by Brad Mee | photos by Jessica White
“Details can make or break an event,” says Amanda Schelin, owner of Branches, an event floral company. When staging this cheery springtime party scene for a small get-together, she began with a theme—a must-have for any successful event, the pro insists.
“I was inspired by the catchy lyrics of the song ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ by The Foundations,” she says.
She suspended a custom, wooden sign of the song’s title over a table set with sunny daffodils and carefully chosen tabletop pieces. The sign is just one of many elements Schelin devised to make the springtime party setting special and inviting. We asked her to share ideas and inspiration that spurred the creation of this and the scene’s other delightful details.
Entry Maker
“Make it special from the start,” advises Schelin, who floated balloons from Zurchers over containers of fresh flowers near the entry. “I chose large balloons so it didn’t look like a birthday party.” Hi-Float solution allows the helium-filled balloons to last and float longer.
Fresh Flowers
White vases filled with cut daffodils propped in glass pebbles brighten the center of the table. Schelin arranged the yellow and white blooms in separate containers. “This color-blocking approach looks more modern,” she explains.
Customized Cake
“There is no bad time for cake,” says Schelin, who enlisted Cake Dame to make a special cake to foster the springtime party’s special style. “Another easy option is buying a simple buttercream cake at the bakery and dressing it up with flowers and greenery.”
Special Sips
“A party can revolve around something as simple as pastries and a special drink,” Schelin insists. She gathered pretty bottles of ginger soda, sparkling glasses and sprigs of thyme to top a side table staged as a drink station where guest serve themselves.
Menu Cards
“Menu cards add a personalized touch to a setting and let your guests know what’s coming up next,” Schelin says. She printed these on sturdy card stock and painted each individually with water colors to create a subtle ombré effect.
Catchy Theme
The song title ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ inspired the party’s theme and was captured in a custom wood sign created by Impressions Shop for less that $50. Schelin suspended the sign above the table and dressed the string with fresh jasmine vine.
