Living in a 950 sq. ft. city apartment has seriously limited my ability to throw a great party. That’s why I was thrilled when I came across this city baby shower on mamaroo.com that proved you don’t need a big house or back yard to host an adorable get together.

In fact, they used the city as their inspiration for the party, weaving in the city scape and clotheslines into the invitation and party decorations.

The food looked beautiful and I’m sure tasted scrumptious.

This is a seriously impressive diaper cake….how did they get them to stay together like that!?

I like that they didn’t play games, but instead had raffles guests could enter at their own pace.

Great party, right? Congrats to the parents-to-be and the hosts who threw this beautiful shower.

This weekend Luke and I high-tailed it out of Chicago to visit our families in Indiana and Ohio. This meant I had plenty of time on the train or in the car to check out what’s new on my favorite site: Etsy!

I came across these unique and sweet wire decorations. They are very shabby chic and whimsical. I could see them fitting perfectly into any girlie decor.



I thought all of these wire creations were so one-of-a-kind! They’d sure spark conversation in any room. The prices are great too, with most pieces costing below $50.

I am especially digging the birdcage wall hanging. I think I’d use it to hang key on near the front door. :)

Check out the artist behind these creations at Bird From a Wire’s Facebook page.

My bestie Julia recently moved into a new home with her husband Jake. They’ve been busy decorating, gardening and getting their place settled in.

Luke and I got to check out their new digs last weekend during a visit to Ohio, and all their hard work has paid off! Their home is super cute.

I wanted to give her a house-warming present that was both functional and personal to them as a couple. I took to Etsy to see what I could find and came across these customizable, travertine tile coasters!

I love the idea of coasters. They’re always necessary and are a great way to add a personal touch to entertaining.

Plus the price was unbeatable. I was able to personalize 10 different coasters with their last name for just $34!

The coasters are really high quality with felt stoppers underneath so they won’t scratch a glass table. The seller lets you pick colors, words and designs to really showcase the personalities of your recipient.

Julia is a total girlie-girl who dreams in pink, so this coaster was a natural fit.

In addition to coasters, this Etsy store creates save-the-date magnets that I so wish I had discovered before our wedding!

Definitely check out this Etsy store next time you’re attending a house-warming party!

Last weekend finished off my summer weddings for this year. I attended my work friend Dana’s nuptials along with several of my dear friends I’ve met working in PR. (Luke was away at his 10-year high school reunion) Here we are looking spiffy in our black-tie attire.

Upon walking into the Four Seasons, we were met with some out of this world floral arrangements.

And the most breath-taking aisle I’ve ever seen!

This was the first Jewish wedding I’ve been to, and it was really neat experiencing all the unique traditions and customs. For instance, Dana walked down the aisle by herself and then her and Josh walked in circles around each other. Anyone know what the significance of that is?



After the ceremony we took in all the beautiful details during the cocktail hour and beginning of dinner.

Like the cake…

And the centerpieces…

My friend Molly popped a squat on the custom-made couches!

Butter-flowers. (I loved these for some reason!)

And even a custom-made dance floor…

Then their AWESOME band took the stage and got everyone dancing.

I think it’s safe to say everyone had a blast. Thanks for inviting us Dana and Josh! Mazel Tov!