Sequin shift dress: Lilly Pulitzer size down, wearing size 0 / Shoes: Maje
What an evening to spend in the blooming garden. Friends came to what I called my garden tour and art installation. I had four areas – cocktails, appetizers, main course, and dessert in different areas of the garden to allow guests to freely flow from different areas. It was so fun to see where they would take photos in the garden.
This garden party is probably becoming my favorite party to host if not my absolute favorite at the moment. I work so hard in the garden, love getting dressed up with friends, and I want to make magical moments for many of my loved ones in a place that I tend to daily- the backyard and garden. I appreciate them knowing this is my passion and stage of life and making the time to show up to see my “art installations” as I’ve referred to it last night.
This spring I chose to do something different from what I had hosted the past two years. Instead of a sit down garden potluck party, I wanted to invite more friends than I had dining chairs seats, so I had a cocktail garden party which to me is really a buffet party – with cocktails. You can read my blog post on deciding which one to host here.
This year I had longtime friends Rachel and Brittany from out of state that flew into town to help me with the food prep and more – really ALL OF IT – no kidding, nearly 80% of it including clean up and put away. I just had to show them where things were and implement my vision but between them, Benjamin and Meagan my best friend who always shows up early to help and serve, this was a big party but not high stress for me as a hostess. What a blessing and the ability to make this to another level because of them! Adding hooks to the top, moving tables, no not there, maybe over here.
The Garden Party Decor and Theme
Because it was a Sunday night, we started at 5:30 pm. Enough time to see the garden during the daylight and mingle and for friends to get home early enough.
Williams-Sonoma generously provided me with many beautiful entertaining items I was able to add on to my already growing collection of plates and platters from past parties. See last year’s garden party post here.
I tried to have a Southern theme but not too obvious. The chicken pot pies, the pies for dessert, the blue and white plates paired with cabbage dishes set the tone. The magnolia wreaths were a soft nod to the light theme.
Welcome to the party!
Welcome to the garden party, you will enter through this black gate and right into the kitchen garden! The jasmine vines are blooming early or in this case, right on time!
Set up Spot 1: Cocktails in the Kitchen Garden
Welcome to the party! Would you like a drink?
I am in love with these live ivy bird cage topiaries from Williams-Sonoma which would make a great gift. I wrapped twinkle lights from Amazon on them so they would look magical while they hung from the trees later in the evening when the sun set. After this spring I will try to keep the ivy alive, but I can also use faux ivy to wrap around it in the future!
I used ribbon from Michael’s in the colors I wanted which was deep hues instead of pastels that are typically associated with spring.
I used two Asheville Storage Carts (c/o) from Paddy O’ Furniture to use as a storage for the drinkware and the top surface is almost 36″ tall which is comfortable for guests to make drinks! I like that there were three shelves!
These carts can come with wheels on the bottom and when not in use for a buffet or drink cart, I use it as gardening storage for my pots and tools! It is made from all weather HDPE (high-density polyethylene) material to look like wood and has a 25 year guarantee. It also comes in four colors.
The material which simulates wood, but is made of polyethylene. These carts match several Paddy O’ Furniture outdoor furniture pieces we own – the Patriot low back swivel chairs and Adirondack chairs on the lawn.
Back to cocktails!
I used a MacKenzie-Child’s planter that can also be used as a drink tub to hold the drink mixes and other items that needed to stay cold. I loved the look of everything set up in the kitchen garden and it was a fun activity for my friends (I think!) for them to make their own pretty garden inspired cocktail drinks!
Having ready made mixes and a menu – cocktails and mocktails to help guide guests so helpful for the guests, and the host!
Flower cocktail stirrers from Anthropologie I’ve had forever – and Seasoned Straws (c/o) to the left of them, to add some sweetness and flavor to any drinks or water. Both would be great hostess gifts!
Love these cornflower blue scalloped LED lights which are now on sale and for an incredible price! I always believe in buying lamps and LED lights in pairs!
I like to add a bucket to keep ice for drinks separate within the tub of ice for keeping drinks cool. I used the Rose Porcelain Canister as the bar discards for miscellaneous things that need to be thrown away.
Another great idea is using Teaspressa cocktail mixer cubes! They are cubes you add to sparking water, champagne, or gin. There are instructions on the containers. Find them on Amazon here and bring some for a hostess gift. The owner Allison has been a long time friend who I’ve known since she first stared the business!
A moment for my cheeky cocktail napkins.
Now that you have your drink, let’s head to the patio!
