HOW TO DESIGN THE PERFECT GIRL’S PICNIC

I know there are already pumpkins in stores, but in Florida, the summer is still in full swing. Though I love to embrace the warm colors and cozy ambiance of Fall decor, I’m not yet ready to loosen my grip on summer’s wonder and so I’ve designed the prettiest girl’s picnic. This table setting is forward in pink feminine expression, but look closely and you’ll see the variety of unique elements I’ve played with to craft this floral and tropical design.

Dinnerware: I chose a formal setting, beginning with an intricate, woven charger mat followed by a dinner plate, salad plate, cloth napkin, and adorable floral napkin ring, all in varying shades of pink. I accompanied this setting with pink water glasses and utensils, and I embellished the salad plates with personalized pineapple name tags for each of my guests. As you can see, so far the tropical theme has only made an appearance in these tags, but take a look at my centerpiece and you’ll see how I’ve married the tropics to the table’s light pink backdrop.

Centerpiece: This is one of the more complex centerpieces I’ve created as there are a number of elements to prep. To create a cohesive flow, I placed dark green, artificial palm fronds that span the length of the centerpiece.The dark green creates repose from the overarching color scheme and makes the brightly colored florals pop in contrast. Next, let’s talk about the pineapples. These were so fun to create and so easy! I simply took three pineapples of similar size and spray painted their leaves gold. Two I painted a bright pink and the middle one reflects the light pink color of the table setting. On either side of my pineapple trio, I placed adorable flamingo statues as well as clear vases of pink flowers.

I finished the table with plush pillows instead of standard chairs to give this party a more casual feel. And just like that, my backyard was ready to celebrate the last few moments of summer with a pretty pink and tropical picnic.