When you design a Galentine’s Day brunch around a Lilly Pulitzer print, you know it’s going to be pretty fab. One of my favorite people and fellow Lilly-lover, Caroline of Sweet Caroline Designs, collaborated with me on this event, which made it even more fun to put together. And since Caroline and I share a very similar aesthetic, it was easy to style a table and bar full of happy prints and fun details that are all about celebrating love.
We based our party decor on a new print that Lilly Pulitzer launched specifically with Valentine’s Day in mind, called “Indigo Love You Bunches.” Of course we both “dressed to the decor” and Caroline wore a maxi dress that looked precious with her new baby bump, while I chose their beaded halter top. We used the print as inspiration for the table linens, napkins and chair pads from La Tavola Linen, as well as the china, glass and flatware from Please Be Seated Rentals.
Caroline of course, created the most incredible custom suite of invitations, notecards, tags, cups, napkins and more that coordinate perfectly with Lilly’s print and the table décor, which you can now find here on her website. She’s made it easy to host the Galentine’s Day party that Lilly dreams are made of!
Per usual, it’s the details that really “make” this tablescape. We enlisted Lula Flora to create the cutest mini-pinatas that we filled with pink candy and used as place cards at each table setting. I found individual mini-champagne bottles from Paper Source that not only look super cute, but double as a party-favors for each guest. Of course, Caroline’s menu cards and favor tags were the piece de resistance to our tablescape.
For the flowers, since I wasn’t ordering from a florist (which I always recommend and usually do), I wanted to keep things easy, but still chic. Thankfully, this time of year, (aka close to Valentine’s Day), there’s no shortage of flowers available for purchase. I’m not a fan of carnations on their own, but when styled together in monochromatic bunches, I think they look super cute- not to mention they’re super budget friendly.
Now onto the bar… Caroline and I both have the rattan South Seas Bar Cart from Serena and Lilly, so naturally we wanted to use one to style the bar for our brunch. I enlisted my “secret source” for a new batch-cocktail recipe, which is super easy to make and extremely light and refreshing (recipe is included below). We named our custom beverage the “Strawberry Poodle Punch,” since it includes strawberry shrub as a mixer, and when you add in the champagne, the whole punch froths/bubbles up like a pink poodle. My new favorite sparkling brut is from One Hope Wine, which tastes as good as its glittery bottle looks. One Hope offers so many options for wine and champagne and money from each bottle sold is donated to various causes. It’s wine/champs with a purpose, and I’m a huge fan of this brand. I also love that you can order it online, and it will ship directly to you (or anyone you wish to send it too). You can shop all their beautiful and tasty selections here.
I found small heart jars from Michael’s that we used as drinking glasses on the bar. We added Valentine stir sticks from Acrylic Sticks that coordinate with the décor, and also double as a party favor. And if you don’t want to use real glassware, Caroline created plastic “XOXO” cups that can be used year-round, along with matching cocktail napkins.
As you already know, I avoid cooking and baking at ALL costs, so for dessert, we enlisted Summer’s Sweet Shop and Caroline’s Cakes. Summer provided iced cookies that matched our Lilly outfits and paper goods, and we ordered a Pink Champagne Cake (one of their new cake flavors) from Caroline’s Cakes that was delivered directly to my door. The cakes are DELICIOUS, serve a crowd, and are iced to perfection. I didn’t think it was possible to love one of their cakes more than their Caramel Cake, but this new Pink Champagne Cake is so tasty and light it was a challenge not to eat the whole thing myself! These cakes also make a wonderful gift to send to someone, since the company ships nationwide… Let them eat cake!
We hope you enjoy our Galentine’s table and bar set-up as much as we do, and I’ve listed our sources below along with our custom cocktail recipe for you to enjoy!
“Strawberry Poodle Punch” Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2.5 Cups Vodka
- 1 Cup Sweetened Lime Juice
- 2.5 Cups Shrub & Co. Strawberry Shrub (can find here on Amazon)
- 2.5 Bottles Champagne
Directions: Pour all ingredients over ice in a punch bowl or beverage dispenser, stir and enjoy! Serves: 10 Drinks
Vendor/Source List:
- Mary’s Outfit Details: Lilly Pulitzer Shawn Beaded Halter Top
- Caroline’s Outfit Details: Lilly Pulitzer Nichola Maxi Dress
- Valentine Earrings: Team RLN
- Paper Goods: Sweet Caroline Designs
- Mini Heart Pinatas: Lula Flora
- Linens, Napkins & Chair Cushions: La Tavola Linen
- China, Glassware, Silverware & Dining Chairs: Please Be Seated Rentals
- Similar Tablecloth: Amazon
- Similar Glassware: Pottery Barn
- Similar Plates: West Elm
- Napkin Rings: Amazon
- Gold Glitter Champagne: One Hope Wine
- Mini Champagne Bottles: Paper Source
- “XOXO” Banner: Paper Source
- Acrylic Stir Sticks : Acrylic Sticks
- Mini Heart Glass Bottles: Michaels
- Balloons: Paper Source
- Bar Cart: Serena & Lilly
- Pink Champagne Cake: Caroline’s Cakes
- Cookies: Summer’s Sweet Shop
- Acrylic Punch Bowl & Ladle: Party City
- Photography: Lele Fain Photography