First published July 26, 2018
I can't believe its been 4 weeks since our housewarming party. It took us about a year to complete the renovations and get the furniture and decor just so before we felt ready to host an open house party. We wanted to have our friends and neighbors come through the house and enjoy it with us.
I was a little (read a lot) anxious leading up to the event. I wanted it to feel casual but also really special for the people who had been waiting to see it. I don't have a ton of party planning experience and it does not come effortlessly to me. There was a bit of stress involved. We sent out an email invite (keeping it casual, ha) about 6 weeks before the so people wouldn't make other plans. The summer can be hectic for families and calendars do get booked up. The time designated was what I call happy hour/golden hour --- 5pm to 9pm-ish for people to be outside and see the sunset while cocktailing and noshing.
Once I had a rough idea of who was coming, and sent out a reminder two weeks before to get a final headcount, I was able to order food and book a bartender to take the load off of me right It wasn't a cumbersome expense to do either. It took the pressure off of us to serve during the party and it made the event feel a little swankier. The bartender we booked through posting a job on Thumbtack. I got 13 responses/quotes and picked the vendor with the most good reviews and fair pricing. Truth be told it was fun to set up a real deal bar with all the fixings. And pretty easy.
For food I got a bunch of catering quotes and then realized it was overkill. In the end, we ordered 4 large trays to go from Thyme Cafe & Market - charcuterie, cheeses, crudite, and Mediterranean. I think the last tray was too much, but that's not a bad thing. To make e it look more stylish, I divided the goods onto my own large wooden cutting boards and ceramic platters. Then added fresh baguette to the mix. So easy.
Then the good part, the anticipation for our guests to arrive. Notice the large wine glass I am carrying all night long. Once people started to arrive in waves it was a lot of fun to have them grab a drink, guide them through the official tour, and leave them outside to socialize. All our guests were eager for the full tour which made me feel proud of the work we put into the house.
To be honest I didn't really get to partake in the outdoor hang time. Every time I was about to head outside, a new group came through the front door and wanted a tour. But its what I was expecting and as long as my guests had the best time ever, I was satisfied.
It was over before we knew it, but we had such a blast with a great group of friends. Yay to our Bedford Home!