DIY GROOMSMEN PROPOSAL GIFT BOX

I think one of the best parts about getting married is being able to share that big, memorable day with some of my closest friends. These guys have been with me through the best and worst times, and I couldn't imagine having anyone else beside me for one of the biggest days of my life! So for my groomsman proposal (for the record, this was Sam’s initial idea but I’m not gonna lie…I kinda got into it), I put together a fun box full of some of their favorites and a couple of personalized pieces as well. 

The first item I chose for these boxes was SURPRISE: their favorite alcohol! This probably isn’t a huge shocker to anyone. Anyway, I chose the specific bottles according to each of their liquors of choice. Bulleit Bourbon for two of the guys, Tanqueray for one, and Jagermeister for another because “according to chemistry, alcohol is a solution.” All jokes aside, getting to share the company with some of these men, with our favorite drink in hand, has been a favorite past time of mine for many years. Trust me, we’ve had some deep, and probably highly inappropriate, conversations over a good drink so I found it pretty much a necessity to have this item included. To go along with the liquor, I also added a personalized flask with their name and the date of our wedding. Bets on how many of my guys will have these hidden in their suit jackets?

The next item I included was a cigar from Exotic Cigars on the famous River Street of Savannah, GA.  I picked these up when Sam and I visited there during a trip last summer. Nothing speaks “classic past time” more than enjoying a cigar with your best friends on a sunny day by the lake! "The best cigar in the world is the one you prefer to smoke on special occasions, enabling you to relax and enjoy that which gives you maximum pleasure." - Zino Davidoff. I couldn’t agree more!

Another item I chose was a pair of personalized wooden sunglasses with each guys name and position in the wedding. I love the idea of having a picture of us all wearing our sunglasses on the big day! However, Sam made me SWEAR that no one will be wearing them during the wedding ceremony….I might not be able to keep any promises.

To finish off the boxes, each of my guys received a personalized handwritten note. In the note I included a special memory I have with each one of them and ended by asking them to stand by my side on the big day. See, I can be sentimental too! The same lady (Erinn from Lexington Lettering) who created the cards for Sam’s Bridesmaid Proposal box (full post HERE) also wrote the cards for my groomsmen. 

Overall, I really like how these boxes turned out!! At first, I wasn’t completely on board with putting together a “proposal” box for my guys but I think choosing items that hold significance for our friendship gave the boxes a more personalized feel and I honestly ended up really getting into the whole gifting process….I even made Sam add the final touches with a ribbon bow lol. Fortunately, I was able to hand-deliver the gifts and seeing the guys’ reaction when they opened their boxes was priceless!  They were super excited and it was a pretty cool feeling to have my closest friends say “DUDE, OF COURSE I’LL STAND BY YOU” when they opened their cards!   It makes me even more excited for the big day and getting to go through this entire experience with my best friends!

5 IDEAS FOR HOSTING THE ULTIMATE GALENTINE'S DAY PARTY

In my opinion, Galentine’s Day is one of the best made up holidays ever, and it is right around the corner! It’s celebrated on February 13th, the day before every one’s most loved, or most despised, holiday of love. Say what you may, I just can’t help but enjoy the idea of what this holiday is based upon. I mean, why shouldn’t our dearest friendships be celebrated? Like the quote on the heart above, we should “be each others’ personal hype woman” !! Galentine’s Day is about community, togetherness, and women celebrating other WOMEN! And I happen to think that is pretty BADASSl! So in honor of all my fabulous sisters out there, I am sharing with you my 5 IDEAS FOR HOSTING THE ULTIMATE GALENTINE’S DAY PARTY! So grab a snack, pour yourself a glass of wine, and ENJOY!

1. MAKE FESTIVE SWEETS- The first thing you need for the ultimate Galentine’s Day Party is sweets!! I don’t know many woman that don’t enjoy a good sweet treat, and if I did, we probably wouldn’t be friends anyway hehe. All joking aside, food just brings everyone together!  I think it would be fun to do a specific theme or a brunch complete with waffle bar and bacon (which can also double as a Bloody Mary garnish, see #2) and have each of your guests bring a homemade dish!  Not only does that take the stress off the hostess, but it makes the party a little more personal!  And hey, don’t be ashamed to ask everyone for the recipe to their dish….we secretly enjoy that you love it that much!! For our get together we had ALL the sweets!! I made my Vanilla Butter Melt Away Cookies which I made extra festive by frosting with different shades of pink icing and adding heart shaped sprinkles!  Everything is better with sprinkles right?!  Our friend Chelsey from Creekmore Marketing brought a box of yummy donuts from North Lime Coffee & Donuts , a local donut shop in Lexington, and we also had the BEST gourmet sugar cookies from The Futile Gourmet ! Whatever food or sweet treats you decide to include is totally up to you, but your guests will definitely appreciate the thought!

