Girl Friends

For the local ladies I needed to ask to be my bridesmaids, I hosted a brunch at my home on Sunday.  I had planned on making individual quiches but while at the farmers market picking up ingredients I decided it would be best to get pre-made entrees to save some stress that morning. So I got a large spinach artichoke goat cheese and sun dried tomato asparagus quiche and then stuff to make sides. In order for the ladies and myself to not get so stuffed we wanted to take post-brunch naps I kept things light with the sides and made a fruit salad (kiwi, blackberries and cucumbers with lemon juice) and rosemary fingerling potatoes. The potatoes were ADORABLE! Strange sentence I know but see for yourself:

*Drum roll please………….My matron of honor, Mrs. Ashleigh Smith!

Our story: We met our freshman year at Alabama in 2004 and lived together our sophomore year and again in Atlanta for a year and a half. We’ve been friends through many life stages and shared many adventures, tears, laughs, jobs, drinks, clothes (though I’m not good at sharing my wardrobe!) inside jokes and will now being sharing the role of being each other’s maid of honor! Love you Ash and I’m blessed you’re in my life!
All plates were my Nana’s that I recently inherited. Not sure if the two went together but when I layered them, making the larger plate the charger, I liked the look and went with it! The table runner was a last minute addition, kraft paper and white paint-easy peasy!

From left to right: Emma, Elizabeth, Ashley, ME, Ashleigh, Katherine
Not pictured: Liz and Ali, total of seven bridesmaids!

Lil summary of how we each met:  

Emma and I met our Junior year of college through mutual friends and connected over our love of jam bands, rock collections and retro decor-hippy soul mates from the start!
Elizabeth and I met through the all female promotions group Sorry,Darlin. I was the nightlife photographer and she was the food blogger.  A few parties, and a costume or two, later we connected and started to hang outside of events!
Ashley and I were introduced by Elizabeth after she relocated from Tallahassee where they originally met.  Even though during our first encounter I made a fool of myself, she still wanted to be my friend!
Katherine and I met when I was buying some of her produce from the Grant Park Farmers market and we quickly realized we should be real deal friends, so we were!
Ali (not pictured) is married to my brother and has been a friend ever since we met when they first started dating their freshman year. Nice to have a part of my family in the mix!
Liz (not pictured) is my oldest pal as we went to high school together in Maryland. She also takes the cake at being my silliest friend-when we are around each other we revert back to 16!

For the mimosas I got dry champagne, a sparkling chardonnay pinot noir blend and Harpoon’s white hefeweizen (beermosas). The Jacob’s Creek blend was my favorite-dry, not too sweet and bubbly! Also so we’d stay hydrated I put together some infused water-cucumbers and mint-just to liven up the water a bit.

I’ve always felt lucky when it came to my group of friends I’ve made throughout the years.  Growing up in a military family that moved every one to three years you tend to lose contact with friends from the past, but you can ask anyone, I’m not afraid to make new ones! Between my time in Maryland, Alabama and now Georgia-I’ve been fortunate to find some really great ladies! Each one plays different roles in my life and all come together to make a friend family I can rely on, trust and continue to grow with, love you all!