The concept for this party is to celebrate two traditional elements..that are today still trendsetting! I absolutely love to mix two "opposite of the spectrum" elements! Hydrangeas and Houndstooth....how fabulous!

I am going to use black and white houndstooth and purple hydrangeas, but you can change out any of the colors if you would prefer something else. (Brown and cream houndstooth and blue hydrangeas would be delightful as well.)

Invitiations: I would start the party theme off right here! I have created an invitation to use, you can see it by clicking here. You are more than welcome to use them for your own party! Please feel free to print them out! If this design doesn't work for your, I would suggest to visit a local scrap booking store! They always seem to have everything, and it is almost certain you could find a houndstooth design.

Location Design (click top left picture for image): As always, try to have your party in a different area than expected. For example, I am going to suggest that you use a long picnic table sitting at the end of a pool. If in the evening, line the pool with tea lights in inexpensive glass votive cups...how dramatic!

Even though our party theme is Hydrangeas and Houndstooth, we don't have to stay strictly with houndstooth, play with the colors black and white. For example, I would cover the picnic table with a black and white pen striped table cloth. You could also use a black and white plaid, toile, etc.

On the bench side seating, I would place houndstooth pillows. At both heads of the table I would place two black chairs from inside the house. You could also rent an inexpensive chair if needed and cover it with a coordinating cover.

Tabletop: In the middle of the table, I would place a large cast iron urn filled with wet moss available at any craftstore. In the middle of the urn, I would then take lots of tree branches that I would have spray painted white and have them shooting out the top. Around the base of the branches, I would encircle them with many hydrangea flower heads. For the final addition to the large centerpiece, I would then hang votives cups from the branches with fishing line and place small candles inside to cast out warm glow to my guests.

Also on the table top, I would run the middle of the table with clay pots I would have painted black and white (no order, just random). Inside of these painted pots I would place mounds of hydrangeas.

Place settings: I would use a houndstooth placemate for each setting, topped with a silver charger, and then with a white plate that has a black lip on it. The napkin could be anything as long as it worked with the color scheme. Although, I would take the napkin, fold it simply and neatly, place it in the middle of the plate, and then nestly another head of hydrangea next to it for an added sense of elegance. Place cards are always a little extra touch, click here to see my place cards.

Pull out your mother's old silver for cuttlery, and tie them together loosely with a black and white striped ribbon!

ENJOY!

Many thanks,
Jeremy