Lights, Details, Action! | Parties on the Patio

Hello, fellow planners. Whether it's a dinner party or a bridal shower, alfresco parties can be magical, can't they? Here are some ideas for my family's Parties on the Patio (a bridal shower and rehearsal dinner), with inspiration gathered from the interweb. Enjoy! 

LIGHTS

Strands of "Alfresco" Lights draped from House to Arbor

Chinese Paper Lanterns in center, lighting tables

Star Twinkle Lights hanging on Arbor and Jasmine Trellis

Flowers in Individual Flower Tubes, put in the Arbor (to add a pop of loveliness!)

Small Paper Lanterns hanging from the Avocado Tree

A "Bouquet" of Paper Lanterns where extra light is needed

Twinkle Lights wrapped around the base of the Avocado Tree

A hand-drawn map depicting the Party Patio. (Fancy.)

Net Twinkle Lights are magical, and Ikea has some unique lighting as well (see below).

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CHAIRS

Atlas Party Rental

White Wood Folding Chairs (about $2.80 ea.)

(You've seen these, right? If not, check out Atlasparty's site.)

White, Plastic Samsonite Chairs (about $1.75 ea.)

Plastic chairs are the more cost-effective option, but they still look very nice.

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VASES

Square Dining Table Centerpieces
Cylinder Vases for the Buffet

Below are some Rectangular and Cube Shaped Vases

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CANDY BUFFET CONTAINERS

Planting containers are great for candy bars, and apothecary containers are always classy.
(You can find planters at hardware stores like Home Depot or Ace Hardware, and Michael's Craft Store is always a great resource for Apothecary Jars.)

xo,

n

Sweet Centerpiece Ideas Inspired by a Palm Beach Legend

There are two kinds of people in this world: those with green thumbs... and the other kind. For the latter, whom I lovingly refer to as Cactus Killers, one dreaded word can strike fear into their hearts:

CENTERPIECES. 

Strangely, this same word inspires giddy delight in professional florists and Pinterest addicts alike. Whether you're from team Green Thumbs or team... CK, hopefully you can appreciate these centerpiece ideas in a Palm Beach palette of pink and green, a la Lilly Pulitzer.

Speaking of Lilly, I love how her whimsy and practicality led this Palm Beach design legend to invent the very first Lilly shift dress. (If you don't know the history of Lilly P. and her orange juice stand, you can read about it here!)

You can interchange the below arrangements with other flower and filler variations, but... well, you know. 😉

CENTERPIECE #1 
PINK GERBERA DAISIES WITH LIME FILLER

Single Gerbera Daisies would work well in bud vases. If you do the lime filler, a cute additional "pop" of color would be added by filling another single vase with whole, uncut limes.

(Don't worry, Lilly! We'll wear one of your dresses for this one.)

Hand-painted illustration by Noelle

CENTERPIECE #2
PINK RANUNCULUS WITH CANDY HEART FILLER

Hand-painted illustration by Noelle

CENTERPIECE #3
LIME GREEN SPIDER MUMS WITH PINK SUGAR FILLER

Hand-painted illustration by Noelle

The above is just a thought, with the integrated candy buffet / flower centerpiece idea. 

You could do one large mum bouquet and one small one. Or, if you have a variety of vases you could try grouping similar-shaped containers together (square vases one one table, cylinder on another, etc.). These ideas could easily be used to create a candy buffet, or to simply add color to dining tables.

You know your mom has a candy jar like this one.

"Mama Jill's Candy Jar" Illustration by Noelle

I am fascinated by the idea of a candy bouquet of lollipops nestled in a pink sugar base...

"Lollipop Bouquet" Illustration by Noelle

Bonne chance!
xo,
n

Eat Drink & Be Married: The Rehearsal Dinner

Just because you are decorating "on a budget" doesn't mean your party has to look like it's on a budget too. In fact, with a little creativity, there are tricks you can use to create elegance without extravagant cost.

For example, a monochromatic statement makes centerpieces dramatic and formal -  regardless of the flower you choose. Another cost-effective idea is to create a different centerpiece for each table using whatever flowers you have available to you.

So in the spirit of  budgetry and craftiness, I invite you to "relax, let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents... your dinner.*" (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

*from Walt Disney's "Beauty & the Beast"

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WHITE CENTERPIECE IDEAS
Candles, roses, carnations, rose petals
with filler/vase covers: rose petals, white beans, ribbon
White Winter Flowers: Jasmine, tulips, amaryllis

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CANDLE CENTERPIECES

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Jasmine and Amaryllis are in bloom during January and February.

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Rose Petal Filler

White Bean Filler

Ribbon Vase Cover




Non-Floral, Nautical-Themed Centerpiece



Something Completely Different: Paper Flower Centerpiece

The End.