Oh, the utter joy and funity of Girls Weekend!!! I think the last time I used the word “funity” was my post about hosting Girls Weekend last year…

I put a lot of thought, planning, and long Pinterest-sessions into this Girls Weekend, but I still followed the principles I outlined last year. Except a little different. Because I’m a million years pregnant.

So, using those same guidelines from last year’s post, here’s how they played out this year:

1. decide on a theme based on something general or an overall feeling

This year, I didn’t have as themey of a theme as last year (aka “Pretty Comfy Coffee Togetherness” which I maintain is super articulate). And actually, the theme stemmed from the decor, which was really pretty simple. Simple but impactful. But I’ll get to that in a second.

Looking at the happy, bright colors of my decorations, I decided to paint a little illustration and then print it off as little cards for everyone, just as a fun way to make it special!

“Colorful. Breathable. Fun.” Just a simple little watercolor piece on a half sheet of paper. Then I printed it on a half of a half sheet size… um, there’s probably an easier way to say that.

2. decorate with inexpensive yet WOW factor ideas

Ok, so just to remind you, these “guidelines” are borrowed directly from The Nester’s post about a girls weekend from several years ago… And my version of WOW factor = colorful poms.

I actually had these left over from a baby shower I’d thrown with a friend back in February!

Remember, last time I hung giant pink poms with those same white lanterns  and some tulle in the “entryway” of our apartment?

That was super fun, but that area is generally pretty dark, and I wanted these to hang somewhere they’d truly be seen and enjoyed. So, I tried taping them over the island, which I liked!

The rest of the decor came from the Target $1 Spot. Because obviously.

The bunting, the colorful feather banner, and the polkadot straws came from the $1 Spot, and the mason jars and burlap runners were also left over from that baby shower. I love that feather banner! It’s definitely made of like, plastic, but you don’t know that unless you feel the feathers.

3. cook something I’ve made before and only cook for the first meal and also make a few things ahead of time

So, this was kind of true, insomuch as I really only made one or maybe two meals? And most of the time, it seemed like this year we were all sort of collaborating on each meal- again special thanks to Kara and Heather, who really ended up doing 80% (99%?) of all food preparations.

Mmmm, waffles. I mean, those waffles were epic, you guys. They made me think of this:

Also, I made that Pioneer Woman cowboy quiche (except I basically included the good stuff from both the cowgirl and cowboy quiche recipes, like bacon + sausage + mushroom + onions + cheese, and left out artichokes. Oh, and I definitely used frozen pie crusts versus making my own).

Mmmm, scones.

4. say yes when someone offers help

When I listed this tip before, I claimed that I’d taken it and helped it become the greatest version of itself. Little did I know how much greater it could become… If you’re not following my metaphor, I’m saying that I asked for help. Like a LOT of help. Before, during, and kind of after… Because again, I’m a million years pregnant.

May I add that as a result of being a million years pregnant, this year I felt more like the beneficiary of gracious guests than a gracious hostess. (Thank you, gracious guests!!!)

5. enjoy the people when they are here and don’t worry about cleaning every part of the kitchen to perfection

Because being together is such a gift, who cares if the sink is full? And yet, we did have to clean up sometimes, because there was a lot of stuff occupying our island… Like amaaaazing bread, made by Kara.

 

6. Keep a loose hold on your agenda. Plans are good, but not when they hijack the fun(ity).

This group of girls includes some of the most kindred spirits I know! We don’t really need or want lots of activities to fill the time. We basically spend 75% of the time talking in our jammies, coffee and tea in hand.

However, we do love a good coffee place… So, we found one in a super quaint town close by! It was so rustic and beautiful, with Joanna-Gaines worthy chandeliers and an upstairs full of welcoming nooks and lovely light.

Kara captured some beautiful shots of our time, and I begged her to let me share them with you! (She graciously consented. Thank you, dahling!)

(I make it a point to have only super-mega-beautiful friends.)

(See? And back in college, people used to mistake me for this gorgeous girl. I’ve never been so pleased to be mistaken for someone. Although, it was pretty funny when I got engaged and people kept congratulating her…)

Kara wanted to snap a maternity shot, and I love this one! I don’t really have many- or any- nice maternity photos, so I love that she thought of it. She’s so good!

“And on the eighth day, God made coffee.” Amen.

This mug is so photogenic.

Aaand obligatory group couch picture. There seems to be a history of group couch pictures…

This is last year.

…We’re missing one dear girl in this one, but it IS a group couch picture. (And documentation that I got Kara to wear red lipstick one time.)

This weekend is one of the most sleepless times of the year. And it’s 100% worth it!

We feel so blessed to be able to get together like this every year. I think we figured out that this was our 9th year of our “road trip” slash Girls Weekend!

The guidelines have worked well for us, and I hope they might work for you, too!

 

Are you interested in a pretty, custom designed card or print for your own Girls Weekend or gathering of kindred spirits? Send me a message! Go to my etsy shop and let’s chat. Fyi, I’ll be taking custom orders through September 15th, then I’ll be taking a break- errr, having a baby.