Sweet Sweet 16

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The baby of the family turned 16 yesterday! Being 9 1/2 years older than my sister Sophie, I've enjoyed watching her grow into a beautiful, mature young woman over the years. She's an amazing horseback rider, friend and sister. If my grandmother were still alive today, she'd certainly tell her on her 16th birthday, as she did on all our birthdays "don't go changing".So don't go changing Sophie :) I love you.

Now, let's talk about the party! My mother chose a lime green, black and purple color scheme- which turned out beautiful! We decided to have a family and friends backyard gathering complete with Mexican fare, a scavenger hunt for the teenagers, and lots of tasty desserts!

I wish I had captured more photos from the night, especially with all our loved ones- I was just having too much fun socializing!! I did however take a few photos of some of the decor. One thing we did that was so neat, that I didn't capture was line the driveway with clear balloons filled with glow sticks, and we put led lighted balloons throughout the neighborhood that gave a really cool effect during the scavenger hunt! a fun tip is to tie a golf tee to the end of balloons to anchor them down to the ground! ;)

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Brew Love

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After a lovely weekend with Joe's family here in Atlanta, today's post is inspired by one of our Saturday activities: a brewery tour and tasting at Sweetwater Brewery!Being from Asheville, NC (voted beer city USA for 2009-2012) I personally love a bit of beer culture. I've visited two breweries here in Atlanta, Sweetwater and Red Brick: both of which have their own unique feel to them that coupled with my favorite breweries in my hometown of Asheville, as well as my most recent home of Charlotte, really drive home my belief that breweries have a great atmosphere and potential to be the next big thing in the wedding industry. While they're already being seen more and more often...I think there's much more in store for this great concept. Bucket List: plan a brewery wedding!!

Think about it: what a great environment for a unique and memorable reception, rehearsal dinner or engagement party! It's certainly not for all, but for those that enjoy a good beer and an eclectic, laid back atmosphere, the possibilities are endless! While some breweries are already equipped for such events, others are rapidly joining ranks to accommodate couples looking for that something different to wow their guests.

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These pictures and their contributors can be seen at www.pinterest.com/likethedazzling