Diner en Blanc 25th Anniversary
Last night I attended the official preview party for the 25th anniversary of Diner en Blanc which was great. Mind you, I had never heard of "Diner en Blanc" until I stumbled across the event announcement on Eventbrite just a few days ago. So, to give you a little background on Diner en Blanc. It was originally launched by Francois Pasquier and his close friends 25 years ago. After spending a few years abroad, he returned to Paris in the summer of 1988 and held a get together with his friends. So many of his friends wished to attend the gathering that he decided to have the party at Bois de Boulogne. He asked that everyone bring a guest and wear white so they could be spotted amongst one another. The event was such a success that they decided to have the event the following year, inviting more friends, which began the concept of Diner en Blanc.
The preview party was held at Williams-Sonoma in Center City. DJ Bruce was busy spinning, creating a nice vibe for the event. Food samples were provided by: Garces Catering, DiBruno Brothers and McCrossen's Tavern. Industry experts included: Carrie Denny (Editor for Philadelphia Wedding Magazine),Emily Goulet (Lifestyle Editor for Philadelphia Magazine), and Brian Crawley (Visual Director for Lord & Taylor) to name a few. I mean if you are into summer entertaining, planning events, hosting dinner parties, etc, this was the event to attend.
There was also a table decorating contest celebrating Paris and the 25th Anniversary of Diner en Blanc. My picks for the night were tables 5 & 9. I'm not sure which table was selected for the "People's Choice" of the night award, because I had to rush to the car before my meter ran out. Definitely did not need a ticket! But anyway, I chose tables number 5 and 9 because both were simple and sweet, and gave that feeling of summer; both elegant but casual in a sense. I could see myself having similar place settings and inviting friends over for a nice, intimate, outdoor dinner party or a cocktail party with just the girls.
There are so many ways to decorate a table for a special event whether it is on a large scale or small. Sometimes less is more depending on the aesthetic you are going for. My advice, if you know what you are serving, let your food be your inspiration, and just add flowers, candles or whatever accent piece(s) you may have to add a little something extra. Sometimes, you may only need a nice table cloth, decorative napkins, food, and you are done. Presentation, like most things, is the key. You don't have to overdue it!! Hope this helps.
A few more pictures of the event for inspiration:
If you are interested in finding out more information about Diner en Blanc, you can visit their website at, http://philadelphia.dinnerenblanc.info.
