sweet seventeen {the party}

When I turned seventeen this year, I wanted to have an extra-special party.  After a bunch of brainstorming, talking, and planning, it turned out to be a Pinterest-inspired-rustic-shabby-chic-outdoor-dinner-party-with-string-lights-and-paper-lanterns-and-a-bunch-of-friends-yummy-food-fun-games-TONS-of-pictures-laughter-special-conversations-bright-colors-paint-sample-decorations-photo-booth-old-fashioned-coke-bottles-music-from-the-boombox-beautiful-weather-wood-picnic-tables-pretty-dresses-amazing-memories-party.  :)  My whole family helped me put it together, and it was hands-down one of the best days of my life!

Two of my besties, Katherine and Lauren, came over early to help me set up - and Lauren also helped me plan the party and activities (like the photo booth - how cool is that?!).  Love you girls!

The lovelies Mallory and Megan :)

old-fashioned cokes

My wonderful parents and sister helped SO much to get everything perfect.  And may I just say that my dad and sister BUILT the picnic dinner tables from scratch?  We literally went to Lowe's to buy planks of wood, and over the next week, dad and Sarah measured, cut, used geometry (which I never thought was so practical ;), and sanded the tables.  They were amazing!  Seriously, they all did so much work and shopping and planning and organizing and creating and NONE of it would have happened without them.

ice breakers

photo bombs and canvases to sign

this canvas was a fun art project that I now have hanging in my room - my friends just started to color on it one-by-one and add onto each other's work, and it turned into something really special.

photo booth!

snacks

Picnic tables and settings :)

egg toss

charades

A HUGE thank you to Rebekah, Morgan, Gabriela, Megan, Lauren, and Dad for taking pictures for me, the photo-nut!  I'm so thankful for y'all!

dinner

Thank you, dear Emma, Gabriela, and Sarah for serving us and lighting the candles :) Y'all are the best little sisters ever!

STRING LIGHTS!!!!!! {part of the rustic-shabby-chic decorations} :) Shout out to my Aunt Sherry, who helped me plan a little of the rustic/shabby chic-ness all the way from Philly :)

Somehow we tried lighting a napkin on fire with the candles, and then the flame got a little too big and we didn't know what to do with it!  Lauren dropped it on the table, and while the rest of us panicked about throwing lemonade on it, thankfully it slowly died out :) You can kinda see the fire on the napkin in the picture... ;)

cake

"camp fire" and music