30 & Fabulous Celebration!

Ok, so here's the deal. THREE of my friends turn 30 within weeks apart (June 26, June 28 and July 12). They've been celebrating their birthday together for about 5 years now (I think that's right? They've all been friends since college!) and since they're all "Cancer" zodiac signs, they've earned the name - "The Cancer Girls". So to celebrate "The Cancer Girl's" epic 30th year, we knew we would have to do a little more than just a surprise party. How about a surprise girls weekend away?

They had no clue where they were going until about two weeks ago, when they received a postcard with the latitude and longitude for a city. We told them to simply pack their swimsuit and that's all they had to do.

Once they looked it up, they found out it was one of their favorites...

CHARLESTON!

With the help of three other sweet friends, we planned what we hoped would be a weekend full of surprises and fun.

So last Friday morning we kicked off the weekend at 10am. It was National Wear Your Lilly Day AND the first day of Summer. We knew it was going to be a great day.

Here's my ensem for driving to Charleston and picking up the girls (and surprises!)

Lilly Pulitzer Glin Top Resort White Raise the Sails //
Lilly Pulitzer Callahan Short Resort White

The "Greenville" gals drove in one car and I drove Devin (who lives 15 min away from me). Once we got to West Columbia, I told her we were having a surprise lunch at our fav, Groucho's. Once inside she spotted the first surprise: their close pharmacy friend (and now one of our good friends) Andra!!

Once we ALL arrived in Charleston, they found out they were staying downtown at the Hampton Inn. So nice and just a quick walk from King Street.

They were greeted with their birthday goodie bags (which I failed to take a pic of but they were striped beach bags with rope handles with monogrammed beach towels, Sand Buddies (to hold drinks on beach, "30 & Fabulous" Wine Glass by MudPie and Starfish Stud Earrings from Sugar). All that hard work putting those together and we never got a pic. Mom brain, I tell ya.

They also had lots of "Another year of FABULOUS" swag.

After pre-dinner dance parties in our rooms, we had a delish authentic Italian dinner at Osteria on King Street. I seriously thought for a minute I was in Italy again.

After a fab din, we hit up Midtown on King Street where the band High Tide was playing. They were awesome. That's where we proceeded to all act like we were turning 2-0 instead of 3-0. Fail.

It is not the same. We are old.

I wore Lilly Pulitzer's Gardenia Top with Lilly's Callahan Shorts in Cosmo Pink.

Guess who showed up at Midtown to surprise the girls Friday night? CAMERON!

My college roomie/sorority sister who has been friends with all these girls since!

On Saturday, we hit Folly. I had the cutest pic of the 3 birthday girls on the beach but SOMEBODY must have accidentally deleted it. (That somebody may or may not be Cade) Ugh. If you girls saved it to your phone can you please send?

Here's a shot of all the girls on the beach because guess who came strolling up to surprise the girls while we were laying out that morning? Their other close friend CHRISTIE! (far right of bottom pic)

The beach was perfect and we loaded up at 3pm to head back right as the storm came rolling in. We had dinner reservations at 8:15 at Cypress. Yum!

Here's the birthday girls all dolled' up for the second night out.

Wearing their birthday sashes of course :)

Devin (far left) is wearing THIS dress from Sugar, and Beth (middle) has on a Sugar dress that just sold out this past week. Kelly is wearing J Crew dress with Sugar's Multi Strand Statement Necklace.

All the birthday girls with Andra...

then me and Andra!

Loved my Summer Soiree dress! So easy, breezy and comfy.

The birthday girls with Kristen and Viv, the other two party planners and besties!

Here they are at Cypress, pre dinner, while waiting on our table!

Then we trucked on down to Pearlz after a LONG and AMAZING dinner (get the filet at Cypress. Don't think twice about it)

Beth was surprised by more college friends - Jessica and Melanie!

Sunday morning we loaded up and stopped by Fleet Landing for brunch before heading back to the Upstate. Loved the views (and the FOOD. The quiche of the day was so yum)