Sweet tea, a classic dress and English Springers Spaniels are just a few staples that you’ll find throughout the South. If you’re looking to host the ultimate southern garden party this spring, then consider Monica Lavin’s (blogger, stylist and contributor for Southern Living) key points to hosting a fabulous soiree!

Serve Sweet Tea. Sweet tea is regarded as a symbol of the South–it’s our drink of choice. A Southern Sweet Tea Bar is sure to be a hit amongst your guests! You can add mint and peaches (or even Bourbon) for a fresh twist on a southern tradition. No cocktail party would be complete with out cocktail napkins. So you can opt for classic monogrammed cocktail napkins from Emily McCarthy, or use the Single Letter Cocktail Napkins from Draper James for a customized touch. I like to include a drink menu for guests so they can recreate the cocktail if they love it. To play up the garden theme, I placed the calligraphy menu on a leaf from a Fiddle Fig tree!

Entertain Outdoors. If you’re from the South then you know that when March rolls around, we love to spend time on our front porch and in our backyard.  Thus, when planning my outdoor party, I started my decor with my gold Chloe Serving Cart from Dwell Studio. I worked with our local floral design market,  The Vine Garden Market, to create a memorable yet traditional floral look. My goal was for the cart to function both as a drink display and an accent for the patio. Rather than spreading the vases around the patio, group them together to create more of a visual impact. I incorporated mix and match vases from Birch Lane since the varying heights added the perfect dimension and texture to the cart.

Don the Perfect Dress. As a hostess, you can set the tone of the party with your dress! I’ve been admiring the Austin Jacquard Fit and Flare Dress and thought that it’d be the perfect look for this garden party. Since the navy double weave dress has a bold pattern, I paired it with neutral wedges and simple gold jewelry, which matched the detailing found on the pockets. I love how the cut out in the back of this dress adds a fun spring vibe to this look. You really can’t go wrong with this Draper James Dress!

Bring the Pups out to Play. Southerners are known for taking advantage of the wonderful weather by taking our dogs with us wherever we go! My dogs will play with any guest that comes over, so when we host an outdoor party they long to be in the middle of the action. We teamed up with the Vine Garden Market to get my Spaniels ready to party, and the over-the-top floral collars and leashes certainly transformed them into guests of honor!

Kelli Boyd Photography
Landscape Design by The Vine Garden Market
Hair + Makeup by Anna May Hall
Concept, Styling + Calligraphy by Monica Lavin, Lavin Label