Despite the lows of this summer, High Tea & Happy Hour could not go all summer without hosting a curated event. The Little Bites & Big Visions happy hour was a vibe that was right on time. With everything that was happening around me, it became clear to me that I was (or am) in a season of recentering and revisioning. As an experience curating, my happy place is hosting, and in this season a palette & mind-refreshing happy hour was perfect...
And so a vibe named Little Bites & Big Visions happy hour was had on August 19th, 2022...
the Vibe
In planning what I wanted this event to feel like, I developed three attributes that I thought the Little Bites & Big Visions happy hour needed. The vibe had to be:
light and peaceful;
a place to vibe & dream;
and accompanied by a thriving tribe.
With these attributes as the focus, I was able to quickly and efficiently develop the game plan for this event. I decided to go with a giving flowers design theme for the happy hour's feel. That theme was interwoven into all of the elements that came together for that night. The menu was lite like a flower, the ambiance was melodic, and the company was comforting and collaborative. This became the perfect recipe for a bomb night of drinks, bites, and amazing company.
I worked with my husband Maurice to set the outline for the event, meaning how we wanted people to navigate this night. We settled on a lite and cute itinerary where our guests along with us chatted and chewed over conversation-provoking questions submitted by our guests. This created a low-pressure vibe where our guests could be as involved as they wanted to be, although all of our guests became very invested in this night.
the Lite & Luxe Menu
The giving flowers design theme helped determine the selection & presentation of the menu items. To cover all of the guest's palettes, comforting and familiar bites were curated with cute twists, whether that was with presentation or elevated flavors. To also stick with the theme, I considered and planned menu items that were comforting but didn't feel heavy; light like a feather or flower. Using salmon for the sandwich, incorporating roasted veggies, and a light cheesecake for the dessert made the Hors d'oeuvre set-up float.
The Lite & Luxe Menu:
Flowery Charcuterie
Mini Salmon Cheesesteaks
Roasted Chicken Bites
Truffle Wedges
Roasted Veg & Fruit Plate
Carmelized Onion & Gruyere Dip
Bread Assortment
Cheesecake Cups
Wineritas (white & red)
Flavored Shots
The Lite & Luxe bar did not disappoint as well. Red & White Wineritas (Red Winerita recipe found here) were served alongside tea-infused shots. I mean it is a High Tea & Happy Hour event! The first shot was a white tea blueberry & elderflower infused tequila shot and the second was an apple rosehip raspberry Jack Daniels shot. This event did not fall short with the libations as separate mixers were served as well.
the Ambiance
After the vibe and menu came together, the decor and ambiance setting just fell right into place. The giving flowers design theme really shined bright in the event's design direction. I knew, for one thing, flowers, flowers, and more flowers had to be just about everywhere; in the buffet display, by the bar, and at different points throughout the room. Seeing flowers is such a comforting experience and being engulfed in flowers at an event is a vibe.
Ceiling elements take party decor to the next level. For the Little Bites & Big Visions happy hour, I planned a Falling Rose Ceiling Installation. With a couple of materials and a couple dozen of roses, that moment stopped people in their cute shoes as soon as they walked through the front door. It created such a vibe over the Little Bites display and made that space feel sexy and intimate.
Falling Roses Ceiling Installation Video (Follow the brand on Pinterest!- https://pin.it/2DAes53)
The Little Bites display came through with the giving flowers design theme. Aside from the loose flowers, petals, and vines that filled in the table, vases filled with baby's breath flowers and water held up plates of treats. The vase displays were a cute & quick DIY with vases purchased from my favorite thrift store. They created strong points of interest while offering a varied height display as they were all different in height. These vases were accompanied by water-filled wine glasses that had baby's breath flowers & tea light candles and mini vases that held the stems of the roses.
Food Table Flower & Water Displays Video (Follow the brand on Pinterest!- https://pin.it/9P2BJD4)
Not to be forgotten are the added vibes of smells and music. In addition to the tea light candles the wine glasses floated in water, warm scented candles dressed all of the main surfaces at the event. I selected scents that were warm and comforting and with Fall on the way the bourbon, apple, and cinnamon-themed candles were in abundance. In addition to the candle scents, a diffuser was used to spread a fresh and light scent that include orange, clary sage, and cinnamon leaf. To accompany the sweet aromas in the air, a curated playlist with the best R&B vibes was played throughout the evening.
the Curated Guest List
Vibes are only successful when the right energies are brought together. In considering the basis, outline, and feel for the Little Bites & Big Visions event we wanted, my husband and I put together an intimate guest to kick off these curated happy hour vibes. We kept it intimate for a couple of reasons;
It was being held in our home and we wanted to comfortably host our guests,
Everybody can't come together for everything and it be the perfect vibe.
As these happy hours become larger and faces get newer, we know we will not be able to control every detail about everybody that enters the room, but by curating the vibe of the first one we set the tone.
the Happy Hour
When mentioning something that I felt was a small flaw in planning this Little Bites & Big Visions event to one of my sisters, she responded, "I didn't even notice that. That perfect vibe was the only impression I left with.". And she was right. The vibe was popping from beginning to end. I jokingly sent a text to our guests to tell them to ignore the 7 pm end time I put on the invitation and we all did! We had amazing conversations that lasted for hours followed by an R&B group singing session that didn't end until midnight. With the Little Bites & Big Visions happy hour beginning at 5 pm, I would call that a successful vibe.
Check out the images and video from the Little Bites & Big Visions Happy Hour!
Final Event Decor Video (Follow the brand on Pinterest!- https://pin.it/nCJU3Ai)
Leave a comment on this botanical vibe and let us know what you think!
Comments