Amelia's Bridal Shower

I can't remember who it was, but years ago, some friend of mine suggested that we ought to hold showers for middle-aged women and replace all the goodies we got at our wedding showers. Isn't that a marvelous idea? I couldn't help thinking of that at niece Amelia's bridal shower on Saturday!

I especially loved the idea of giving someone a Merry Christmas welcome mat as a wedding gift, like the one my sister is displaying here. Amelia also got a pretty Christmas plaque for the outdoors and a beautiful Christmas wreath, and she went right home and hung them all up at the newly purchased home she and Korbin will share after their wedding next month. At 19, Amelia has long wanted to be a young bride, and she has owned her own very successful dog-breeding and dog-boarding business for several years. She recently completed an apprenticeship and is now an actual dog groomer, and this dog-crazy niece has made us all very proud.

Her dad pastors the church where the shower was held, and her older sisters hosted. I was asked to bring chicken salad sandwiches, pimiento cheese sandwiches, and cheese wafers, which were easy to make and transport. 

I like to use a cookie cutter to add cutouts to some of the sandwiches. That way, guests know at a glance that they're getting pimiento cheese. (I continue to use the Marilyn Miller Method of freezing the bread beforehand to make it easier to cut.)

They had a ton of food for guests to eat, and these appetizer foods are some of my favorites. In fact, I've wished for years that we could have fast-food restaurants that offered tea and scones as well as nibbles like these!

I was very happy to see the Milo's Tea and lemonade available, so I made my own Arnold Palmer to drink.

Amelia and her sisters, and soon all three will be married!

It was a fun day of watching Amelia get showered with love, and based on the photos I saw on her social media this weekend, she is putting her new gifts to good use as she prepares to set up housekeeping.

I'm so excited for this new chapter in the life of my precious niece!