2. TAKE YOUR COCKTAIL TO THE NEXT LEVEL- No Galentine’s Day is complete without a cocktail (or 2)! You could even go a little crazy and have each guest bring their favorite cocktail fixings to share with everyone!   Whether you decide to do a classic mimosa bar or give homage to your local roots, your friends will be thanking you!  Nicole from ShareLexKY made these super cute and festive Strawberry Gin & Tonic cocktails, she also has a full blog post sharing more details about our celebration here !! These fizzy pink cocktails were made with a local distilled gin from Castle & Key Distillery , which not only uses all locally sourced ingredients but whose master distiller is a female! Can I say GIRLPOWER?!  We are all about supporting other female entrepreneurs, so it made these pretty pink cocktails all the more special to enjoy!

3. HAVE A FUN BACKDROP + PROPS:  There’s one thing about girls that never fails….We like to take pictures!!! Pics or it didn’t happen, right?! Get your gal pals together for some serious Instagram-worthy photos that they’ll post about on every social media outlet possible.  But first, you’ll need the perfect backdrop. Jenny made this amazing bright, fun and flirty floral backdrop for our event, but you could also do something more simple!!  Grab a pair of scissors and an old sheet, and get creative!  I saw some really cute V-Day inspired banners at the dollar spot in Target that would be perfect!  And props……well props just make pictures more fun!  We used these heart shape signs but you could totally make your own too!  Channel your elementary school days and get out some good ole Elmers glue and construction paper.  The sky is the limit baby!

4. MAKE THE CUTEST PARTY FAVORS- party favors aren’t just for young children’s birthday parties!  You know us girls are all about cutesy little gifts! For our party favors, Jenny put together these awesome swag bags filled with an assortment of some of her favorite local vendors such as a giftcard to Savvy Salon & Spa, a bag of fresh coffee beans from Cherry Seed Coffee, the cutest pair of pearl earrings from Sash & Bow Boutique, self-love rose bath salts made in house by Creatures of Whim and a Wixology Candle Co candle in varying cocktail themed scents! But honestly, don’t feel like you have to go all out with the party favors and spend a ton of extra money on them. Get creative with it and think outside the box!  Even filling a festive bag with your favorite assortment of candies and a cheesy grade school paper valentine would be cute, and your friends will appreciate the thoughtful sentiment.

5. FRIENDS + GREAT CONVERSATION: Here is my Number ONE idea for hosting the ultimate Galentine’s Day Party: invite all of your lady friends!!  Whether its by text, email or a custom made invitation like these cute ones from Minted, your friends are sure to be super excited!  When you and all your gal pals get together, try to focus on really being present and fostering meaningful, fun conversations! You know, those conversations that can only be had between the best of friends. That may mean putting the phones away (except to take cute pictures of course) or even playing a game that allows you all to get to know one another even better!  Whatever you decide, know that this party is meant to celebrate community, togetherness, and most importantly your FRIENDSHIP and all that the beautiful Galentine’s Day holiday encompasses!

Cheers to all my gal pals!! I hope you enjoyed my 5 IDEAS FOR HOSTING THE ULTIMATE GALENTINE’S DAY PARTY! Be sure to tag me on social media @_samanthafletcher if you decide to host your own Galentine’s party, I would love to see the creative ideas you have to celebrate your nearest and dearest friendships!

Photography by Jen Folio

Our event was held at Jenny Hansen Lane’s beautiful studio in the Chevy Chase area of Lexington, KY. Thank you Jenny for graciously hosting us!

Special thanks to all the vendors who contributed to making our event beautiful : Wabi Sabi Threads, The Futile Gourment, Savvy Salon & Spa, Cherry Seed Coffee, Sash & Bow Boutique, Hunter Sherwood, Creatures of Whim, and Wixology Candle Co

VISIT THE PAGES OF SOME OF MY FAVORITE KY GAL PALS!

