We dedicated Elia back to the Lord in May 2017. It was a day I had looked forward to for a long time. After praying for years for a baby, this day held so much weight in my mind because I had wanted a baby so much, but I knew God also wanted her as His. Before our church and family, we promised to raise Elia to know God and His love for her and to be examples of His love ourselves. The service was beautiful. Our friend David did the ceremony and all of our family stood alongside us. Matt sang a song to Elia as held her, and I think everyone in the church was crying. Once the service concluded, our family joined us at our house for a reception. Many of them traveled in from out of state, so I wanted to serve lunch and enjoy time with everyone. For some family, this was their first time to meet Elia. It was a very special day, and definitely one I’ll enjoy telling Elia about one day.
It was a nice sunny day, obviously, haha! I had a self serve sandwich and salad bar with some cake and cookies for dessert. Soooooooo yummy. For the decor, I went with rustic wood accents and green plants. I borrowed white cloths and tree stumps from our church, which was helpful. Varying the heights of food on the table underneath the cloth helped make the table look more appealing. I cut the front off of a nice pallet to use a backdrop and to add some height to the table. The name banner, cross, and top greenery are all from Hobby Lobby. I added white paint to the cross to help it stand out against the pallet. Faux succulents on the cake are from Hobby Lobby too. I’m usually on team “less is more” in the decor department, and these simple elements made for a beautiful space.
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The favors were the BEST! Seriously, who doesn’t love a succulent? I felt plants were the perfect favor for the occasion and to add the sentiment about Elia “growing in God’s grace” was special. To have enough favors, I needed a lot of small succulents for an affordable price, and I found them on Amazon y’all. They were only $2 each with prime shipping. I was sketical about ordering plants from Amazon, but they were packaged carefully and came with simple care instructions. I still have two of them ALIVE in my house. Two years later and they still look great. For the note pick, I stamped the words onto a tag, punched a hole in the bottom, and attached a toothpick to the back with washi tape. The clear containers are actually candle holders, but they were the perfect size. Here’s a material list if you would like to make these adorable favors too!
- Succulents
- Succulent soil
- Candle holders
- Tags
- Ink pad (This is the ink pad I use, but there are cheaper options.)
- Stamps (I couldn’t find the stamps to link, but you can find them at craft stores.)
For a guest book to remember the day, I used Elia’s first Bible and had everyone highlight their favorite verse and sign their name. The Bible was on the table with the favors, photos, and fresh flowers.
To complete the day, our little sweetie needed a dedication gown. I wanted a traditional long dress, but I wasn’t sure if we would be able to find one that wasn’t outrageous. Can you believe I found the dress WITH the matching bonnet on Amazon! It was so perfect. We accessorized with a white cross bib and tiny pearl bracelet that were both gifts. My girl looked adorable!
Such a sweet day to look back on now, and I can’t believe how quickly time has passed since then. She’s not so tiny any more, and now she can talk! I hope my ideas from this special day inspire and give you ideas for celebrating special people in your life. Celebrations are so much fun! Tag me @annakateturner, and show me what you were inspired to do.