Farewells are bittersweet — but we sure love a stylish send off! Our friend Lauren Cunningham at The Creative Parasol threw a summer dinner party as she, her husband Joe and baby Miles pack their bags for Shanghai to pursue an exciting new job opportunity. Here, Lauren shares some photos from the night, including some of the most delicious paper goods she designed for the supper. Whether you’re packing your bags for your own adventure or simply celebrating summer, we think you’ll find some inspiration for your own backyard summer party in these gorgeous photos from the evening, taken by Kate LeSueur.
Since we bought our home 3 years ago, I’ve always wanted to have a dinner party out in the middle of our wild yard, under its huge canopy of sprawling trees.
I loved using goblets, glasses, plates and vases that we’ve collected over the years—many gifts from friends and loved ones—because it gave the evening such a personal touch and reminded me of what a wonderful group of friends we have in Austin.
We created a menu of easy summer favorites that could be shared family style: panzanella with shrimp, grilled bread, olives, burrata, peppers and herbed potatoes filled the table.
I had so much fun designing the invitation, menu, place cards and place mats from a beautiful piece of vintage floral fabric.
We wanted a simple and subtly feminine style for this girls-only supper!
Bricolage Curated Floral did the gorgeous flowers…
… I loved the loose blossoms all over the table and the wild, romantic feel of the arrangements.
Our massive 11-foot dining table is perfect for hosting a large group, and since it’s too big to haul to China, it was fitting we sat around it for one “last supper.”
Although I’m sad to leave behind such a great group of friends, we had a ball at our backyard supper, swapping stories, sharing wine and toasting to the new adventures that lay ahead for us all.
