Graduation Garden Party

After the last AP multiple choice question is bubbled in and the tune of Pomp and Circumstance fades, there’s a new beast to take on: graduation parties. Armed with a Pinterest inspiration board stocked with DIY’s and recipes, my mom and I whipped the garden party-inspired event together. Read on to be taken through a virtual tour of some of the scenes and details of my soiree.

I went for a whimsical, botanical atmosphere with a pink and orange color scheme, accented with blue willow patterns. As a nod to my future place of higher education, I hid some tiger motifs throughout (if you consider sticking a giant stuffed tiger on the roof as hiding).

The balloon arch was the pièce de résistance to my party and served as both an eye-catcher and a photo backdrop. Starting out at midnight the night before, my night owl mom and I followed Pinterest tutorials (here and here) to recreate something that would put Kylie Jenner’s Mother’s Day balloon display to shame. If you’re looking to make one yourself, some essential tools you’ll need are the EZ tie tool and a balloon decorating strip.

We strung faux flower vines and tissue paper lanterns from Target and the craft store throughout the party area. In case all the paparazzi couldn’t fit around the balloon arch, we set up an additional photo opp area near the beverage station.

This drink combo — guava juice, strawberry lemonade, and orange juice —  felt like I was serving up a grad party take on the Starbucks Strawberry Acai refresher. We adorned the cups with my initials by designing a seal on InDesign and ordering a custom stamp of it online. While paper straws are not functionally ideal, I used them to add to the summery brunch aesthetic (#sorrynotsorry).

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Using pillows and trinkets from my bedroom, I set up a lounge area for guests to relax, enjoy conversation, or have a bite to eat.

Speaking of food, I wanted to have a wide selection of both sweet and savory breakfast fare. The epicurean centerpiece was The Waffler, which dishes out the best liege waffles west of the Mississippi (or probably anywhere). We catered them in our living room, where party-goers could choose between a plain or cinnamon sugar-coated waffle with topping options such as chocolate syrup, strawberries, and whipped cream. Eggo who?

My grandma and I (don’t be confused, she is the culinarily-inclined one) took on the creation of these “tiger tails,” which are pretzel rods dipped in colored chocolate. Once we got the drizzling technique down, they really took shape and, in my humble opinion, perfectly resembled their feline homage.

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Other snacks included scrumptious egg burritos, fruit salad, and an adorable cereal bar complete with chilled milk. Now THAT’S a breakfast you wouldn’t want to snooze through.

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Overall, the party was an absolute blast and the awesome company truly made the experience. The music (shoutout Ellie for curating the playlist), lively conversations, atmosphere, were all so full of energy and fun, making this a memory I’ll cherish forever.

I’m so grateful to have been surrounded by such great friends and family and to have been able to put on this delightful party. Especially to my mom, whose craftiness and improvisation was extremely vital in pulling this off.

SHOP ANNABELLE’S LOOK
Dress: Anthropologie // Earrings: J.Crew // Shoes: Target (similar, similar)