Backyard Picnic Party

Hi lovelies!

I hope you are having a great start to your week!

It’s been a pretty dang good one for me, a week that kicked off (or ended–depending on how you look at it) with a picnic party and a total solar eclipse, is an a-okay one for me. Why can’t we have that every week for the rest of forever??

I’d be okay with that.

Maybe someday.

But anyways, this post isn’t about all my idyllic plans for the future, it’s about the picnic party I just threw!

I had had the idea of throwing a little backyard party like this pretty much since December of last year, so it’s safe to say, I was ECSTATIC that we finally made it to this day and I was finally able to put all my ideas into action.

And I have to say, I loved the result!

Here are a few pictures I (and my little sister) snapped throughout the evening:

I just love that last picture, all the sweetest gals who took some time out of their evening to just sit and chat and laugh and eat and drink and just be merry with me. SO KIND! I love the hearts of each of these sweet women.

Interested in hosting your own backyard picnic party?

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A big blanket. I used my comforter, seeing as it is WAY too hot around here for me to actually use it on my bed right now, this was the perfect way to get a little use out of it during the warmer months!
• Coordinating pillows! I again just used pillows I would usually have on my bed, but they just matched too perfectly, I couldn’t pass up using them!
• A picnic basket. It wouldn’t be a picnic without one! Here’s a similar one to the one I used…and not to mention it’s CHEAP!
• Food. I forgot to photograph that aspect of the evening but I had made a veggie and hummus tray, fruit-skewers, some chips and guac/salsa, a cracker and cheese plate and of course some chocolate covered strawberries and macaroons for dessert!
• Drink of choice. Our choice was a massive bottle of White Zinfandel. YES PLEASE.
• Bug spray. For obvious reasons. We didn’t have too much trouble with bugs but it definitely would have been smart for me to purchase, if I would have thought about it beforehand–definitely a must for next time!
• Candles. We didn’t take pictures of this part of the evening but as the sun set, we set up a few candles around, to make for a fun, relaxed ambiance to finish out our lovely outdoor evening. (These will also help with bugs!)

A few “just for fun” additions:

• Fresh florals. I think this just adds such a sweet homey and earthy vibe to your picnic that I just love so much! I got my pretty eucalyptus blooms from The Fresh Market!
• A “tree-pee.” I saw Zoella make this a few years ago and just had to give it a try. It’s actually a lot easier to make than you would think. We struggled a bit to figure it out initially but with my mom, my boyfriend, and I all working on it, we came up with a pretty clever way of making it a reality, if you ask me. All you’ll need is a sheet (like just from your bed!), an embroidery hoop, some burlap string, a metal clip and an eno strap. In the last picture, you can kinda see how we used all those products to bring this project to fruition. I love what this added to our picnic–so I’d definitely recommend trying this out, if you have the supplies & the time!
• A digital or Polaroid camera. Not necessary, but definitely a fun addition to the evening that every one of your party guests can enjoy. They unfortunately are kind of expensive but here’s a fairly cheap option!
• Party games.  Not something I had because my girls and I can talk for hours haha but I think planning a little game to play would definitely add to the experience and help if awkward silences creep in throughout the evening.
• Portable speakers. Again, not something I had, but it would have been great to have a little quiet background music going as we picnicked. This is a for sure for me for next time! Here’s a cute and fairly cheap option for your next picnic!

Alright friends, that’s all for now.

Happy picnic planning!

XOXO

-Bri