Gender Reveal Party {Make Way For Our Little Duckling}

A Gender Reveal Party was a not-too-known event in June of 2011 when we had ours for Noah. It thrills me to see so many of these incredibly joyous celebrations and lots of inspiration for them these days!

I absolutely LOVED planning every moment of it and hope that other expectant moms might consider having one. It's a great chance to be creative and share in the joy of finding out the gender of your baby with those you love.

When ours debuted on Layla Grayce last summer, I was ecstatic and blown away by the welcoming response! FINALLY, far later than I would have liked, I am here to share it on my blog, with some much overdue credit to the amazing ladies that made it look so darling!

My husband Ryan and I chatted about a theme, and knew we wanted something sweet, based on a classic children's storybook. Since we are in Boston, Robert McClosky's "Make Way For Ducklings" naturally came up in conversation: PERFECT! We were making way for our own little duckling!

I wanted to mimic the book with the color-scheme, and keep it gender-neutral as we obviously didn't know the gender of our baby as we were planning this special event.

I opted for pale yellow, cream, white, with accents of brown just like the illustrations in the book.

Being in the event planning industry, I was very blessed and fortunate to have many amazingly talented artists to really bring this vision to life. I want to spotlight them now, and share my most sincere gratitude. I hope you will take a few moments to learn about them.


First and foremost, THE Loralee Lewis custom designed the duckling invitation and gorgeous printed details.

 This was our first opportunity to work together and we have had so many collaborations since--she is truly a standout and one the VERY best of the best out there at what she does. As if her designs aren't darling enough, check out the quality of her products.

 The cardstock is thick and luxurious, the printing is impeccable...having worked in the high-end stationery for years before event planning, I have a very discerning eye and can say with confidence she is among the very best out there.

Loralee sent the most charming ice cream carton with the custom label on side and top (as I told her we were going to be making homemade ice cream at the party--it was a HUGE HIT), and they could not have been more precious. Thank you, Loralee, for making our little duckling theme more perfect and darling than I could have imagined.

I love Loralee's work SO MUCH, I have worked with her exclusively for many events since the gender reveal party.

She created the stunning custom classic pram baby shower collection for our shower, as seen here...

...and she designed the most stunning birth announcements and Christmas cards for us. As a special gift, she made this monogram stationery for Noah and all those thank you notes I had to write!!!

You may recognize her  work for my exclusive photo shoots for Layla grayce. She created her signature paper rosettes from our spring dessert table exclusively for Layla Grayce seen on their blog here, as well as the paperie for this darling Sip and See...

...as seen here.

She also created this perfect vintage train collection (seen above) for a dear client of mine, Marti, and her son's second birthday party last fall.

And just wait until you see what she has created for Noah's first birthday party!!!

Loralee--it is a most humbling honor and privilege to work with you each and every time. The fact that you take the time to work with me while managing orders for Oscar-winning celebrities....I am blessed!

Custom fabric table linens are a favorite product of mine to use in my events, and this one was no exception. My favorite table linen designer, the highly talented and sweet-as-ever Carolyn of Sweet Tea and Linen, created the gorgeous floor-length gathered white table cloth.

That table cloth was later used at the Baby Shower...

                                             {image by Liza Voll}

...then at Noah's Baby Dedication...

...then a smaller version for my Sister's First Day of School {Teacher} Table...

...and in our most recent photo shoot for Layla Grayce, a "Sip And See." You will be seeing much more of it in the future, I am sure!

Carolyn is one in a million and I feel blessed to know her and work with her--it is truly a privilege. Having created custom toile drapes and euro shams for Noah's nursery (stunning, must photograph them and share), as well as the burlap table linens for the Mystical Mermaid Party...

                                       {image by Open Shade Studios}

... and three-tiered "ombre" effect ruffled table skirt for the Nutcracker Suite Ballet Party, she does it all.

                                         

 Table linens in the Pink Ladybug Party for Celebrate Magazine? She did them! With pom pom trim and all!

                 


The gorgeous rouched loopy backdrop for the Layla Grayce Spring Soiree photo shoot? That was Carolyn!

And Oh.My.Goodness. Just wait until you see THE most spectacular creation she has made for me yet {preview image below}. It won't debut for a few months but trust me, it is worth the wait. This is one that had me in tears of joy when I opened the box. WOW. Carolyn--thank you sweet friend.

I have always enjoyed my chats with Nancy of A to Z Celebrations and MyPartyIsOver.com, and was THRILLED for the chance to finally work with her for this party. She whipped up the MOST DARLING gathered white pom-pom-trimmed table topper--her workmanship is truly terrific and style was spot-on to what I was envisioning. She also created a beautiful yellow table runner with a gathered ruffled edge. Sweet! She used yummy fabrics and sent everything ahead of schedule!!!!

