In this post I’ll be sharing a springtime garden picnic themed party planning outline, with complete event details and useful tips to help inspire your next gathering.
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Welcome to Party Planning: a series where I virtually plan themed events and bundle them up into a perfectly packaged blog post to inspire your next gathering!
It’s no secret to those who know me that I love to host. So much so that I’m fully convinced putting together a themed party is my love language. Whether it’s hosting a bestie’s milestone birthday or celebrating a holiday with a large group of friends, I’m always down to dive deep into the planning process, go as above-and-beyond as possible, and tap into my “extra” gene to pull together a fun and memorable event for everyone to enjoy.
However, as much as I live for hosting, there’s just no way to realistically fit all of these perfectly-put-together themed parties into real life schedules and budgets. So, as a self-proclaimed “Pinterest Girly” who has spent years curating my Party + Events board (with over 900+ pins and counting!) I figured I would start virtually planning events right here on the blog: from the initial moodboard and color palette to the party favors and dress code ideas. I’ll even be including Spotify music playlists and invitation templates… because a great themed party is really all about the details.
So, if you’re looking to host an event this upcoming season but aren’t so keen on the planning process, this series will set you up with a complete rundown of themed gatherings you can use as inspo (or straight up copy) for your next event!
Party Theme Idea – Springtime Garden Picnic
Nothing says “spring has sprung” like a picnic. With the rise in popularity of bespoke picnic rental companies that you can hire to set up perfectly curated tables, with Pinterest-worthy place settings and floral arrangements (just search #aestheticpicnic on Instagram and you’ll see what I mean), I’ve been inspired to head outdoors and use this general picnic-style set up as the centerpiece for a casual and whimsical event.
Today’s hypothetical Party Planning theme is: Springtime Garden Picnic.
Although most themes in this series can be applied to any type of event or occasion, I think the Springtime Garden Picnic theme would be ideal for birthdays, baby showers, galentine’s day, bridal showers, or any time the ~girlies~ want to gather for a cute and aesthetic afternoon in the sun.
Let’s dive into my complete party planning process.
Mood + Color Palette
It’s no surprise that the first thing I do when party planning (after deciding on the theme) is create a moodboard in my digital planner. While browsing Pinterest, I pull images that help reflect the aesthetic of the theme, including things like textures, decor details, outfits, lighting, words and phrases, and anything else that stands out to establish the general mood of the event.
(Planner: The Everyday Essentials Digital Planner x TWG Designs | App: Goodnotes5)
The overall vibe of this party is airy and whimsical with a fun and casual feel. Nothing stuffy or too formal. Imagine your guests arriving and feeling comfortable with taking off their shoes and plopping down on a cozy rug to tell stories about their latest happenings.
An established color palette will also help steer you in the right direction when it comes to purchasing decorations and designing invitations so that everything looks cohesive from the very start. Color can also really affect the mood of a party. And while creating a color palette may seem unnecessary and is often overlooked, I think it’s one of the most important steps of party planning that spans across all layers of visual elements and helps pull things together in a subtle yet effective way.
I decided on a larger and more “loosely based” color palette than usual for this particular party theme, inspired by bright hues of mixed wildflowers and other shades found in natural elements like wood, rattan, and grass.
Invitations
Invitations offer your guests the first peek into a party’s theme, colors, and overall vibe. This is why I prefer to create the party mood board and color palette beforehand. Regardless of the theme, party invitations should always include the event’s main occasion, date, time, location, and any other important details (like a specific dress code, parking instructions, etc.)
I’m personally a fan of creating a simple digital invitation on Canva. They have tons of templates for all types of themes and aesthetics that you can quickly customize with your own color palette. Or, design one from scratch using your own photos and elements if you’re feeling extra inspired. I always opt for the canvas size 1080×1920 px so that it fits most standard phone screen sizes. Once the invitation is designed, I send it out to my guest list via text, group chat, or email. Easy, peasy.
However, if you want a bit more structure to your party planning process, you can use platforms like Evite, which will send out digital invitation groups with the option to add gift registry links, send messages and updates to your guest list, and keep track of RSVP’s.
To up the formality of the event, you can choose to send out printed invitations using Zazzle, Vistaprint, Staples, etc., and even use the “upload your own design” feature for a fully custom invitation if their pre-designed templates are just not cutting it for your specific theme. Just be mindful of the sizing options so that you design the invitation on the correct canvas size, to begin with.
Here’s a sample invitation I designed for a springtime garden picnic themed party:
To use this exact invitation for your own party, click here to access and edit my free Canva template!
Now that the overall vibe of the party is sorted and invitations have been sent out, let’s move on to planning the decorative and practical layers that will weave together to create a cohesive theme for your guests to enjoy.
Decorations
To achieve that “effortlessly collected” aesthetic for this party, start by setting up a long table using stacked palettes or placing large pieces of plywood over cinderblocks. Design a unique table runner with assorted thrifted vases, jars, bottles, and candlesticks. Varying the heights to create visual flow across the table.
This is also the perfect aesthetic to play with mixing and matching patterns and textures on your tablescape. The key to mixing patterns is to keep one thing solid. For example: mix different patterned table linens, napkins, and placemats but then keep all the plates uniform and one solid color. OR mix different patterned plates and cups, but then keep the table linens uniform. This balance between busy patterns and solid colors creates a nice resting spot for the eyes while still achieving an interesting and layered look.
Complete the garden themed tablescape with organically shaped floral arrangements and colorful tapered candles. The more variations of flowers and greenery you include, the more whimsical it will look.
Keep it extra relaxed by layering outdoor rugs and/or blankets, and floor cushions around the table for your guests to lounge on.
