A DIY Fall-Themed Engagement Party

This was a good week for me! I worked out at the gym Tuesday through Friday. All week, I continued my Atkins shakes in the morning and my bars for lunch with some light snacks. My favorite dinner this week was another recipe from skinnytaste.com (I’m clearly obsessed!) — Grilled Chicken with Spinach and Melted Mozzarella. We added quinoa and roasted cauliflower on the side, and it was the perfect meal

Last Saturday night was my girlfriend Roseann's engagement party, and it was a great time! She is one of my bridesmaids, and I am one of hers, too. It’s nice having someone to plan and share ideas with.

engagement party

She did a fall theme, so everything was orange, red and brown, and it looked awesome. She also did a lot of DIY projects, like the centerpieces and the favors, which made it so personal (and, of course, saved her some money). A DIY project for engagement parties, showers and even your wedding is a great way to add a personal touch of your style while sticking to the budget.

Her centerpieces consisted of a fish bowl from the dollar store which she spray painted with gold glitter spray. She made the flowers herself with colored tissue paper and added a small pumpkin. She also added the table numbers which completed the centerpiece. They were super creative and looked beautiful with the theme of the room.

pumpkin centerpieces

For favors, she ordered mini wine bottles from the liquor store and got a deal on the bulk order. She bought stickers from Staples and used a template online to create her own personal label, thanking guests for coming. To top it off, she added a colored bow to the neck of the bottle and placed them at each place setting on the tables. They came out adorable and were a huge hit for the party!

diy wedding favors

This past weekend, we took a trip to the Poconos — the same place where we got engaged! I'll update you on our trip next week.

—Jennifer Crow