garden party | outdoor party | Victorian garden party

Plan a Perfect Garden Party

summer garden party

pretty china

petunias

garden party seating

pretty cloth tablecovers

vegetable appetizers

ice for the party trays

tea, strawberry lemonade and wine

garden party

The summer splendor of your flower garden makes a perfect backdrop to an old fashioned garden party. In Victorian times, well-to-do ladies followed strict social expectations for proper behavior and conversation. Throwing a garden party offered a chance to privately share their thoughts and opinions away from eavesdropping servants and gossipy neighbors. Today, it is great fun to invite your friends over for tea in the garden. Outrageous hats make the gathering all the more special.

Make the party elegant by bringing out your fancy china. Gather your supplies as time permits to make the party day go smoothly.

Purchase some pretty flowers and pot them up for decorations. These had two plugs in each pot with a ribbon bow. Send them home with your guests as party favors at the end of the party.

On the day of the garden party, arrange your chairs in a pleasant shady spot. Provide side tables for beverages and plates.

Create inexpensive table cloths out of colorful summer printed fabric purchased at a fabric store. Provide enough tables for all of the dishes. This garden party invited guests to bring a dish to share. A cooler, filled with ice and beverages, is set next to the beverage station.

Finger food is considered proper fare for a garden party. The hostess provided an array of vegetable appetizers along with the beverages.

Ahead of your party, freeze water in ziplocks to fit under your party trays. This serving set had extra trays, making it easy to place a "made to fit" ice bag under the food.

Prepare your beverage station right before the guests arrive. The featured garden party served ice tea, fresh herb mint tea, strawberry lemonade and wine.

Craft these super easy wine glass charms to add festiveness to store bought plastic wine glasses.

Place serving utensils in pretty china to add elegance to your garden party.

Your guests will delight in a lovely afternoon chatting with friends in your garden.

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