My older sister, Reva, is getting married in a few months. She chose me to be her Maid of Honor, so I wanted to throw her a bridal shower she'd never forget.

I wanted it to be more creative than just inviting a bunch of girlfriends over to sit around, talk and have cake. Reva really likes parrots, so I thought a rainforest theme would be perfect.

I called up six of Reva's closest friends, three of whom were also in the wedding party. I asked them to come my house before the party to help decorate. Reva knew about the shower, but nothing about the theme. Each of my helpers would bring something complimenting the rainforest theme.

Shannon brought three mist machines and set them up behind the real tropical plants Amy rented and placed around the edge of the patio. Amy brought every white mini Christmas light she owned and strung them across the patio ceiling. Brenda brought an outdoor speaker system and hid the speakers in the foliage. She hooked it up to my stereo so the CD of the sounds of the rainforest could be heard on all sides of the patio

Willie spent the afternoon in the kitchen, making muffins, brownies and cookies from nuts, fruits and berries found in the rainforest. She also made a delicious exotic fruit salad. Emily brought eight, beautiful, somewhat sexy dresses she rented at a costume shop. Zoe bought arrangements of real, tropical flowers. Some were very odd looking, while others had very sweet aromas. Monica covered the two tables she rented with a tropical print tablecloth and Zoe placed the floral arrangements in the center of each table and set the chairs around the tables while Monica set the table with the rented cups and plates made of exotic woods at each place. On each plate Zoe put a linen napkin folded like a bird of paradise flower. Freeze dried rose petals were strewn on the table tops and on the ground. We also put special 1Tree in a Box pots on all the tables. The guests could plant a seed in each pot in honor of the Bride & Groom.

Monica helped me carry out the present the seven of us were giving Reva. It was a large birdcage for the privately bred young Cockatoo we had picked out. First we checked with her fiancée. He loved the idea and gave us the breeder's name and phone number. Later, Reva would meet with the breeders who would show her how to care for him. Monica and I set hid the cage under the table right in front of Reva's chair.

When Reva arrived at my house she didn't see anything different. I took her to my room, where the six other women were changing into their dresses. Monica explained we were dressing like women of the tropics. I know she thought it was a little silly, but fun. I used a tripod and I set the timer on my camera so alll eight of us would be in the picture.

Then, I suggested we all go out on the patio for snacks and her present was out there as well. Reva could not believe her eyes when she saw the the miniature rainforest we had created. She stood in the center of the patio, turning in a slow circle, with a silly grin on her face. She looked around when the young Cockatoo began to squawk. Reva glanced at us while she looked around for the source of the noise. She pulled out her chair and let out a cry of surprise and carefully pulled the cage out from under the table.

We all sat down, ate Willie's amazing food, drank Sebastiani wine and had a relaxing evening. After it got dark, the mist machines and sound effects made it seem like we were really in the rainforest. It was a great party.