Your Holiday Parties Just Got Merrier with These Brilliant Secrets from Event Planner Rebecca Gardner
Rebecca Gardner likes to burn the midnight oil. "I am most productive when in my library in the middle of the night, sitting on the floor with stacks of books and pictures and a basket of fabric memos," says the events and interior designer, who splits her time between New York ("where it happens") and Savannah ("where I appreciate it").
Her fervor for meticulous planning gives new meaning to making merry: "Micromanaging details is how we force serendipity. I crave the potent cocktail of adrenaline and fairy dust."
Here, she shares her secrets to creating holiday parties with the illusion of effortless magic.
On Staying Relaxed
"I make meticulous itineraries that include photos of place settings, napkin folds, and garnishes. Basically, I erase the margin of error. Then, I drink white wine while I get dressed and [as they say in Birmingham, AL], 'Let go, let God.' "
On Setting the Table
"My insane tables set the tone for a lively evening. I build them with layers and layers and layers of the best silver, linen, crystal, and china. We make guests smile by exaggerating the elements until they explode and then sprinkling bonbons on top. There's always something a little surprising."
On Getting the Lighting Right
"I avoid overhead lighting like the plague. A home can never have too many pools of soft lamplight. For parties, I favor loads of candlelight at different heights. Creative Candles makes beautiful dripless tapers that burn for 10 hours and won't ruin your embroidered tablecloth."
On Doing Fancy Without the Fuss
"Everything fancy requires a mischievous wink. This could be a collection of tiny Chinese figurines peeking from behind floppy poppy petals or a provocative game of Would You Rather... calligraphed on the back of the menu. A little twist goes a long way."
On No-Fail Party Tricks
"The host determines the success of the party. They should float around the room offering cocktails and compliments with equal abandon. This is a job, and it often requires an Academy Award-winning performance. Thoughtful introductions, flattering light, and heavy pours are paramount."
On Making Small Talk
"My style mantra is 'anything worth doing is worth overdoing,' like Ayn Rand and Mick Jagger, among others, said. I like to pair my charm bracelets — one with my grandmother's cocktail rings, one with crosses from milestone occasions, and a third with charms I've collected — with exaggerated hang gestures for attention."
On What to Serve
"A seated holiday dinner party calls for for a decadent evening with cocktail dresses, tinkling glasses, low lighting and barefoot dancing in the living room.
"The menu, which is void of any obligatory Thanksgiving or Christmas dishes, does not require a full kitchen staff so it can be intimate, at home, relaxed...and...glamorous. You are not allowed to invite anyone you don't adore."
On What to Play
"Bing Crosby's White Christmas reminds me of Christmas morning, sitting on the floor at my grandparents' house and organizing my loot from Santa.
"This play list kicks off with classic holiday nostalgia for the cocktails and dinner portion of the evening, followed by a brash switch to Madonna's Holiday and Snoop Dog's Santa Clause Goes Straight to the Ghetto. I've assumed that everyone is in the cups by dessert, so the last songs encourage dancing and an enthusiastic Bieber sing-along."
On Her Pop-Up Shop at Courtland & Co.
"I've teamed up with my best friend, Courtland Stevens, on a collection of holiday decorations, gifts, and tabletop, and vintage items available at Courtland & Co. starting November 1. It's a lighthearted approach to holiday, full of confident color and unbridled joy. Give Them Something to Talk About — the Bonnie Raitt approach to tabletop.
"I'm most excited about our custom party crackers. I hope they make obligatory holiday dinners much more fun. They are handmade with Italian marbleized paper and tied with dip-dyed silk ribbons. Each includes a traditional paper crown, milk chocolates and costume jewelry that J.R. might have given to Sue Ellen Ewing.
"There is also a calligraphed note with the title of a traditional holiday song so that you can lead your table in, for example, a spirited rendition of 'Santa Baby.' "
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