If you’re up for a DIY project, make an eye-catching garland of dripping flowers, honeycomb paper globes, and assorted strands of beads or ribbons. Hang this over your picnic table using macrame cording tied to nearby trees or posts, or use pvc pipes attached to the sides of the table with clamps.
Lastly, if your event will trickle into sunset hours or nighttime, be sure to have string lights set up around the party area for that magical glowy ambiance.
SHOPPING // boho table runner / glass vases / colorful votive holders / colorful candlestick holders / tapered candles / printed napkins / ornate plates / floor cushions / faux wildflower stems / faux poppy stems / honeycomb paper globes / macrame cord / bistro string lights
Food
The type of food served at an event can vary greatly depending on the time of day and type of occasion. There are events that call for a full sit-down dinner, while others are more suited for small appetizers and a few snacks. Either way, plan your food prep based on your guest list and avoid taking several trips to the grocery store by making detailed lists ahead of time outlining exactly what will need to be purchased pre-made, catered, or made from scratch at home.
Due to the more relaxed low-to-the-ground seating arrangement of the garden picnic party theme, I would opt to serve assorted handheld food like sandwiches pre-cut and wrapped in decorative paper and twine, individual charcuterie cups, colorful veggie spring rolls, and mini cupcakes decorated with edible flowers. It’s also courteous to be mindful of any dietary restrictions you know some of your guests have. I always aim to have at least 1 or 2 vegetarian or vegan options to offer just in case.
This would also be a great theme to incorporate a potluck style setup where each guest brings a small snack or board. If you note this on the invitation and have them tie their food selections into the garden theme, hopefully, your guests will be inspired and you’ll end up with some really fun and creative treats for everyone to enjoy.
SHOPPING // butcher paper / twine / charcuterie cups / edible flowers / long charcuterie board / cake stand
Signature Drink
Nothing elevates a party like a signature drink. For this outdoor springtime garden theme, I’d serve something that is both refreshing and beautiful… like a Honey Lavender Lemonade. Just combine fresh lemonade with honey infused simple syrup – mix 2 parts honey with 1 part water in a saucepan and stir on low heat until honey fully dissolves.
- Make it a cocktail: add Empress 1908 gin, or any blue tinted color changing gin of choice.
- Make it a mocktail: add muddled raspberries to achieve a similar lavender hue.
For an extra special touch, serve over ice cubes with edible flowers and garnish with dehydrated citrus slices, or lemon wedges and a sugar rim.
SHOPPING // embossed glassware / edible flowers / iridescent straws
Activities + Favors
While not always necessary, sometimes it’s nice to plan a small activity or game to play during a party, either to serve as an icebreaker for guests who may not know each other very well, or just a fun chance to get creative and try something new. My tip is to keep it simple and sweet. Unless you’re hosting a murder mystery night, I don’t think the activity should take up the majority of the time, or your guest’s full mental efforts. This aspect of the party should be voluntary and, overall, just-for-fun.
In line with the garden theme, you could set up a DIY pottery painting station with mini terracotta pots, acrylic paints, brushes, and paint markers. Include a small pouch of flower seeds inside each pot, and your guests will take home a cute and personalized favor. If you’re hosting in a particularly hot climate, folding fans placed on table settings can also double as name cards and pretty party favors, simply handwrite your guest’s names on the sides of the fans with a gold paint pen or marker. Functional and cute!
SHOPPING // mini terracotta pots / acrylic paint set / paint markers / flower seed packets / folding fans / metallic pen
Dress Code
I don’t always include a dress code on my invitations for more informal events like these, but adding outfit ideas and styling inspo to my party themed Pinterest board can be helpful in case I get the “what should I wear to the party?” text.
If you’re certain about a dress code and have a specific group photo idea in mind, or just really want the overall vibe of the party to be on point, you can kindly suggest that your guests dress up on theme, either noted somewhere on the invitation or just by word of mouth. Expect that some will be more willing to dress on theme than others, and at the end of the day, it’s not that serious. The main purpose of hosting a party is to create a fun time for you and your guests to enjoy, regardless of what anyone is wearing.
SHOPPING // 1. Floppy Hat / 2. Flower Earrings / 3. Bodycon Ruffle Dress / 4. Ruffle Swing Mini Dress / 5. Asymmetrical Midi Dress / 6. Rattan Sandals / 7. Drawstring Net Pouch / 8. Oversized Sunnies / 9. Tiered Ruffle Dress
Music
Last but definitely not least… the tunes! It’s obvious that music selection can totally make or break a party. I know this is more of a personal taste thing, and nine times out of ten, you’ll end up playing whatever music you and your guests enjoy the most. But, when it comes to hosting a themed party, I think popping on a music playlist that compliments the theme can help set the tone, especially as guests are arriving and settling in.
I typically like to aim for a good 30-45 minutes of “on-theme” music to begin with, and then see where the energy of the party flows after that. (I did this for my disco themed new year’s eve party and was shocked at how long the disco music playlist kept going throughout the night!)
Click here to check out my Springtime Garden Picnic playlist on Spotify
Thanks for stopping by for this edition of Party Planning. (I’m already looking forward to the next theme, hint: yee-haw!)
Hopefully, this simple party planning outline helped inspired you to host your own themed party this upcoming season, or even recreate the one from this post… I know I’ll be looking for any excuse to gather the girls for a garden party asap!
If planning is your jam, check out The Perfect Gatherings Digital Party Planner and keep all of your party plans, tasks, to-do lists, and moreโฆ organized in one easy-to-access digital file!
This post was all about a springtime garden party theme. If you like this content, check out these posts below!
– Last Disco New Year’s Eve Party
โ Sips & Dips | Holiday Themed Party
โ Charcuterie Board 101: My Tips, Tricks, and Shopping List
Xx Laura
PIN THIS FOR LATER!
