• Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn

Dreamery Events

Weddings, Events, Planning, Styling & Speciality Desserts | Life is too Wonderful not to Celebrate each day!

  • About
  • Gallery
  • Services
    • Event Services
    • Speciality Dessert Menu
  • Blog
    • Inspiring BIPOC
      • Environmentalists || Sustainability || Planters/Gardeners
      • Writers || Poets || Speakers || Publications+Books || NonProfits
      • Lifestyle || Wellness || Travel
      • Interior Designers || Home Decor+Design
      • Artists || Photographers || Creators
      • Wedding/Event Professionals || Floral Designers 
      • Food || Nutritionists
      • Fashion
      • Beauty
      • Entertainment || Music || Movies+TV
    • Holidays
    • Weddings
      • Weddings
      • Wedding Planning Essentials
    • How To
      • Decor
      • Entertaining
      • How To
      • Flowers
        • Gardening
      • Special Occasions
        • Events
    • Travel
      • Portugal
      • Ireland
      • Mexico + the Caribbean
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Pies & Tarts
    • Ice Cream
    • Cakes & Cupcakes
    • Cookies & Other Sweet Treats
    • Drinks
    • Savory
  • Shop
  • Contact

Mood Board : An Effortless Al Fresco European Cafe | End of Summer Party

August 8, 2018 · Leave a Comment

“Há uma música do povo. Nem sei dizer se é um fado. Que ouvindo há um ritmo novo, no ser que tenho guardado…É uma simples melodia. Das que se aprendem a viver.” Há Uma Música Do Povo  – Mariza 

….“There’s a song from the people. I’m not too sure if it’s a Fado. Once listened, there’s a new rhythm, one I don’t know if I’ve kept. It is a simple melody. Of those who learn to Live…” 

Each event I do is special, but some are just a bit more special than others. And this one I’ve been working on lately, is inspired by al fresco European cafés during picturesque summer evenings, melodious and soulful Fado & the feeling of “saudade.” 

This end of summer party moodboard, which also happens to be a surprise celebration for someone special in my life, was inspired by our last day in Lisboa and Portugal. We had booked a dinner and music night at a Fado house, Mesa de Frades, something I’ve wanted to do for so long. Walking through the tiny streets, easily considered alleyways, still decked wth multicolor party banners from the Santo Antonio celebrations, we were immersed in the rich history and culture these Alfama streets brought to life, even as some cafés still displayed their makeshift wood bars on their front steps, occupying half of the tiny street that no car would dare drive along. Losing ourselves we thought back to the days where these diverse and musically rich streets first began and thrived many many years ago. Oh, to have been part of the Fado birth and revolution! The older I become the more I appreciate and fall in love with fado music, and once you get lost in the rhythms you’ll understand why it’s become such an inspiration. 

My mind has seriously been wanderlusting for everything European lately, but more so the laid-back “joie de vivre” lifestyle. It’s the feeling I crave and has ultimately become the inspiration for this late summer bash, you can easily put together for Labor Day or as along as this summer weather and sun lasts!

Think effortless yet gorgeous sights of European al fresco cafes with plenty of wine glasses, potted plants like Manjerico “Basil” famously known as THE plant to celebrate the country’s holy Saint holidays and celebrations of June. Naturally the vision for this party is effortless vintage rustic European cafe chic. Could I be anymore descriptive of what this party’s theme is. The reality is I don’t want any theme, I want to incorporate our culture and the picturesque Portuguese summer entertaining style that is simply natural and always memorable.  

The biggest goal for this summer party, is to make it eco-friendly! It definitely helps that I’m an event stylist and planner and have picked up several items along the way that I can reuse. DON’T WORRY once I share this party in a few weeks, I’ll also share my tips for you to follow if you’d like to throw an eco-friendly party too, including stocking up on white plates and flat ware that you can bring out for any style affair. 

The menu : wine, wine wine and maybe some vinho verde! Of course there’ll be plenty of simply grilled meets, chilled seasonal summer vegetable salads, fresh seafood, bacalhau à lagareiro, let’s not forget the rice and beans and good ole’ crusty Broa. That’s all you really need to serve a delicious Portuguese summer get-together! And for dessert, there’ll be plenty of seasonal fruits from melons to peaches, grapes and hopefully figs – easy to snatch cookies, zucchini chocolate chip cakes and freshly baked fruit pies. To finish off the night as the twinkling lights glisten beneath the stars and sparklers send off sparks of celebration – my famed passion fruit cake, ice cream and espresso! 
 

To encapsulate the entire mood of this celebration, a perfectly curated playlist {which you can listen to here} of Fado, Bossanova and Jazz, blending the beautiful melodies of old and new, along with a few glasses of Port Wine and Cheirinhos. It’ll be a long summer night sharing laughs and memories, celebrating the “immense saudade” we all feel this time of year as summer begins to fade and the sad reality of autumn, slowly sets in. This is one celebration I can’t wait to style and revel in!! 

Hope it inspires your late summer entertaining or Labor Day plans!! 


