I hosted a girls night at our condo last week featuring a fabulous stylist Shannon Vass’s Stella & Dot collection. A total of 26 gals found comfort in our cozy condo sipping sparkling red champagne out of mason jars and filling their tummies with yummy whoopie pies made by food consultant, Melissa Panara. Please sit back and enjoy some snaps that I took throughout the evening. I really wish I had more detail shots of the food + décor but I was too busy enjoying my friends company.
Preparation Images | Tip #1: The day before the event I always layout my serving pieces + label with what’s going to be placed on each platter. This helps me on the day of b/c during the hustle + bustle I’m not questioning a thing. I love seeing everything come together prior to placing food + drink in the appropriate places. As you know, I love layering… not only my clothing garments but my table scapes as well. Creating height and elevating food is amongst many of my “party throwing musts”. I love intermixing small/tall bud vases with a single fresh flower stem in addition creating holiday sparkle with clear cylinder vases, filling with water and floating candles within.
Preparation Images | Tip #2: Short on space + furniture… Our large dining room table was being used to display the beautiful jewels which means *finding alternative places to display food + beverage. I rented a 3’ round along with white bengaline linens and used a bookshelf/credenza to house all of the munchies. In addition I rented a matching linen for the dining room table. {3′ round + linens came from Party Reflections}
Preparation Images | Tip #3: Name cards for food. Something so simple + elegant. Just like my pervious party I hired Three Little Birds to customize food cards for our party. As always, they amaze me. A little cost goes a long way…
You all know I can’t cook, I CAN display + make food look beautiful but cooking is definitely not my strong suit. For the past 2 holiday affairs that we’ve hosted, both times I’ve hired menu thinking, food consulting, delectable dishes + disserts girl, Mellissa Panara. She created the menu of hors d’oeuvres + delights which complement each other and perfect bit size portions for any prim + proper lady. She has a way with food like a poet with his words. Working on a smaller budget – she created the menu, I shopped, she created 1 dish + 1 dessert prior to the event and the day of she showed up at our condo where she assembled all of the other dishes. Oh another BIG HELP, she popped food in and out of the oven as needed and refilled the platters and needed. Honestly, she’s amazing and I recommend her to any gal who loves to host. Her website isn’t up and running yet but you can reach her via email: mbpanara@hotmail.com .
Those would be her famous whoopie pies… and I think a WHOOPIE PIE station at a wedding would be so adorable! All my bride followers, take note!
More pic’s!
The ladies of the night! Lots of love to all of my girlfriends for coming out!
Here’s my Stella & Dot wish list!
I leave you with this last image… Stella & Dot stylist, Shannon Vass! Thank you Shannon – you filled my condo with so many sparkles from the rings to the neck candy it’s all beautiful and your expertise + stylish advice was so very helpful! Followers + Friends if your interested in hosting a show make sure to contact Shannon!! She’s wonderful!
She’s a doll isn’t she!?
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