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Dreamery Events

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

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An Effortless Al Fresco “Fado” Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer

September 6, 2018 · Leave a Comment

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

Each event I do is special, but some are just a bit more special than others and this one, inspired by al fresco cafes and Fado, celebrated 6o years of life for the person who builds and assists me in making almost all my creative event ideas into reality. And it was one of the loveliest ways to unofficially big adieu to summer!

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

This man, who throughout my life and even to this day, plays the local jazz radio in the car or is blasting Fado or Soul, so it’s suffice to say I got my curiosity and love for music from him. My father, who, with no choice, has come down this event world with me. During the holidays you’ll often find him alongside me, setting up the appetizer station, helping my mother finish up entrees or making sure bottles of wine are being chilled. Entertaining has always been a part of us, and our family. And naturally those who plan events for others, often aren’t the ones being celebrated, but this time, it was going to be different! Details were going to be kept low key, effortless, and hopefully a surprise for this fellow entertainer. 

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery EventsAn Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

The inspiration for this end of summer/surprise 60th birthday bash was more than just pretty rustic garden details, is was all about a feeling and the soulful music of Fado, one you can only experience in Portugal. I wanted to teleport this group of family and friends back to our native roots, to a land where part of our hearts still reside. And that feeling of “saudade” and togetherness, was exactly what this past Sunday was about. Along with delicious food and several pitchers of Sangria, there were bottles of refreshing Vinho Verde and homemade red wine, an endless assortment of seasonal pies, plenty of belly-bursting laughs and melodies of live Fado music, that carried well into the perfect night sky! 

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery EventsAn Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events
An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

Rustic wood chairs and picnic tables were simply adorned with mismatched vintage glass vases and compotes that were filled with varying fragrant herbs and blooms from the garden. Family heirloom linens and laces, photos and traditional Portugal trinkets our family has collected over the years completed the effortless al fresco cafe look.

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events
An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery EventsEssentially, I wanted the background music to bring the whole vision together, making everyone feel as if they had been transported to the historical streets of Alfama or Chiado, with nights of Fado immersing the “bairros” on warm summer night when locals and “imigrantes” from all over the world came together to revel, savor and “matar a saudade”!  An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events
An Effortless Al Fresco "Fado" Garden Party || A Farewell to Summer || Dreamery Events

The other important goal for this party was to make it as eco-friendly as possible. As an event planner, I know first hand just how much waste weddings and parties produce, and I was certainly not going to contribute to that with my own party. Linen napkins, silverware, simple white china, and these awesome reusable disposable wine glasses {which I most certainly kept} helped make this totally happened! 

As a tip, it’s best to have several recycle bins and stations, each appropriately marked for guests. Another great tip, create a washing station!! If you’re not lucky to have an outdoor sink, which I highly recommend if you do a lot of outdoor entertaining, then set up a few plastic storage bins filled with soapy water for guests to place in their dirty dishes. This will make clean up a breeze! Then add a few watering cans with some hand soap and linen clothes, for guests to rinse their hands outside instead of having to head indoors each time. 

Throwing an eco-friendly party isn’t the most inexpensive way to throw a bash, but if you have all the materials and commit to making it happen, then the investment is much more rewarding. Oh and the waste verdict…1 garbage bin and 1 recycle bin 🙂 

How stunning are these hydrangea?? A friend of my mother’s graciously gave me several enormous blooms that were the perfect statement pieces in modern vases that were displayed throughout.

Now, I simply couldn’t throw a Fado theme party without a surprise live performance. No one, including the birthday boy, knew a guitarist and singer would be arriving. We watched, immersed in the calm soulful melodies, then moved beneath the twinkling lights, cozying up on blankets and adding in our voices for several classic tunes!

It was a beautiful end of summer celebration filled with wonderful memories!


Styling, Planning, Flowers, Desserts, Photography : Dreamery Events | Table + Chair Rentals : Party Rental Ltd. | Catering : Valenca Restaurant | Live Fado Guitarist : Francisco Franco
 

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Filed In: Decor, Entertaining, Events, Holidays, How To, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Special Occasions / Tagged: Al Fresco Cafe Party Inspiration, Al Fresco Garden Party, decor, Dreamery Events, Entertaining, event inspiration, event styling, events, Fado Theme Party, garden party, Garden Party Inspiration, inspiration, Labor Day Party, lifestyle, outdoor entertaining, Rustic Party Decor, special occasions, summer, summer entertaining, summer entertaining inspiration

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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…

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I love Lisboa in June🌿especially those early da I love Lisboa in June🌿especially those early days w. remnants of the previous month still lingering…
the fragrant & gorgeous Jacaranda trees lighting up cobblestone alleys lined w. pastel colored buildings, becoming more vibrant as Summer’s heat begins to near….
Walking along the Rio Tejo feeling so close to the sea but not quite there & the streets not yet crowded w. vacationers basking in the city’s delight … walking around Lisboa is certainly a creative treat!! I’d love to be able to squeeze in a little summer travel; change of scenery is always such an inspiration, especially when life seems a bit crazy these days. 

Any fun summer travels planned? Hope everyone enjoys the first weekend of summer🌼
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the w “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air “ — Ralph Waldo Emerson … hello summer🌻
Two posts one day, who am I…but really this Mond Two posts one day, who am I…but really this Monday deserves an extra dose of colorful floral love🌼
how fleeting you have been sweet, darling June… how fleeting you have been
sweet, darling June…

it seems we’re all being kept too busy these days, I don’t want the simple treasures of this month to go by so quickly but it’s like I haven’t slowed down enough to catch my breath between events & to do’s — not since my birthday, these flowers & a cake I enjoyed making too much to photograph. They weren’t for my birthday, but for someone else’s, but it really was the joy of creating this arrangement however way the color yellow called to me, foraging for delicate peonies, garden roses & stems that would make these uniquely special🌿

Not the most picturesque photo of these beautiful florals (you can swipe for those), but I’m quite enamored w. this shot … perhaps it’s that gentle reminder to slow down & take note of the in-between…

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.....

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