I don't know how she does it, balancing her businesses and being an incredible mom to her gorgeous girls. Nancy is innovating, creating, and sharing the work of others who inspire her. She always finds the time to share a sweet  comment on my newest picture of Noah... Nancy--THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for these beautiful creations. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity of getting to know and work with you. I look forward to another chance in the future, I hope!

Renee of Bees Knees Creative was one of the very first cookie designers I worked with, on the Marie Antoinette Party fan cookies and cake truffles. Her work instantly blew me away. MY GOODNESS.

Her attention to detail is spectacular. She can illustrate on cookies like nobody's business. Did you see the gorgeous custom seahorse, starfish, sand dollar and seashell cookies she created for the Mystical Mermaid Party? Love.

And I knew if anyone in the world could have created a hand-illustrated duckling cookie like that in the book and on the invitation, it was Renee. She went above and beyond my greatest expectations, making these most perfect duckling cookies.

Renee--your talent never ceases to amaze me. I always look forward to seeing what work of edible art you create next. THANK YOU DEARLY for making my gender reveal party cookies so truly precious.

Stacy of Scrumptious Swirls (and new printables shop Styled Prints Design) and I had the tremendous pleasure of meeting in person at the Martha Stewart Blogging Event in August 2010. Being a mother who just LOVES her girls, she was extra warm and sympathetic to my desires to start our own family. When she found out we were expecting, she was THRILLED and so genuinely thoughtful and kind. It felt wonderful that she would remember a little conversation from several months prior, and take the time to wish me the best.

Stacy bakes, oh does she EVER! And when I wanted custom speckled egg cookies, I KNEW Stacy would bake the yummiest treats. She had the brilliant idea of creating shortbread sandwich cookies with buttercream centers, and I can say to this day Ryan remembers those cookies fondly and shares how they were some of the tastiest ever.

 

Thank you Stacy, for taking a very specific vision I had, and creating into a reality far more incredible, unique and delicious than I ever could have imagined. Guests each went home with a berry basket full of "duckling egg" cookies, and I can say that they were a huge hit. Stacy--I also thank you for your kindest correspondence, keeping in touch with me and sharing in the joy of motherhood. You are a gem, and I am so very happy that I have the privilege of knowing you.



Last but certainly not least, I have been craving the opportunity to gush about Brittany of Edible Details. When I first found Brittany she has a small etsy shop with her darling edible fondant creations. I could see she had such talent and an eye for detail. I reached out and our first collaboration was on the Nutcracker Suite Ballet Party, for which she made the glittering fondant lollipops. Sparkling, stunning.

When the time came to have a very special cake topper created for our own gender reveal party, I had every ounce of confidence Brittany would make something perfect. And oh, she did. Take a look at this MOST PRECIOUS fondant duckling!!!!!! W.O.W. The details, soft colors--all designed to look "illustrated" but also 3-dimensional--something you don't often see, and very hard to do. But Brittany is so talented, it was no struggle for her.

This is not where my collaborations with Brittany ends...oh no, we continue to work together on almost every single one of my events and shoots!!! You may recognize these darling cupcake toppers she made for our baby shower...

AND a precious cake banner to match, again by Brittany!

...She also made the most darling fondant speckled egg cupcake toppers for the Layla Grayce spring dessert table. Brittany did them perfectly (as well as some sweet bird silhouettes that were gobbled up before they could be featured)....and the faux cake for my Layla Grayce shoots as well.

Above is a personal favorite. The GORGEOUS eyelet cupcake toppers she made for Noah's Baby Dedication. PERFECTION. Oh my, if I only had an ounce of her talent!!! And if you have worked with Brittany, you are probably familiar with her sweetest personality that makes working with her pure JOY! This summer, Brittany welcomed her own sweet baby, a girl, and I could not be more thrilled for someone as spectacular as Brittany to be blessed with the most tremendous joy of motherhood. Not to mention I have no doubt she will be one of THE sweetest moms, EVER.

Brittany, each time we work together, I love it. My gratitude for your creativity, inspiration, kindness and generousity runs so very, very deep. THANK YOU.




You can bet you will be seeing some of Brittany's work for Noah's very special first birthday party later this month!

And of course, if you read the post on our Gender Reveal Party on Layla Grayce, you know that there is something VERY SPECIAL about the reveal itself...the cake.

 

Additional thanks to....


 Ann of Anne Musing Designs for the most GORGEOUS, luxe, fluffy and large tissue poms (with wide satin ribbon no less), that were admired by all the guests. Anne is my go-to tissue pom gal, you can check her out here.


 Jane of Sweet Tashie for the oodles and oodles of spectacular fabric bunting (from another shoot which worked PERFECT for our party over a year later!). Check out Jane's crafty creations here, she does lovely work with great attention to detail!!! Thank you Miss Jane!

Jennifer of  The Royal Details does lovely work with a sewing machine, and the yellow rick rack trimmed napkins (again, from another shoot over a year prior), worked perfectly! I always love working with you Jennifer!!!!!!!!!! You can visit her shop with all kinds of new products, here.


To EVERYONE who helped make this celebration special, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!