Tif Fanin | Bright on a Budget

Anna Kate Goshko | Project Stepmom

Jenny Hansen Lane | Jen Folio Photography

Porscha Coney | Porscha Lynette

Sarah Caton | Space, Place & Southern Grace

Nicole Gifford | Share Lex KY

VANILLA BUTTER MELT AWAY COOKIES

I recently made these Vanilla Butter Melt Away Cookies for a Galentines event I attended, and they were a huge hit!  They have a perfectly crunchy outside and soft, melt in your mouth center.  Plus the homemade icing gives a nice little extra touch of sweetness!  I made the icing in varying shades of pink, which I thought would be cute for our get together and also added some festive sprinkles... because who doesn’t love cute heart shaped sprinkles?!? These cookies are perfect to bring to your own Galentines or Valentine’s Day party but would also be great for a wedding shower, baby shower, or honestly .... anytime!! Whatever the occasion, these cookies are sure to be a hit!! Enjoy! 

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 2 Cups Margarine

• 1/2 Cup sugar

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 4 Cups flour

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

FOR THE ICING:

• 1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar

• 2 Tbls. butter

• 2 Tbls. heavy cream

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Red food coloring

WHAT TO DO

DOUGH:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat

2. Cream margarine, sugar, and salt together

3. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, stir

4. Slowly blend in flour

5. Roll dough into marble size balls and place on baking sheet

6. Make thumbprint in dough where the icing will go

7. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

ICING:

1. Mix all ingredients together with a fork until smooth and free of clumps

2. Add food coloring until you reach desired color

3. Once cookie have cooled completely, fill each thumbprint with icing

4. Top with sprinkles (not necessary, but more festive!!)

PHOTOGRAPHY| Jenny Hansen Lane

SPINACH, FETA + SUN-DRIED TOMATO EGG MUFFIN CUPS

With our wedding being 5 months away, Nathan and I are fully committed to looking and feeling our best for our big day! I’ve always been a big believer that feeling good starts on the inside, with the types of foods you choose to fuel your body. With our super busy schedules, that’s not always so easy. That’s why we love these Mediterranean inspired, protein-packed egg muffin cups. They are tender, moist, full of flavor, and also very portable for those days when you are constantly on the go! Nathan enjoys two at a time for an energizing post-workout breakfast and I like them as a healthy snack option throughout the day. No matter how you eat them, you are sure to enjoy these flavor rich egg muffin cups!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 tbsp. coconut oil

• 1/3 cup minced shallot

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

• 1 tbsp. fresh basil, finely chopped

• 1 cup feta

• 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes

• 2 cups spinach, chopped

• 12 eggs, whisked

WHAT TO DO

• Preheat oven to 375 and line a 12-cup cupcake tin with parchment paper liners

• Heat large pan to medium heat. Add coconut oil.

• When hot, add shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring until fragrant and translucent.

• Add spices and kale, and turn to medium-low heat

• Cover pan with a lid and allow spinach to wilt

• Remove pan from heat and allow to cool 15 minutes

• Whisk together eggs, feta and sun-dried tomatoes

• Add cooled spinach mixture and whisk to combine all ingredients

• Fill each liner evenly, about 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until edges have started to pull away and a toothpick comes out clean

10 TIPS FOR CREATING THE BEST WEDDING REGISTRY

Depending on who you ask, building a wedding registry can either be the most fun or the most daunting wedding task.  In my opinion, creating our wedding registry has been one of the most fun wedding “to-do’s”…mainly because Nathan and I were able to do it together!  Nathan might not be too invested in the flower arrangements or party favors, buy my guy loves a good kitchen appliance so he was all for sitting down and creating a list together.  Plus, what’s not fun about telling your guests EXACTLY what is on your wish list (I wish I could do this for every holiday, birthday, etc.). But for some people, creating this list might seem a little off-putting.  After all, it can be difficult sorting through what items you THINK you need versus items you’ll never use, plus items for your FUTURE.  At the end of the day, this wish-list is meant to help you and your future spouse build a beautiful life together, not to overwhelm you,  That’s why I’ve put together my 10 TIPS FOR CREATING THE BEST WEDDING REGISTRY! 

