It feels like just the other day that I've announced my pregnancy to my family, and I can’t believe I’m on the last stretch of this pregnancy process. Third Trimester - 38 weeks - full-term and counting! At any moment, we'll be welcoming our special little valentine. I'm so proud of how far we have come. ​

​I don’t mean to sound as if time flew by for me, because the pregnancy process is a piece of cake. I know many women who’ve had hard pregnancies. Pregnancy is tough as it is with the ups-and-downs of hormones, emotions, physical changes, and all sorts of pregnancy symptoms. You are making a human being! Each stage of pregnancy can bring with it it’s own sets of challenges and symptoms - both positive and negative. You’ll have hard days, but I think, for every mother, the experience is unique. No two mother or no two baby are the same, and no pregnancy is easy. It’s the positive outlook that’s important to minimize stress and stay healthy (more on this later).

I enjoyed being pregnant, and I’ve had a healthy pregnancy so far and a very supportive group of friends and family who made this whole process so special and sometimes emotional, driving me to positive thinking and a happy state of mind. I felt so blessed. I’ve been counting my blessings for every good news I received whenever I went for my monthly doctor's visits. Now in the third trimester with 38 weeks already passed, they have turned into weekly visits. However, no matter how healthy you are, how fit you are, or how strong you are, you’ll find yourself wondering if your baby is doing okay, if you are eating right or doing the right things, or if everything is going well in there. That’s totally normal! You’re pretty much blindfolded until those ultrasounds and tests come through. Even then, things can always take a turn. Not everything can be foreseen even with the most technologically advanced tools in hand, but that's out of your control.

At the end of this beautiful journey of 38 weeks, I’m so grateful and as ready as I can be to meet my bundle of bliss. I’ve been nesting hard core, and it feels that no matter how much I get done and how many amazon packages I open, there is more to do and a wish for one more day to tidy up just a tad bit more. The realization that our baby might be here any day now has started to not only look real but feel real. With the bassinet in the room, the car seat setup, and all baby clothes washed and ready, we only have baby left to arrive and make it all into a home of three.

​Thank you for your blessings and your well wishes as we count down to begin this new chapter of our lives.

With Spring behind us and the first week of summer here, I figured I'll share a summer drink recipe for you. While Cherry blossoms and May showers are signs of Spring in Washington, DC, my family knows the season is here when the mangoes arrive in their fruitiest of aroma. As the weather warms up, mangoes begin filling the homes of all my relatives. Although this King-of-Fruits can be found year-round, their true taste peaks in the Spring season as they start to really ripen up as summer weather nears. Mango becomes the perfect ingredient to add to your tropical smoothie recipes, summer drinks, and fruit salads. Nothing is more refreshing than a glass of chilled mango lassi. Okay, there are other refreshing drinks out there too, but this mango lassi is way up there! And my mom's authentic mango lassi recipe is not only the best... it's oh. so. gratifying! If you're thinking of summer wedding ideas or drink ideas for South Asian weddings, this fresh fruit beverage can surely add personality and bring a seasonal flare to your wedding drink menu.​

Hello, my people! It seems forever that I’ve been out of social media. Let me explain. I’ve been on a short-term sabbatical and paused on social media as I sought out to achieve “perfection” and a well curated visual appeal​. You know, what I do comes from a place of love and appreciation. It’s truly a labor of love. When it turns to just labor, I like to take some time out to hit that reset button and really focus. And, then refocus: ensuring it’s all about the love. And it keeps bringing me back to you. Thank you so much for your messages (I love them!) and for getting in touch with me. I promise to you… I’m here, and I am okay. I hope you are too.

With Spring here and summer around the corner, garden parties become all the rage. We seem to have waited for a LONG time for this spring weather to finally kick in. When I received an inquiry for a first birthday party with an enchanted garden as the inspiration for their birthday decoration, I was pretty excited. It’s the perfect theme for spring and summer, when the birds are chirping, butterflies are free to fly, and all the greenery are making way. You can not only bring the outdoors in, but you can also turn your backyard into a party place for celebration.

When it comes to incorporating themes - sometimes, less is more

A one-year-old birthday party is usually a milestone for major celebration for the parents and families, and some parents want to go all out with party planning. Where you are trying to incorporate a garden theme, or any party theme ideas for that matter, you don't have to go overboard in order to make it picture-perfect or Pinterest-worthy. Planning and details are important.

​Be mindful of your visual story: sometimes less-is-more. A subtle presence can do just the trick, and it doesn’t have to be perfect to be pretty. Balance is more important than symmetry, and details are key in bringing everything together into a unified design. Bring on board a design-savvy event planner, who'll ensure that a kids party can be both chic and fun. ​

Details Details Details

- The natural elements with organic floral designs, butterflies, tree stomps, fairies, and outdoorsy props and moss details create a pretty enchanting garden vibe in its simplistic form
- Bring in a decorative wheel barrow to your dessert table and fill it to the brim with individually wrapped chocolate goodies
- Use wood stump platters to serve your desserts while giving your tabletop a rustic and garden feel
- Use acrylic riser to elevate items and create horizontal dimension all the while keeping the look clean and clear
​- With all the organic and natural elements in a space, a dash of gold will go a long way to bring in a little sparkle

Open-concept party location

If you aren't open to splurging on a rental space or on kids birthday party places, consider your access to a large backyard in the summer or spring. You can bring the party to your backyard and host it in the open field of your own home. You can then make the investment towards adding string lights and outdoor decor to your outdoor space, while also using the sunlight to your advantage. Or, choose a room or a party venue with lots of window to bring in natural light.

