Throw This Party: The Garden Soiree
by KatieWalsh
WOO! It’s officially spring! Celebrate the return of sunshine to your life, or, if you always have sunshine in your life, celebrate the fact that you can have outdoor parties in the winter! Haha, silly friends who live in cold places! And what better way to do this than by throwing yourself a Garden Party? Do you have a garden, lawn, porch, or outside area? Perfect! If you have none of those things, throw one in your living room by opening the windows and bringing in some greenery, fresh-cut flowers, and floral prints. Or just head to the park! But I think that might be called a Picnic Party. Regardless, it’s positively divine, darling.
DRINKS: The number one most important ingredient for a Garden Party, besides whatever version of a garden you’re using as your setting, is Champagne Punch. This recipe is sooo good and sooo easy: cheap champagne, pineapple juice, ginger ale, splash of rum (trust me), and whatever else you feel like throwing in there. Fresh squeezed orange or lemon? Fruit punch? The last time I made this I used a juice called, no joke, Whispers of Summer. However, I do think the ginger ale and the pineapple are what give it that lipsmacking quality, so get them in there some way. Pour it all into a big bowl or vessel and stick in a ladle or even a mug with a handle for dipping. Slice up citrus rounds and drop them in the punch so people will think you’re fancy. Dump in a bunch of ice too, and keep freshening your ingredients as the punch bowl gets low. Crack a few bottles of white wine and maybe even put some beers in a bucket with ice. Gotta love a bucket!
FOOD: White People’s Artichoke Dip has garnered me more compliments in the past six months than anything else I’ve cooked, so now I make double batches and I still have to save some for VIP latecomers. Make this and serve in your giant cast-iron pan for a rustic presentation. Put some baked items like muffins or cookies in a basket with a pretty napkin because baskets are cute. Deviled eggs? When else would be a more appropriate time for deviled eggs? OR TEA SANDWICHES!?! OMG I’m so excited already! I also love a loosely assembled platter of fruit slices, nuts, and dark chocolate for a healthy and classy dessert/digestif. There is ONE pitfall of the Garden Party that’s difficult to navigate: dinner. An ideal Garden Party should start at around 4 p.m. to allow for maximum outdoor splendor. However, if you’re just doing hors d’oeuvres, around 8 p.m. people are going to start getting peckish. Those people should then leave your afternoon punch-and-snack party to go properly feed themselves. What am I, a soup kitchen?! Stand your ground, fine hostess, don’t start whipping up grillled cheeses for these mooches. Ignore their hunger whines until they leave. They’ve been there long enough anyway. This corset is killing me!
DECORATION: When it gets dark, light votive candles, drop them into jars (have YOU tried lighting a votive candle that’s already inside a jar?), and scatter them about. Use vintage-y print table cloths or even sheets for covering tables or couches. If you’re outside, get yourself a table and a cooler and adjust them so that the table is perpendicular to the setting sun, no one likes having a squinty conversation with their hand in front of their eyes.
DRESS: Duh. Floral print. Bust out the Laura Ashley, lady! Vintage dresses are ideal, but of course you’re going to want to prioritize comfort and presentation. Remember that, as a hostess, you will be called upon to do everything: move the cooler, carry the artichoke dip inside when it starts raining, run outside to arrange parking or let people in, wrangle the stove, mix drinks, and facilitate conversation all at the same time. Wear something you can work in! Go for a comfortable cut in a great color. I would not advise heels. Red lipstick always and forever. Also, if it’s a spring Garden Party, anticipate some people getting cold as it gets later and pull out your old sweatshirts and jackets for them to wear. It will make your guests more comfortable, but don’t give them anything nice, because people are known to walk off with this stuff!
EXIT: Afternoon jams have the potential to turn into epic all-nighters, so it’s nice if you have a plan to go somewhere later and can shame the hangers-on into leaving as you prepare to head out. If they’re Stage 5 clingers, ask them to join, but don’t coddle these mofos. They are adults and therefore expected to either understand social cues or suffer awkwardness. Politely let them know you have to get a move on, and sorry but let’s hang out soon. If there are just a few close ones left, do the dishes, clean the kitchen and hopefully everyone makes their exit so you can head to bed or move on to the next destination.
Previously: Game Night.
Katie Walsh used to live in Brooklyn. Now she lives in St. Croix where she throws and goes to a fair amount of parties.