Entertaining Décor: St Patrick's Day

I had a few weeks to plan for this gathering but I could not narrow down what to do. I started planning on the weekend because I didn't have time during the week due to other priorities, so my solution was to focus on having various crafts and pub fare for the party. Good mates will always support and come through, and this occasion was a testament to that. I persuaded some friends to have an early St Paddy's Day with us and I put together this lovely pub-style tablescape to share with you.

First, here are two inspirational tips for intimate gatherings: intimate gatherings for us typically mean having a guest count of under 8 persons. This one was for a party of 6. 

Above: DIYs: four-leaf clover boxes, decorative fish and chips boxes and pot of gold rainbow goody bags. I also used a candle holder and turned it upside down to use as a cake stand because my cake stand was too low. I wanted the cupcakes that I made to have height. View the shamrock DIY here.1. Getting Guests Involved:


Let's start with something crafty! For the ladies and gents, I wanted to have a little token that everyone could take away—something meaningful to me was different Irish charms. To make it engaging, I decided to have a separate table for DIY jewellery making. This table had everything from tie bars to pendants. I made one of each and did live instructions for those that wanted them. 

Why: Because when guests are hands-on it sparks conversation and your new guests won't feel out of place. Instead, this creates an engaging way for everyone to express themselves as well as get to know each other better. In my experience, people will always talk and share stories when there are interesting crafts involved paired with gourmet horsd’œuvres.

With a designated DIY area, friends and guests were able to create their own pieces as well. To make your DIY workshop table just be sure to have 3 containers filled with all of the proper tools necessary to complete the crafts. I had two sets per tool to make it easy, and a few extra tools, such as needle-nose pliers, chain gauges, and jump rings for assembling the jewellery.

Since this year I will be celebrating with my father and family friends, I decided that I will have to pack a few of these party décor accents for next weekend.

2. Don't Be Afraid of Modern Mixing:

Sometimes it’s difficult for me to style a rustic setting, especially coming from a background where everything involving tableware was generally formal growing up. Fortunately, I found my way to blend an inviting pub-style tablescape with a little elegance. Although those two words [pub and elegance] are never usually paired together; I managed to soldier on. 

  

To bring a laidback vibe to the fun-themed décor details, I used brown paper bags and ripped them in half. They served as placemats under the plates.

• Balloons! There's a misconception about balloons—some people think that you have to grow out of them. Balloons are amazing simple accessorising details for any age and can have a grand impact on the whole æsthetic. To be honest, I don't use them enough when throwing parties and events. 
• New dessert territory: Sometimes making a dessert can be as easy as a trifle! I made Guinness cupcakes with beetroot and they were surprisingly easy to bake, and the results were delicious (recipe to come later). I also made a sugar-free vanilla buttercream as well, which actually went very fast amongst sugar-toothed foodie friends. 

I hope that you were inspired by these tips, crafts, and fun table details. Visit back next week for a special lifestyle series. 

Décor accents: Make these simple flags by recycling the labels from a bottle of Guinness. Cut the labels and stick them on toothpicks.

What do you think of this St Patrick's tablescape?

The goods: Some items featured in this photo shoot-Provided by Oriental Trading. Shop St. Patrick's Day products. All opinions are honestly expressed in this post and are my own.