First Communion season is nearing! For us, preparations start at the beginning of the second grade school year, and religious education classes go through late April, so the build-up is long and the kids are excited and a little nervous.

Since the occasion itself is solemn, it was important to us to let our daughter’s personality show through at the after-party. Leave to my kiddo to fall in love with the color black just before this big event.

Here’s the invitation I designed, complete with a double-rounded edge and a fitting Bible verse on the back.

My friend and neighbor, Gina, created some beautiful fresh flowers with white and peach including arrangements for our doors, centerpieces for the tables, a piece for our Caroline’s hair, and fresh flowers for the cake.

Here’s a close-up photo. I loved the little pop of color with all the white!

After the service, we had family and a few friends from church back to our house to celebrate.

I used black and white stripes to work in the honoree’s favorite color.  They were perfect with the peach for Spring.

Here’s a closer look at the flowers. The little peach berries were my favorite!

Each place was set with white and gold with peach, black and white accents. We had the food catered from a delicious local Italian restaurant.

Here’s a look at the kids table (read: the one set with wipe-clean seating). I used small porcelain churches as the centerpiece.

Caroline taste-tested several fizzy drinks and selected this sparkling clementine variety of Izze, which we tied up with a striped straw and simple gold cross.

  We worked in a few verses, including the one on the back of the invitation as well on either side of this footed sign on the buffet table.

After we ate, it was time to cut the cake–a simple two-tiered white cake with white buttercream and a ruffled detail on the edge. So yummy!

Here’s a detail of the flowers we added.

When guests left, they each took home a little something. Each box included white gumballs with small gold and white pocket rosaries on top.

We enjoyed spending time with friends and family and celebrating our baby girl’s turn to have her own big day celebrating her First Communion.