Set up Spot 2: Appetizers Under the Porch
Since I chose to not have a sit down dinner and my friends were in town to help me prepare the food, it was nice to take care of it all for my guests. I picked up as much ready-made I possibly could!
Like buying hard boiled eggs instead of having to boil them or watermelon already sliced in the container so no cutting. It’s OK to not make everything from scratch or buy from somewhere! But the real winner of this was Rachel and Brittany who made everything and Meagan who helped bake.
Let me also point out the “For Your Comfort” which has OFF! bug spray and wipes, lactaid pills, tums chewables and hand wipes! It was great to see them used – or not, haha!
If you don’t have enough plates mix them up! Or use cocktail napkins which can act as a plate for single serving appetizers like hard boiled eggs, olives, etc. The guests can decide if they want to use a plate or a cocktail napkin.
I love this marble fruit bowl you can also use for charcuterie. It’s from Williams-Sonoma and you could also use it for oysters on ice! So many endless hosting uses!
Ready for more food? Just a few steps away!
Set up Spot 3: Salad and Pot Pies (main course)
A separate table closer to the house for the chicken pot pies and watermelon feta cheese mint salad.
I snapped this photo before a quick rearranging and company arrived to properly set a buffet table in order, you can check out this post here. I recommend this proper format for large tables where guests have to walk around. This allows them to avoid juggling flatware and napkins while serving themselves food. Since this was a small table and had salad and a pot pie, everything was easy to grab all within arms reach. Read Williams-Sonoma – buffet setup tips here.
Love seeing friends meet and mingle.
You need LED lights everywhere to illuminate tables and areas. This Zafferano Poldina Pro Cordless Floor Lamp, XX-Large comes in 4 colors and the recharge is on a base I keep out in the entertaining shed so it’s easy to charge back up!
Two faux, but very realistic looking magnolia wreaths on the French doors, and a large welcome mat so guest knew which door to enter to use the powder room.
Do you have room for dessert? Let’s walk to the orchard.
Set up Spot 4: Dessert in the Orchard
My guests rarely visit the orchard when they come over because we have a fence around it so it kind of fences it off (haha) – not that they couldn’t go in there, but there isn’t really much to do unless you have intention to pick citrus or a peach.
So while this was supposed to be cocktails in the orchard, I changed it to desserts! So everyone could experience walking through different areas of the garden.
The mini LED table lamps are great too by food. I also keep the chargers out in my entertaining shed. You can purchase shades to the top to fit your decor as well. They just came out with some gingham shades that I’m dying over!
Don’t forget your party favor I made! They are vintage postcards and I glittered them up and put a special message on the back.
The back had this message:
The Menu:
- Cocktail mixes – Williams-Sonoma ready-made drink mixes with sparkling water, gin, and champagne. Teaspressa cocktail cubes.
- Deviled eggs dyed with beet juice to make them pink outside
- Mini Chicken Pot Pies – Dream Dinners
- Watermelon, feta cheese and mint salad
- Blueberry, Cherry, and Strawberry Rhubarb pies from Pie Snob with vanilla bean ice cream and gelato
Something about these pillows are just so good for a moody garden party right? They are indoor pillows but I brought them out on the bench and on this area for the garden party. Tiger print cover here, and floral print cover here.
The Thank You’s
Thank you Williams-Sonoma for supporting my party dreams and equipping me with beautiful serveware, decor, and encouragement to do this and lean heavily into this stage of my life. I take your trust in me to showcase your brand seriously and with great honor.
Thank you Paddy O’ Furniture for changing the way we entertain and live outdoors. Never have we spent this much quality time outside until your company blessed us with the best patio furniture made in the entire universe – yes universe. I feel like I am part of the company, and we love and believe in everything your company creates, it is the most comfortable, durable, high quality furniture and I’m proud to be an ambassador for the brand.
Thank you to my friends for always making the time and showing up. Thank you for making it a wonderful evening. I celebrate the blessings you are in my life and the memories we make together in this lifetime.
Thank you to my out of town co-hosts Brittany and Rachel for setup, baking, cooking, floral arranging, moving, all of it! Meagan who also shows up for all my parties helping me throughout them! Roxanne who came early to help me with video content was beyond helpful and stress reliever! Hubby who was a bee and did a fun game on Kahoot.it – look at my highlights or below to see him as a bumble bee.
Just one more big hosting left which is Easter and I consider it more low-key now that I host this garden party. After Easter, this closes out the entertaining season in Phoenix until fall but it doesn’t mean I won’t have dinner parties inside and hopefully some fun summer destinations to share!
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