TGIF! This luscious libation is a great go-to crowd pleaser. It’s super easy to make in large batches and oh-so-tasty. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Champagne

Raspberry Liquor

Fresh Lemonade

Pineapple juice

*To make one cocktail, fill glass half way with champagne, add a tiny splash of raspberry liquor and pineapple juice, and fill with lemonade.

-XOXO Melissa

P.S. IF you were wondering, my wedding was INCREDIBLE and so so fun! I can’t wait to share details with you soon!

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Okay, I know what you’re thinking–beer in a margarita?! That’s crazy talk! My mom actually introduced me to this recipe and it is so refreshing and delightful! Perfect for these sunny Santa Barbara days. Cheers!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 shots of gold tequila

1/2 shot triple sec

2 lime wedges

Heavy splash of Mexican beer

Heavy splash of lemon lime soda (or Sprite)

*Squeeze limes and add all ingredients in a blender with ice. Serve blended with a salted rim–quadruple the recipe for a pitcher.

-XOXO Melissa

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TGIF! Kelly and I have been hard at work putting together some fabulous details for my upcoming wedding (only two weeks away!) and it’s about time for a cocktail. I’m not a huge fan of SHOTS but I do love a good ol’ Washington Apple shooter, so I figured….why not make it into a martini?!

I stuck with a traditional Washington Apple recipe since I didn’t feel there was anything else needed. It turned out to be even more delicious as a yummy “sipper” rather than taking back a shot in one big gulp. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 shots Crown Royal Whiskey

1/2 shot Apple Puckers

Heavy Splash of cranberry juice

*Shake with ice and serve up!

-XOXO Melissa

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Blooming branches are so amazing this time of year. They add life to any room and they last forever (these were shot 3 weeks after I bought them… and lasted 6 weeks total).

Common blooming branches this time of year are quine, cherry, apricot and plum (these are quince). To ensure a long life, use a hammer to smash the ends of the branches to allow for proper water uptake. Place in a tall vase with water and change the water weekly. For a wedding, blooming branches work well for tall ceremony arrangements, welcome table or seating card arrangements, and on a dinner table as they add great height to a tabletop design. In your home, any buffet or console table will make them look great. And there you go, a little piece of spring inside your home.

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Can you believe this go-go-gorgeous weather we’ve been having?! I am counting down the hours until I can enjoy one of these bad boys with the beau on our deck…..I LOVE me a good ol’ salty dog and the addition of blackberries brings this cocktail to another level. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 shots of vodka

4-6 fresh blackberries

Grapefruit juice (get fancy and make it fresh, totally worth it!)

Lime wedge

Kosher Salt

*Muddle blackberries and lime wedge in a flat-surfaced glass (extract oils from lime rind), add vodka and fill with grapefruit juice. Serve on the rocks with a salted rim.

-XOXO Melissa

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I love mixing seasonal produce in floral arrangements, here blackberries on the branch add texture to this pink, purple and red arrangement.

I used a mix of clematis, hyacinth, ranunculus, anenomes, sweet pea, hellebore, and blackberries to create this wild and organic look. To re-create this look:

Start with a low bowl, using clear floral tape, tape a grid across the top of the bowl. Go around the rim of the bowl with another piece of tape to secure your grid to the bowl. Begin placing the berries to create your base shape. Follow up with placing: hyacinth, hellebore, sweet pea, anenome and clematis. You will need approximately a half bunch per flower type. Happy arranging!

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I love this simple and sweet boutonniere that matches the bouquet and doggy ring bearer ideas. To make a boutonniere, simply hold a ranunuclus, sweet pea, and clematis leaf between your fingers. Use stretchy green floral tape and wind it around the flowers. Cover with a length of ribbon and pin or hot glue to hold it in place.

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