{engagement party: jeff+ katie}

{the newly engaged couple- get Katie's cute dress here!}

Jeff and Katie are some of our closest friends and as soon as they got engaged, a few of their close friends along with Chris and I started brainstorming ideas for an engagement party.  Jeff and Katie are a very fun and light-hearted couple.  They love to have a good time and we knew they would want their engagement party to have a relaxed and fun vibe.  After Kay and I choose some general inspiration, we went to work on all the little details for their celebration while Chris worked out the food and drink.

 {floral arrangements by Chelsea of Hello Gem}

 {paper drink flags for the whiskey punch}

 {the drink set up for the evening in addition to the normal wine and beer selections was centered around champagne and a big batch of Gold Rush Whiskey Punch which was based off of this cocktail recipe}

 {to keep with the fun vibe of the party, we created a DIY slider bar for the guests to snack on throughout the evening. We hired Stephanie Ha to cook up sliders and veggie sliders to be garnished by the guests from an array of different toppings and garnishes.}

{We created the large slider bar menu with some Jeff & Katie inspired menu suggestions such as "The Deloitte Burger" named for the work place the two met during a college internship. Those who needed a little inspiration for their burger could reference the suggestions on the board.  Some of the favorite toppings of the night turned out to be (unsurprisingly) the bacon, truffle aioli, and sauteed mushrooms.}

 {my slider topped with avocado & truffle aioli for the win}

{dessert table set up adorned with festive confetti system}

 {how adorable are the cookies on the left provided by the bride-to-be's mother!?! 

snickerdoodle cupcakes on the right were made following this recipe.}

 {by far the most fun part of this party was the temporary tattoo set up!  Since both Jeff & Katie's last names start with a C, I thought it would be hilarious to design a little play on the classic Chanel logo along with their upcoming wedding month to be used as a temporary tattoo for guests to indulge in.  Kay & I were able to print these directly onto temporary tattoo paper and then cut them out for the guests to apply.}

{a few of the guests showing off their temp tats!}

I absolutely loved this party- engagement parties are quickly becoming my new favorite reason for celebration.  I cannot wait for Jeff & Katie's big day next year and this party was a fabulous way to kick off the array of wedding related activities that are to come in the next year.