pop up party... in the garden

This was supposed to be a beach party, the car was packed, the guests invited, and the heavens opened in a tropical thunderstorm.  No beach party!  Surprise! the party was at our house instead and I didn't have time to set up a thing.  So the next day I set up the beach party in the garden instead, you can see Miss J helping me out below.  We will just have to plan another one for the beach.

How to arrange your own layered table wreath

• Place hurricane lantern in center of table.
• Lay long pieces of eucalyptus along the table with the stems starting at the center (at lantern).  The stems are quite firm and woody creating a great structure to hold the other flowers.  
• Arrange other flowers into the eucalyptus, hiding their stems in the leaves.  It looks best if the stems all run the same way, pointing towards the center, giving the impression that a bouquet of flowers has fallen over and spilled onto the table.  
• Make sure the flowers spill onto the place settings, very romantic and loose.
• Nestle tea lights into the arrangement.

Choosing colours

• The grey eucalyptus are a soft base that set off the creamy white garden roses, white berries and pink snap dragons.  
• Crisp white table cloth and pink touches to finish.

Fun finishing touches (from my favourite $2 shop)

• champagne pink mirror glass tea candles
• pink polka dot napkins 
• white plastic plates 
• bamboo cutlery tied together (back to back) with pink elastic bands

Half way through photographing the heavens opened again, I never really got a good shot of how pretty the table looked right across.  I was forced to scoop everything up a second time.  This time I put the long suffering flowers in a vase, and third time lucky we enjoyed our very own picnic in the garden, sitting on cushions on the lawn and surrounded by bees and flowers.  

There is a real delight in creating these little parties in unexpected places.  See my pop up party at home and valentines mini celebration here.  The next one will definately be at the beach...