Earlier in the season, I rounded up my best girls – Anna, Erica, Logan & Jan – for a super fun & oh so delicious picnic party. I must admit, pulling together everything you need to create the perfect picnic party takes quite a bit of time & planning, however, quality time spent lounging & laughing for hours with my best girlfriends over a scrumptious summer spread is 100% worth the work that goes into bringing it all together!
With the help of our Charlotte West Elm store, I mixed & matched various pieces – outdoor rugs, throw blankets & pillows – to create a dreamy, Boho/European vibe for our picnic and I just love how all the pieces came together to create such a fun setting for us girls to hang out, chat the evening away, sip rosé & nosh on all our yummy picnic-y eats.
Big Blankets, Throws & Pillows
Depending on how many people will be attending your fabulous picnic shindig, you’ll need more or less ground cover so everyone has plenty of space to ‘cop a squat’ {name that movie!} Anna and I did most of the setting up, and we decided to start with a double layer of plastic {you can go grab some at your nearest Lowe’s, Home Depot or any nursery, really} to protect our blankets from getting dirty and/or damp. From here, we starting placing our big blankets {we actually wound up using outdoor rugs} and throws to create a plush & cozy spot for all of us to sit! Next came the throw pillows! I opted to mix up the pillows with indoor & outdoor pillows in various sizes, colors & prints. From here, you’re ready to start setting up your picnic partay!
Plates, Bowls & Boards
West Elm has SO many cute & colorful bowls to hold your fruits, nuts & veggies, so I grabbed a bunch of fun, patterned bowls in different sizes to place around so everyone could be within arms length of the food rather than having to pass everything and/or reach across the whole picnic set-up. When it came to boards for our cheese & charcuterie, I actually used my own. Adam and I have quite the cheese/cutting board collection, so I simply packed mine up and they looked so pretty spread out on the blankets with all our food. To add to the fun, colorful vibe of our picnic, I added some of these modern melamine plates that come in different sizes & colors.
Food, Drink & Fresh Flowers
I kinda went all out with the food! {haha} I wanted a grand, European spread with all the meats, cheeses, fresh fruits & berries, nuts, dates, a couple baguettes, crackers, olives, you name it. And…no picnic would be complete without fresh flowers! I grabbed pink & white tulips from Trader Joe’s {they have the best flowers, you guys} for a little extra touch of darling. In my opinion, nothing beats a nice, cold bottle of rosé for a refreshing summertime sip! With that being said, I picked up a few of my favorite bottles from Trader Joe’s, {can’t beat their prices} Whispering Angel, Miraval & La Vieille Ferme. Lastly, water! I’m a big time water drinker and staying hydrated is important. I decided to pack our glass water bottles rather than buy bottled water at the market. I highly recommend making a shopping list for you food, so nothing is forgotten.
Bits & Bobs
Don’t forget all the little, useful bits & bobs such as your cheese knives, wine opener, perhaps a few forks or spoons for sharing, scissors, picnic basket, paper towels, {just incase there’s a spill} and extra bags for clean up at the end of your picnic. I used canvas totes & reusable shopping bags to easily pack and transport everything we needed for our picnic. Be sure to neatly set aside bags and containers for any leftover food that can be divvied up amongst friends.
photos by Jennifer Austin Photography
Thanks so much for stopping in! I hope this post inspires you to go out and create your very own beautiful picnic! xx
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