One thing I’ve always wanted to do more of is entertain but never had the right space for it. Now our little cottage isn’t really big enough for entertaining a large group indoors but it definitely has the outdoor space for it. Most of our home projects have been focused indoors, like our kitchen remodel and the reclaimed wood wall, but to prepare for our first party at our new home, we purchased some outdoor furniture, created the most beautiful branch orb chandelier, cleaned up the backyard, and got our hot tub in place. There is something so perfect about outdoor entertaining and in California you can really entertain outdoors almost year round!
For my first go round at entertaining in our new home I went fairly minimal with the decor. I wanted to use our Annie Glass which we got as wedding presents and let them take center stage. For the floral arrangements I decided on three flowers, white roses, hydrangeas, and purple dahlias. I think flowers really elevate any decor. I added arrangements in every room and had three arrangements on our outdoor dining table. I don’t have matching vases but I stuck with a glass mason jars and mercury-glass accents to tie them all together. I decided to stick with finger food for the party. This was the first time I tried my hand at mini twice baked potatoes and I think they turned out great! I also have my go-to appetizers from TJ’s that I couldn’t help but put out. A cheese plate is always a must and I selected three of my favorites to serve, Manchego, Goats Brie, and Italian Truffle cheese. I can wait to host more parties and share more tips for being a great hostess!!
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Photo Credit: Jess Atkinson.
