Melissa's Baby BASHower

Originally, 2011 was the year of weddings. Bryce and I were invited to 8 just this year! Little did we know it would also become the year of babies. My best friend Jamie and her husband Nick (who have been together since we were sophomores in high school!) had Brody in June, and now I have 4 other friends who are expecting! So technically 2012 will be the year they're all born but whatever...

I'm completely overjoyed by all of the giant life changes and extreme happiness that our friends are encountering this year, and enjoying being a part of it all... and the food! Plus, by the time I'm married and ready to create an offspring, said baby will have so many friends and I'll have so many experienced parent-friends!

Just a few weeks ago I threw a baby shower for Christine, and as soon as that was over I got this adorable invitation for a shower for another friend - Melissa! She and 2 of her friends started an event planning company called BASH events and this shower was as fabulous and over-the-top as one would expect from a group of event planners.

I'd only been to Morimoto once before with the Bitches Who Brunch, and Melissa was with me! When we arrived on Sunday morning we basically had the whole (gorgeous) restaurant to ourselves.

Baby Shower 101

This weekend I threw my first ever baby shower! My dear friends Christine and Steve are expecting their first child, a boy, in January. With the help of Oh Sook, who planned the whole shower with me, and the guests who all brought a dish to share, the party went off without a hitch! 

Since my blog's first birthday party (which was a disaster from my perspective, although the guests seemed to have fun) I've learned many ways to make a party enjoyable for the host and the guests! Here's what I can tell you, although I'm clearly NO expert...

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Use recipes that you've made before. I made mini red velvet cupcakes (this time with homemade frosting) and turned my favorite broccoli chicken cheddar braid into "cups". This made the recipe even easier since you don't have to "braid" the dough, cut it to serve, or dirty any utensils. Score!