Susan’s Evening Cocktail Party

Monday, March 17th, 2008

My friend Susan is having a cocktail party to celebrate her upcoming wedding, and she asked me to make an inspiration board. While Susan and Cam’s wedding will be a small, family ceremony, the cocktail party will be a larger celebration with friends.

When I asked Susan to tell me how she envisions the party, she sent me this picture and three words: dusk, lights (in the trees), urban.

John Singer Sargent

The party will be at Susan’s sister’s house in Richmond’s Fan District. Susan described the setting: “a little garden in the middle of an urban setting in this old Victorian house! It reminds me of the London part of Peter Pan.”

Susan plans to use a lot of blue and white at the party, but I thought it would be nice to incorporate some really rich purple tones (do you know that lavender means loyalty and devotion?), as well as shimmery silver in the mercury glass which will really bounce the light around during the evening.

Lanterns from Julie Mikos; Girl from The Green Vase;
Lavender Tablescape from Ariella Chezar; Pinocchio flowers from Martha Stewart;
Floral Arrangement from Nancy Liu Chin Floral Designs;
Mercury Glass from Matthew Mead;
White Tablescape and String Lights by Sandra Lane via Sarah Kaye

But, I’m not sure how Susan feels about purple. So, here’s a board of blue and white (with hints of purple).

Blue Bottle from Getty Images;
White Tablescape and String Lights by Sandra Lane via Sarah Kaye;
Hydrangea Wreath from Martha Stewart; Blue Room from Getty Images;
Blue Tablescape from Martha Stewart; Lanterns from Graham & Green