Boho Garden Party
Styling an intimate garden party starts by using the natural beauty of your space to guide design and décor, so spend a little time in the garden before planning your birthday party, bridal shower, or next adult celebration. Breaking down our space, we noticed a warm, soft color palette, the buttery yellows and rusts of the fence and bark, and the lush greens in the surrounding shrubs and trees. This gave way to the first step in creating the perfect garden party.
Pick a Theme-
Start with a theme to lead your next design step. The immediate reaction we had in our space was Bohemian, with the warm natural elements and existing picnic table. If your garden has more roses or wildflowers, you might choose a tea party theme with pastels. A landscape with more grasses and xeriscape might lend towards beachy vibes of sea blues and greens.
Create a Focal Point-
When decorating a large space, creating something that draws your eye towards the party establishes closeness without taking away from the surrounding beauty. We constructed a Floating Pampas Cloud that uses the Bohemian palette we chose from the garden. A tea party theme might include a glass chandelier hung from the tree, while a beach theme might have a seagrass orb above.
Add a Centerpiece-
Once you create an intimate space for your guests to gather, dress up the place they will dwell in for the next couple of hours with a centerpiece. Here we created a canopy of magnolia’s on the table, where guests could freely communicate with each other above the “treetop” of the Garden. A tea party might include a centerpiece of beautiful treats adorned with edible flowers or a large bouquet of roses and tea lights. A Beach Table could combine shells, sand, succulents, and grasses in decorative lanterns. Designer Tip: Having centerpieces below or above eye level creates the best connection between guests. If you have better-separated parties, a good way to achieve this is to divide the table at eye level with large centerpieces.
Place Settings-
The first reason for a place setting is to ease the act of eating for your attendees. When finding the best configuration for your guests, consider the food and drinks that will be served and how much space is available for each guest. This takes us to the second purpose of the place setting, design infusion, and setting the tone for the night. Something informal and straightforward tells your guest that the night will be chill; this design style lends itself to seeing more of the other design elements of the party. More formal settings include table cloths, chargers, and an array of tableware for the many courses that will ensue and the time spent at the table. This is a way to deliver color and pattern to the table. We kept things simple with white plates, no table cloths or chargers to not distract from the natural beauty of the table garland and pampas cloud. A tea party would be a more formal setting and include dishes with floral patterns, white table cloths, and tableware to serve the tea. Beach parties might be somewhere between these two casual in their tableware but formal in their use of chargers or placemats.
Simple Touches-
Think of this as the jewelry of the party. The simple touches let guests know you took the extra time to make this party extraordinary. Hand-tying napkins with lavender and wheat impart the natural feel of a Bohemian Garden Party. Tea Parties could have special teacups for each guest’s personality, and a beach party could include seashells from your beach trips as name cards.
Anyway, your outdoor space speaks to you. Following these design tips will transform your garden party into a stunning piece of art and create an atmosphere that guests will feel comfortable and welcome at your party.
