If you have been following the blog for a while, you might remember a major birthday bash for my niece Charli’s first birthday a few years ago! Well, as hard as it is to believe, my sweet niece MACI is turning one next week and so my sister (the party planner extraordinaire!!!!)  pulled out ALL THE STOPS again for Maci’s 1st birthday!!! It was a huge bash, complete with tons of food, group games, prizes, contests, bouncehouses, swimming, fishing, pony rides (forgot a get a pic of that! oops!), pinatas, cupcake decorating, pie eating contests, etc…the list goes on! We all tell my sister that she is REALLY in for trouble when these girls turn 16 with how crazy she goes for their birthdays, but it doesn’t stop her….she just goes ALL OUT!!! Her heart is in a great place though because it’s impossible NOT TO LOVE watching everyone, especially the KIDS having an ABSOLUTE BLAST!!! Maci did too….she napped through most of it! HA!! She had her first taste of cake…along with the help of her big sister, Charli….and she LOVED it. It was such a fantastic day….we are soo blessed with such an incredible group of friends and family…and with a great piece of family property to be able to host everyone at for such a fun day of celebration! KUDOS TO YOU, Mom and Jenny (& Anita & Palomino Ballroom staff!)….you did a great job…it was SUCH a fun day!!

Oh what a GREAT day Kristin & Mike had!! I’ve known from first talking to Kristin that she was fantastic, soo kind and warm! She had this wedding totally together and perfectly planned…but she did it with a very fun, flexible, excited approach which really showed on the wedding day! She enjoyed every moment, had such fun….but didn’t have to worry about a thing! Oh…other than the fact that it was 100 degrees! And Mike rolled with everything soo well and equally enjoyed the day! Mike is one of those guys that you just don’t quite know how to take at first. He’s a former Marine, very serious upon initial interaction, he looks at you like he is certainly reading you…and then he cracks a bit, shows a bit of his humor, flashes his million dollar smile and after a few minutes, is cracking you up and showing you how much of a genuinely warm person he is underneath that tough exterior….especially when Kristin is in the room. He makes her laugh and practically beam with joy…and she makes him forget than anyone else is in the world…it’s like he could stare and smile at her forever. It’s perfect. Just the way love should be. They are truly soo precious together. Their wedding day was intricately planned, yet was incredibly calm and relaxing, with time to go have lunch (Erika and I joked that it’s been nearly 3 years since we ate lunch on a wedding day!!) and even take in a bit of Champaign…and every time I visit, I’m reminded of how great and charming of a town it is. We even hung out downtown for group pictures around the bar that Kristin and Mike first met at…and it was such fun that we almost forgot we were working! A fantastic party topped off the night and as I made the trip back to Indy, I couldn’t help but just keep thinking of what a GREAT day it was. Kristin and Mike…I just adore you both soo much! I wish you the kind of love that you have today, every single day for the rest of your lives. OH…and a bunch of gorgeous babies with those million dollar smiles!

VENUES/VENDORS:
Church- St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
Reception- Cityview

Hair- Lindsey Barr, Ippatsu Salon

Linens: Affordable Weddings

DJ- Bugbees DJ Plus
Flowers- County Market
Limo- Andy’s Limousine Service