Image Sources : outdoor cafe | bottle centerpiece tablescape | dinner party scene | green & white al fresco party | Fado house | calligraphy print | potted basil plant | patio lights & bistro chairs | flower fog stem | white & wood tablescape | plate display | serving ware styling | drink station | backyard canopy tent | pies | alleyway dinner party | 

You Might Also Enjoy

  • An Effortless Al Fresco “Fado” Garden Party || A Farewell to SummerAn Effortless Al Fresco “Fado” Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer
  • Wedding Planning Essentials : Preparing for Unexpected Wedding CostsWedding Planning Essentials : Preparing for Unexpected Wedding Costs
  • Wedding Planning Essentials :: How to Have an Intimate & Intentionally Meaningful WeddingWedding Planning Essentials :: How to Have an Intimate & Intentionally Meaningful Wedding

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • LinkedIn

Related

   

Filed In: Decor, Entertaining, Events, How To, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Photography, Special Occasions, Weddings / Tagged: Al Fresco Cafe Party Inspiration, Al Fresco Entertainin, Al Fresco Entertaining, Al Fresco Party, Al Fresco Party Ideas, Dreamery Events, Effortless Summer Party Ideas, Effortless Summer Party Inspiration, European Cafe Party, European Cafe Summer Party, European Summer, event planning, events, Fado Theme Party, Labor Day Inspiration, Labor Day Party, Moodboards, Portuguese Summer Party, special occasions, summer, summer entertaining, Summer Party, Summer Party Ideas, summer party inspiration, summer wedding, summer wedding ideas, Vision Boards, wedding inspiration

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

Dreamery Headshot_2020

A Lover of Nature & Kindness, constantly smitten by the simple pleasures of life. Travel fills my soul with bliss & inspiration. Flowers are my weakness, a slice of homemade pie makes my heart sing. I love the outdoors & live for al fresco dinner parties, cozy candlelit romantic affairs with warm fires & blankets to share.

I dream about these things, it’s true. Yes, it’s all the small details in life that drive me & everything I do because we all deserve to celebrate every special moment in our lives…

Loading

Archives

Categories

Join the List

Join our mailing list to receive updates from our blog.

minted Wedding Planner Program - Member since 2015

As Seen on The Knot

SaveSave

SaveSave

RSS feed

RSS Dreamery Events

  • Romancing the Start of Spring :: 3 Styling Inspirations for an Ever-Blooming New Season
  • Monthly Reflections…a slow moving January
  • An Enchanted Forest 1st Birthday with Delicate Modern Details
  • Traveling to … Palácio dos Condes de Anadia :: Mangualde, Portugal
  • A Bridal Shower Inspired by a Boho Greek Desert Garden

Browse

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Join the List

Join our mailing list to receive updates and more from our website.

Instagram

I’ve never been one to connect with the color pu I’ve never been one to connect with the color purple much, & yes I believe everyone connects to colors in certain ways. And yet, Clematis are some of my favorite flowers🌿

For a brief few Spring days each year, the garden is a vision of purples....deep rich violets that almost look black, their sheen like velvet, delicate lavenders & pretty mauves that flutter in the breeze. Nature is a true delight for the soul🤍

They’re calling for a too hot, too soon kind of weekend, but we’ll be surrounded w. love celebrating a special wedding at a lovely location! Hope this weekend brings you moments of rest & joy, that allow you to look at all that is blooming🌱…
tiny joyous things🌿 ... I try not to lose sight tiny joyous things🌿 ... I try not to lose sight of the fact I get to create & "work" w. beautiful flowers; one of the things I love so much & one of the joyful parts of creating & sharing my work w. others. But this whole social media thing is weird right, the world is weird & broken right now -- as creatives seems like are new age question is "do I post this pretty picture when this is really happening right now?! but it's also kind of my job to put my work out there for others to see, right?!" ... but I’m learning, funny enough, by some inspiring women on this platform, it's ok to feel all these things while also sharing the joyous, cool & helpful things we are all working on, creating & hoping to bring into this world. Life is filled w. beautiful & sad moments, happiness, joy, grief, fear, doubt, love. All the tiny things🤍

& if anyone watched last night's This is Us, how beautiful was their telling of one's final moments, looking back at life. Ugh my heart😢
There’s one word to describe the first full even There’s one word to describe the first full event of the season…ethereal🤍

Event season is in full swing & it’s nice to finally step aside from planning to bring all the ideas, time & details to life!
“We are like {blossoms}; holding on, letting go, “We are like {blossoms}; holding on, letting go, rising & falling into our weathered souls…” - Angie Weiland-Crosby🌼

May is the start of a busy few months of events, so I’m going to make sure I prioritize Rest whenever I can. But also plenty of garden days, living & cherishing simple moments — because when the busy days will feel like a blur or the state of the world (big/small) only adds to the mental drain, I know these will be the things that keep me going🤍

About Us

A Lover of Nature & Kindness, constantly smitten by the simple pleasures of life. Flowers are my weakness, a slice of homemade pie makes my heart sing. I love the outdoors & live for al fresco dinner parties, cozy candlelit romantic affairs with warm fires & blankets to share.

I dream about these things, it’s true. Yes, it's all the small details in life that drive me & evertyhing I do.....

Theme by 17th Avenue · Powered by WordPress & Genesis

Posting....
 

Loading Comments...