Throw A Spring Party in a Pinch

send an e-vite, pull out your best dishes, and set the table for a casual spring soiree

Blue and white plates with citrus fruit design in middle of wicker place mat, sitting between silver fork on left and knife on right. Setting is on top of dark blue and white tablecloth

Spring has sprung! The sun is shining! Your patio furniture is…crusty. Ideally, we would all winterize our outdoor spaces, have a set of picnic-style dining accoutrements at the ready, and maintain a spotless assortment of outdoor-only linens. But if we haven’t made it abundantly clear, we’re not exactly a team of Martha Stewarts, and spending hours or days trying to keep up with the Joneses borders on wasted time.

In that spirit, we’ve laid out a way to pull together a garden party that takes advantage of the fleeting spring ambience at a moment’s notice. Like our interiors, this guide is intentional, elevated, and sustainable. Allow us to demonstrate with a bridal shower we hosted at the Feldman residence for our marketing lead, Rachael.

Do a quick sweep

Zoe’s side patio already feels quaint thanks to well-placed shrubbery, solar-powered string lights overhead, and arched Pinky’s doors with rustic shutters. But having sat unused over the winter, it needed a brisk sweep with the outdoor broom and the cushions needed a good shake. Before you start decorating, create a fresh palette with a (very) quick once-over of the space—but don’t get too precious about it. Cover stubborn marks on your cushions with outdoor blankets for a layered, lived-in look.

ask A FRIEND (and your china cabinet)

Don’t be afraid to poll friends and guests. When selecting the foundation of our table, we turned to El Salvador-based Celina Wright, owner of Esencial Hogar (and Zoe’s former assistant!). Her shop is founded on the belief that special pieces should be enjoyed always, not just on fancy occasions. She recommended her Cosmo Navy Rectangular Tablecloth for a warm-weather look that would forgive stains. We shopped local for placemats and cloth napkins, visiting our neighbors at Oliver Dunn, Moss & Co to achieve a layered look.

Keeping with the ethos of using special pieces no matter the setting, we put a Feldman family heirloom to use with Nature Dinner Plates by Tiffany. Delicate china juxtaposes nicely with sturdier materials like rattan and linen beneath—the same rule applies for crystal glassware and silver flatware. Simple, affordable bud vases Zoe had on hand from CB2 helped create a whimsical wildflower look with fresh stems from Trader Joe’s.

make your party favor a keepsake

A Polaroid camera is inexpensive way (and super fun) way to encourage mingling. Plus, your guests go home with snapshots of the evening—a meaningful party favor that won’t go straight to the trash bin. For this event, we passed around permanent markers so attendees could write well wishes for the bride in the photo margins. Individually wrapped cookies with fun messages (see: Finally, Hot Wife), were also easy to grab on the way out.

A few more tips for a stress-free gathering:

Adults only? Invite your littles to the table for a quick tea party before the guests arrive.
If gifting, consider a patterned wrapping paper that coordinates well with your decor—Zoe wrapped her gift in floral paper from Loeffler Randall.
Take your guests up on contributions. Asking someone to bring a cake, extra tea candles, or a few bottles of wine can take some of the day-of pressure off of you.
Depending on what’s around, snip a few branches and buds from nearby foliage to fill in your floral arrangements.