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1 38 Spring 2016

2 HOUSEWARMING Beer-Tasting PARTY by Tara Berger My husband and I recently hosted a beer-tasting housewarming party in honor of moving to our new hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. After nine years spent living in cities all around the country, we were more than thrilled to settle into our forever home not too far from where my husband grew up. With every big life transition there are plenty of ups and downs, but we chose to make the best of this crazy time in our lives and wanted to celebrate this milestone with both new and old friends. As soon as the boxes were unpacked, I began brainstorming ideas for our housewarming party. Since we were just getting to know many of our neighbors, I decided that a beer-tasting party would be the perfect ice breaker to get conversation flowing. I kept the food simple with a cheese and appetizer station and a dessert spread that paired perfectly with the local brews being served. I decided on rich blue hues and neutral tones for the color scheme, which allowed me to create a masculine yet cozy vibe for the party. Next up, I focused on furniture and tableware to host and serve all of our guests. I rented a long farmhouse table made from reclaimed wood in Cleveland, along with wooden chairs, blue glass water goblets, and mismatched blue china from Borrow Rentals. mingle-mag.com 39

3 While searching for details to complement the color scheme, I spotted an indigo shibori table runner on Etsy by Carmine Textiles, which was a key element in the party decor. To play off the vibe of the table linens, I created a hand-dyed yarn backdrop for the sweets table, along with a dip-dyed tassel banner for the appetizer table. For the beer tasting, I sourced unfinished wooden beer paddles from Webstaurant Store and decided to paint them with navy blue chalk paint. I finished each paddle with sampler glasses and hand-lettered labels of the four different types of beers being served. It was important for me to pull in as much local pride as I could, so I decided to serve beer from Great Lakes Brewing Company, which was founded in Cleveland in 1988 as Ohio s first craft brewery. Each place setting included a Beer Notes card from Tiny Prints for guests to write down details about their favorite beer, as well as a beer opener that served as our party favor. 40 SPRING 2016

4 To complement the beer tasting, I called upon local bakery Kelsey Elizabeth Cakes to develop the most amazing menu of sweets to serve to our guests. Our sweets table included Ohio-shaped sugar cookies, Oktoberfest pumpkin spice mini-cupcakes, and a vanilla bean salted caramel naked cake. I also found a recipe for a blackberry beer cheesecake tart on Pinterest which I made as well. I knew I wanted fresh florals, so I incorporated a greenery garland and blue glass vases filled with greenery from Life in Bloom on the farmhouse table and dessert spread. This added just the right amount of color and texture to complement our outdoor space and party decor. I tried to find ways to include personal details, such as a hand-lettered globe by Carolina Quill with the quote, Where you go I will go, where you stay I will stay it couldn t have been more fitting given our circumstances and the reason for the party. In preparation for the party, my husband and I installed Edison bulb string lights across our patio, which added so much character and warmth to our outdoor space and provided the perfect ambiance for entertaining guests. I also used throw pillows and soft blankets in the setup to ensure our guests would be comfortable throughout the evening. mingle-mag.com 41

5 Our housewarming party was a perfect night spent under the stars celebrating our new home with new and old friends who are sure to be a big part of our life for years to come! I am extra grateful to have had all of the details captured by Brittany Gidley Photography, who not only understood my vision but completely brought it to life through her lens. The Housewarming Beer Tasting Party concept and design was developed and executed by Tara Berger of One Stylish Party, an online party boutique and creative studio featuring designs and inspiration for entertaining in style. For more inspiration, visit her website at onestylishparty.com and her Etsy shop at onestylishparty.etsy.com, and follow her on Instagram (@onestylishparty). All photography is courtesy of Brittany Gidley Photography, brittanygidleyphotography.com. She welcomes at hello@brittanygidleyphotography.com. 42 SPRING 2016