Some dear friends were temporarily “home” for the summer after moving last year to Texas! So fun for me to hang with my pal for a short while…like she never left! But all good things must come to an end and as the summer is winding down, it’s time for them to get ready to head off to their new home…but not without a proper send off! Being that this would be the last few days in their Toledo house…they decided to have one final gathering on the patio to say their goodbyes! And since their new home is in the big state of Texas…this would be an event speckled with “Lone Star” touches & whimsy–and lucky me–I got to help! Not only did I have fun hashing out ideas, I got to spend quality time with my friends getting ready for the event! And on top of all the fun with the preparations, we got extremely lucky…I think the evening was quite possibly the most perfect night of the summer! With mild temps and soft breezes–we couldn’t have ordered up anything better! So today I’d like to share this lovely celebration…it’s a little long…but I think you’ll enjoy it!
a Texas-style send-off!
the whole thing was inspired by the adorable invites! these wonderful invitations by Amy Lesniewicz Arndt, who owns Alice-Louise Press, are so beautiful they’re frame-worthy!
after getting a sneak peek of the invites and doing a little brainstorming, it was soon time to gather some supplies and head over to my friend’s home to start gettin’ ready!
some pre-party set-up…
finding your containers for food items and labeling them is helpful for getting things on the table quickly before guests arrive! we just dropped the unopened containers of nibbles right into their buckets until it was time for the party!
some simple bundles of herbs will look lovely on the cheese board later…
we laid out the serving tables…and added details along the way!
leaving out trash and recycle containers is so helpful…and they don’t have to look completely utilitarian! just by adding tags and a plastic donkey head tied with a bandanna–these functional tubs fit right in with the theme!
since the party was in the backyard…a note on the door let guests know where to go!
this plastic party decoration got a coat of gray spray paint and was hot-glued to an old wood plank…
pub tables from a rental company were perfect for guests to mingle around…and rented linens are the best…you don’t have to launder them! a little helper placing and lighting candles is also great to have on hand!
i just happened to have these shotgun shell lights…a gift from my parents to my boys! they were perfect for some more whimsy and looked adorable hanging in a tree with some paper globes!
now for some nibbles…
mini bushel baskets were the right size for the utensils and napkins…
most of the food started out in the sun room just inside the patio doors…helpful in keeping the flies away and convenient to carry outside later on! simple platters of easy appetizers made for pretty quick food prep! it’s always great to have a selection of cheeses…
meats and spreads…
appetizers don’t have to be elaborate…i think simple foods can look fabulous with easy details! an ordinary bowl of fruit and pickled asparagus tossed in a mason jar looks beautiful as is!
figs & honey…yum!
we had a little fun with the centerpiece! a simple crate filled with sage, a star light and a cowboy hat! (it’s really an Indiana Jones hat that belonged to my oldest son when he was little…but close enough!)
this large, wooden bowl was lined with a plastic tablecloth and filled with chips & salsa…
along with a bandanna lined boot to hold bread sticks!
and here’s one of the easy buckets of nuts…(and these were SO yummy…if you like spicy!)
something to satisfy a sweet tooth…
a small selection of simple sweets filled a little table outside! i like to keep sugary treats where guests will be more apt to eat them! a dessert table never needs to be so fancy…just a taste of sugar is all you need! candies, sweet nuts, and mini pound cakes are just right!
little paper details…stars & tags!
sips & spirits…
everything’s bigger in Texas! and there was no exception to the drink menu at this event! a fun selection of sips was displayed in Texas style…including a margarita machine! a star made from rebar hung above…
we used a big selection of bins and tubs for all the cold beverages!
and filled old sap buckets with hydrangeas from the garden…
a long table holds red wines and all the fixin’s for some mixed drinks. i made some simple burlap tassels to finish off the edges of the bunting decorating the front. i simply took a 4″ wide strip of material from the bolt & folded it in half lengthwise to make it about 20″ long. i cut fringe leaving a 2-3″ section at the top, then twisted it into a ball & wrapped it tight with twine! fun thing about rustic decorations…they don’t need to be perfect and they still look great!
plenty of room on a large table for an array of cocktails…
a magnet board with a simple message for the centerpiece…
and it’s always nice to have a mini trash bin for wine corks, and bottle caps…keeping your table tidy!
the best part of the whole party? celebrating a wonderful family…even though we’ll all miss them terribly!
the evening air was filled with chatting and laughter as the skies grew dim…
as we cherished the last moments before they head south! i’m guessing some travel plans might be on many horizons to visit dear friends who now call San Antonio home!
Texas is a lucky state indeed!
(Amy Lesniewicz Arndt, owner of Alice-Louise Press, who created the lovely invites, will be opening a shop in September in downtown Perrysburg! stay tuned for more info coming soon…i’ll be sure to share more of Amy’s beautiful creations and how you can get in touch with her! maybe a sneak peek of her shop? i’ll work on that!)