Apr
03
in the off-season, it’s a nice change of pace to do something non-wedding related and, while admittedly a bit challenging, something for your family! my uncle matt turned 60 back in february and he + my aunt tapped me to design a celebration at their home for a close group of friends + fam.
step 1
we needed a killer caterer. a company that not only makes yummy food but presents it well. enter chive events. chive is fully sustainable and operates with a zero-waste mentality. their ingredients are fresh, organic + direct from small new england farmers, and they make for some seriously tasty dishes. we worked together to create rustic food displays + it was a treat for guests to see the chefs working away in the open kitchen set-up. with a menu that included {just to name a few} housemade chorizo with lemony aioli and avocado, warm roasted winter veggies, tendercrop farm roast beef, molten taza chocolate cakes, and drinks made from local distilleries such as bully boy, everyone walked away with full stomachs + a lovely buzz from the drinks served at the bar.
step 2
how to fit 33 people for a sit-down dinner in one room, and have the tables look great. enter my tried and true rental company, new england country rentals. i wanted long tables, simple linens, a simple patterned napkin, classic china + glassware, and decorative flatware. and it’s just what I got.
step 3
when you want flowers, you go petal floral design. becca is both a friend + trusted professional who puts together lush, organic, free form arrangements with a variety of flowers that somehow always look “put together”. i asked for arrangements to fill the long tables and to build around a vintage record player {see step 4} on the bar. one word: STUNNING.
step 4
music is a big part of matt’s life…he’s a rocker and has played drums for a good part of his life. i knew i wanted to tie in music…something festive + playful…while still maintaining an elegant feel. i added cymbols + drum sticks to the tables and with leftover greenery + florals from becca, started wrapping around drums, even using a standing drum as a cocktail table!
step 5
i love taking the time to design really special, and personal, paper products and the menu card was no exception. because it was a small number of guests, and not everyone knew each other, my aunt wanted to designate where people would sit. instead of designing both a menu card + a placecard, i combined the two. a hand-drawn sketch of a drum set {that I did not draw!} was the centerpiece to build around.
step 6
let them eat cake! a family tradition…birthday cake from party favors.
had so much fun with this one! enjoy some of my fave pics below.
until next time…
