It’s that time of year again! We have so much to celebrate as I embark on another year of this blessed life, so we have decided to throw a party to share our joys with some of our nearest and dearest. My dear husband has been working tirelessly so that his birthday princess can sit back and enjoy the day, and write this blog post to share with you!
We are hosting an intimate, outdoor dinner party at our lovely little home. It’s a Parisian inspired garden party and I couldn’t be more excited about this evening. I wanted to do something simple with the food so that we can all enjoy ourselves and my hubby doesn’t have to spend the whole night in the kitchen. So I thought about some of my favorite foods and this is what we came up with:
Garden Party Menu:
Wild Mushroom and Mozzarella Crostini
Proscuitto Wrapped Asparagus
Grilled Turkey Sausages
Beet Salad
Carmelized Onion Tart
Since we are still lacking an appropriate outdoor dining space, we must work with what we have. I have chosen to roll out an old Oriental rug in the grass to frame out our dining space. We have a nice long table and have rented some folding chairs for our guests to sit. I have purchased a few decor items for the table like this burlap tablecloth and this frayed Parisian table runner to tie into my theme. And we keep white lights strung up in our yard all year long and have chosen some paper lanterns with script written on them (en francais, of course) to provide just the right amount of lighting.
My sweet Mother, who is always looking for ideas for me, pitched in and opted to gift me some awesome entertaining dishes in white so that I can use them over and over. In addition to the dinner plates, she also got me some dessert plates and sets of both red & white wine glasses. Now I’m ready to host any party! Thanks, Mom!
Speaking of plates. My bestie, who sadly will not be joining us since she has recently relocated to Denver, sent me the most lovely of surprises. These darling peacock plates from Pottery Barn are breathtaking and the perfect gift, indeed. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a sucker for all things peacock. I just adore birds, but the peacock has always been my favorite! And now, I have the most gorgeous peacock plates to entertain with! These will certainly be making an appearance tonight. Although, I love them so much I just may eat every meal off them!
While we are still talking about food (one of my favorite topics) it seems like the best time to discuss my favorite food: cake. This has to be one of the things I am most excited about. I sought out the help of Amy over at Bellissimo Bakery for a custom designed cake. I had a vision and Amy is making it happen. Destined to be the star of the show, this creation of a two layer white cake with a blackberry citrus filling, blackberry buttercream frosting with a fondant bouquet of lavender is truly a work of art. And, it will look so lovely atop this rustic wood cake stand I purchased. I cannot wait to taste it, alas I must.
For drinks I will be making a champagne punch with some delicious peach cider I picked up in Fredericksburg last weekend. Fredericksburg is well known for their peaches, and I have been gobbling up some fresh ones we bought all week long. In addition to my drink, my wonderful friend will be making a very exciting black cherry mojito. Because every party needs a signature drink. And we are making the best of the summer’s harvest with our choices!
Lastly, since this is a fashion blog, I must not forget to highlight my outfit for the evening. I was shopping with one of my favorite people a few weeks ago at the Domain when I came across this gorgeous Floral Dress at LOFT. Not only is it oh so pretty, it has one of my favorite features any dress or skirt can have – pockets! I don’t fully understand my obsession with pockets but they sure do make me happy and if that’s what the birthday girl wants, that’s what the birthday girl gets. At least that’s what my perfect husband says.
I just love how everyone is pitching in to make this day so special! I feel so grateful to have such amazing people in my life! I hope you all have a safe and fabulous holiday weekend, and don’t forget to follow The Fashion Refinery on Instagram for pics of tonight’s glorious celebration!
Until next time ~ Sara
*Update – My dad surprised me by flying in for the weekend! What an amazing birthday!
What She's Wearing Now 