1. DON’T GO OVERBOARD- it’s easy to want to register at a ton of different stores, but do yourself (and your guests) a favor and stick to 2-3 different stores.  This will give your guests different options, while allowing you to keep track of everything as it is being purchased.   Also, register for items in a range of prices so people can choose gifts within their means. 

2. PLAN AHEAD- it may seem like a daunting task, but do your registry 4-6 months before your wedding.  This will allow your guests to gift you items from your wish-lists for all the big pre-wedding events such as your engagement party, bridal shower, etc.  Planning ahead will also give you plenty of time to edit, remove or change items as you go.  Just ask Nathan, I’ve edited our list about 5 times now lol.

3. THINK LONG-TERM - don’t just think about what you need at this exact moment, but try to think for the future.  Do you love to entertain?  Do you see yourself hosting big holiday dinners?  I may not necessarily need 5 different serving dishes right now, since it’s just Nathan and I, but I envision us hosting family dinners in the future, so I added them to my list!  Creating your registry is a great time to dream about what your future and traditions you will create as a married couple!

4. INVOLVE THE GROOM- Your fiancé might not be as enthusiastic about small appliances and kitchen gadgets as mine is, but I think it is super important to involve the groom in the registry process.   After all, you are creating a home and a life TOGETHER, so let your other-half get involved!  Does your groom do any of the cooking or cleaning?  Maybe there is a new gadget he has his eye on.  And don’t forget about tools or other equipment for around the house, they just might have a few good ideas you didn’t even think about!

5. IS IT MULTI-PURPOSE- If you are on the fence about an item, think if it will have multiple uses.  For example, I kept going back and forth on whether I needed a Kitchen Aid stand mixer (mainly because it seems to be on every single wedding registry I’ve ever looked at). But here’s the thing, I’m not a huge baker and I can’t count the number on times I’ve even used a hand blender on one hand.  So although the stand mixer itself may have multi-uses, I knew that most-likely it would end up being a pretty counter decoration.  So I opted to register for other items I knew I would use every day!

6. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX- go beyond traditional registry “must-haves” and put items on your list that help reflect you as a couple.  Do you love spending time entertaining outdoors?  Maybe you could use a new grill!  Don’t love entertaining, but love camping?  Register for a tent vs that appetizer platter you will never use! Nathan and I love to travel, but we desperately needed new luggage…..so we put it on our registry!  Don’t forget that “experiences” can also be a great gift idea!

7. HAVE A COHESIVE VISION- When it comes to entertaining & kitchen/decor items, ideally you want pieces that all work together, so having a clear vision of your personal home decor style or color scheme is really beneficial.   And you know I’m all about going NEUTRAL!! You can always add in pops of color or fun patterns with accent pieces (whether its napkins on your dining room table or a colorful throw pillow). Keeping your main pieces (ie: kitchen dishes, placemats, etc.) a classic, neutral color is timeless and will allow you the flexibility to add more inexpensive accent pieces for the changing seasons and changing trends.

8. DON’T GO SCANNER-CRAZY-  it’s easy to get carried away with items you feel like you SHOULD have on your list (I’m looking at you stand mixer) but remember that this registry list is going to vary from couple to couple according to your specific needs.  For example, Nathan and I were both established when we came into our relationship and we already owned a ton of household items.  So our registry may look completely different from a new college graduate couple.  There is no right and wrong here, but don’t feel pressured to add items to your list that you know you’re never going to use.

9. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SPLURGE-  this is your wedding (and ideally you’re only going to do this once) so don’t be afraid to add more expensive items to the list, even if you’re shying away because of the price tag. Many stores also have the ability to do group-gifting, this allows guests to gift a portion of the total price of a larger ticket item.  Need a new mattress?  It doesn’t hurt to put it on the list!

10. TAKE INVENTORY-  This is my #1 tip in creating your wedding registry.  Take inventory of the current items you have and MAKE A LIST, especially if you plan on doing your registry at the store vs online.  Before Nathan and I set out to create our registry, we literally looked at everything we already owned to make note of what items we truly needed and what items needed upgraded/replaced.  This gave us a good starting point, and we were sure to put all those necessary items first on our registry.  Everything else will be a bonus!  Plus, making a list will keep you (or your gadget obsessed fiancé) from going scanner-happy in-store!