Garden Party Ideas for a Magical Party 

An enchanting garden party makes for a magical celebration during the day or at night. Take advantage of all of nature’s gifts by enhancing them with shimmering accessories. These ideas from us at Pottery Barn will help you charm yours guests of all ages.

Delight with White

Are you ready to get started? A truly magical outdoor party during the day or night always looks beautiful with all white with accents of silver and mesmerizing crystal. Start your color theme with melamine dinnerware in celestial white. If white isn’t your style and you want to infuse the party with pastels or vibrant colors inspired by your garden, consider dinnerware in translucent colors. It’ll create a luminous look that ties in with your florals or your outdoor entertaining space. Once you have your color theme, design your backdrops from there.

Ethereal Backdrop Ideas

Garden party decorations are easy to create when you use hanging backdrops. No garden party is complete without strings of glittering white lights and candles that make the indoors and outdoors magical. 

To build your backdrops, wrap or hang white lights around tree branches, deck and fence posts and overhangs. Arrange pre-lit branches in large vases. Safely hang lanterns or jars with glowing flameless candles from trees. Use gossamer fabrics, like white tulle or organza, to create shimmering effects on tables and other surfaces. You can even hang curtains of tulle or outdoor sheers to create an entryway into your party. If you’re hosting outside, add white lights under a table umbrella for a starry night effect.

Ambrosia for the Buffet

From simple trays of fingers sandwiches to sumptuous displays of gourmet appetizers, you’ll need a place to put it all. Gather outdoor tables and bars to create a serve-yourself buffet. For the ultimate outdoor buffet, try a console table with a built-in basin. It holds ice directly in the table to keep drinks, seafood or other delicacies chilled and ready for guests to grab. Provide bar-height tables for easy grazing. For daytime parties for kids, consider setting up a cupcake bar along with drink dispensers filled with lemonade or flavored waters.

Exotic Elixirs

Keep the drinks effortlessly flowing with drink stations. Place drink dispensers in various spots around your garden party. Accent the drink stations with twinkling fairy lights so guests know where to flock for hydration. Fill a dispenser or two with waters flavored with fruit or vegetable combinations, such as strawberry and watermelon or cucumber and mint. 

For more exotic tastes, enthrall garden party guests with flower-infused cocktails. Place a few stemless flowers (try lilacs or geraniums for a unique lemony taste) or herbs in a tall glass. Add a splash of water and sugar. Press down on the flowers with a muddler until you smell their fragrance, and then add them to individual drinks. Or, make a simple syrup with flowers by mixing equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan. Melt the sugar and turn off the heat. Add flowers, cool the mixture and strain the liquid. Add syrup to sweeten drinks.

Elegant Extras

Keep your guests engaged by providing little extras that make your garden party unforgettable. Small but important items like napkins can further enhance your decorations. If you’re opting for fabric, consider eyelet-trimmed napkins for a delicate touch. For larger parties, opt for luxurious and sturdy utensils that look like real cutlery. Or, go with bamboo versions to continue the natural theme.

Beauty (and magic) are in the details. Remember even the most delicate addition will make your garden party shine. Freshen up your outdoor furnishings with indoor/outdoor pillows for added comfort. Sprinkle various sizes of clear glass crystals throughout your table centerpiece or buffet table surface to add radiance. Hang or string crystals from trees along with your lights. Use larger, heavier crystals to hold down napkins. Glue smaller crystals onto vases, containers, jars, tree trunks or anywhere else around your garden that needs a boost of special magic.