 Themed Cake for a special and sweet touch

This enchanted garden cake sat atop a wooden charger, which sat atop a clear cake stand. The hand-painted filigree charger with an elaborate scroll design added more detail and depth to the cake stand and a natural, wooden element to the enchanted garden cake. Styling the base of the stand with moss and flower details helped dress it up a tad bit further, for a more theme appropriate appeal - details, anyone?

Favors are not mandatory, but if you must, use favors that can serve double duty

When you have fairies at your party, you can surely expect magical dust. But turn the dust into bubbles and the kids will have a blast (and clean-up afterwards won't be a mess). Birthday party favor ideas that serve double duty as photography props and party favors for kids and adults alike are a smart way to go. 

​Looking for a party planner, event designer, or a stylist for a birthday party, baby shower, or family events in Maryland, Washington DC, or Virginia, have them get in touch. Full planning with event Design and Styling: Nusfolio

Mother’s day is here, my people. I have a list of the best mother's day gift ideas for you to enjoy the weekend with the important ladies in your life. In fact, there are some outdoor activities that can be enjoyed throughout spring and all the way to the end of summer season. Now tell me: do you spend weeks searching for the best mother’s day gift ideas or are you a procrastinator, who also loves mom dearly? I usually start thinking a month in advance but still find myself struggling at the last minute to choose from one of many gift options out there. ​At whichever point of planning mode you might be in for this mother's day, I'm sure this list will get your creative juices flowing. Blogging for me comes from a very personal space, and I tend to often draw inspiration from my own life. This list of mother's day gift ideas is no exception and was shaped by my personal experiences with my own mother. We have not indulged in all that's included here. It was built from similar experiences we have had or I would have liked to have had as a mother and/or daughter. 

The big question this time around - are the cherry blossoms in full bloom? Flowering of the cherry blossom tree somehow marks the beginning of spring in Washington, DC. ​With the weather fluctuating every week, we didn’t really know what to expect. Although the Cherry Blossom Festival have started since March 13 and will continue till April 15th, the National Park Service had revised (twice) Washington D.C. peak bloom forecast to April 8-12. And this time... it worked! Although I'm not big on Cherry Blossom in DC and there are snow showers expected on Saturday, I’m hoping they can survive their already short span of life.

Photo Credit: Style Me Pretty  

​The cherry blossoms have bloomed

I usually dread going to the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms, because it’s usually still cold in early spring and the weather fluctuates a lot. This year I’m thinking about paying them a visit, because our little cherry buds struggled hard last year and never got to bloom. The recent snow this year hadn’t affected them much, but the cold had pushed back their blooming time. There’s an overwhelming amount of hype around Cherry Blossoms, especially, in DC. I appreciate the new blooms, but after a few visits over the years, I had stopped feeling the need to be a part of all the hustle and bustle. This year, I do want to make an effort to go to DC and maybe share some pretty pictures with you. So, you see… the blog has helped me grow interest in things I had lost fascination for before. I’ve decided to easy in to the season and just make a random visit to the city one sunny day.

Good Friday and long weekend is here with some sunshine and warmer days. Who can complain! My little niece has been running around the house... making everyone hunt Easter eggs that she hid under and around all the furniture. She made some easter craft and played egg hunting games with other kids in school, so she brought home a pretty little Easter basket to continue the fun. She got me excited to explore some of the events that are taking place in the community. There are lots of Easter Egg hunt events and activities taking place in Maryland + Washington, DC this weekend. We don’t celebrate Easter, but in terms of decor for your Easter brunch or activities to do right at home, here are few pretty things that caught my attention:

How gorgeous and creative is this Easter-inspired Centerpiece sitting pretty on Southern Living? I have two fish bowls, from my own wedding, that I occasionally use to create centerpieces for my parties. So, as soon as I saw this garden centerpiece made of fresh produce and flowers, it immediately got my attention.

I partnered up with Michelle Whitley Photography on a simple bridal portrait session, inspired by a bohemian lace wedding dress and a simple boho chic wedding photography in the park. I've realized that I kept waiting on the perfect time to blog about this winter wedding inspiration, so it just sat there. ​​This last minute photoshoot was planned within forty eight hours with few of my sweetest friends. One of my projects had been cancelled, and in order to make use of the precious time, I'd put together a small team to create this inspiration. The weather was still really cold and windy outside, so we had to take frequent breaks to warm up! Lighting the candles were out of the question. Despite all the hiccups, we were able to create something pretty. This inspiration board is meant to display an earth-tone color palette, mixed in with jewel tones and various textures for a boho chic flare. Wedding photographer Michelle did a beautiful job with capturing the bridal portrait details in film. As a wedding coordinator and event planner, I strive to cater to brides who appreciates artistically styled details and fine art photography.