prosecco.

Everything was set up just before dark, and then the

guests started to arrive. 

The outside tables had plenty of mason jar candles

 lots of tiki torches, twinkle lights, the wine bottle torches that we made a few months ago.  Thankfully, Mother Nature cooperated and, while it was a bit warm, there was no rain. 

Less than 24 hours later, the skies opened up.  Whew...

Rather than a guest book, we did a "Wish Tree".  Can I just tell you that the day after the party, I literally stood in front of the wish tree...all by myself...reading the kind, touching words that people had written, and I sobbed like a baby.

 ...and since none of us got to witness the actual engagement, Matt was kind enough to reenact it for us...with a giant
bling ring that was part of the decor.

...and here's to the happy couple.  Steve and I had such fun planning and putting together this party for these two "kids" that we love so much.  It was truly our honor and pleasure to host our family and friends and have them share in our happiness.

Meg and Matt, this is only the beginning of the

celebration of your upcoming marriage!  We love you both!!

Cheers!!!