As my guy’s 30th birthday approached, I started thinking of ways to make it extra special. I knew he wouldn’t want to make a big fuss over the day and would want to keep it simple, however I wanted to do something out of the norm and to also make it an evening that everyone would remember. I’ve always thought his parent’s property would make the most picturesque setting for a dinner party, so when they recently bought a couple more acres across the creek from their house, I knew we had to christen the new land while toasting to T’s big 3-0. I called his mom, and plans for a fancy BBQ of sorts were quickly in order!
My guy and I both grew up in the same hometown, Chico, however I lived in town and he lived out in the canyon. We were only really a 20 minute drive apart from each other, but I like to tease him that it was a city girl meets country boy kinda situation which basically describes us still to this day. The scenic drive out to his parent’s house never gets old. The road winds along the creek and reminds me of many fun summer days spent tubing through the canyon (which we did this past weekend!).
When it came to the party planning and decor, I knew I wanted to highlight the property while adding in a few rustic and vintage touches to add to the vibe. My father-in-law scoped out the perfect spot for the table, and I had fun hunting down unique pieces to add to the ambiance, including their neighbor Harold’s tractor. (Thanks again Harold!) I added touches of greenery (succulents were a must!) and burlap which really popped against the white table cloth. The end result was perfectly T–just what I was going for!
Wearing: Anine Bing Dress (also love) + Boots.
I spent most of the Saturday setting up and preparing for the party and tried to keep as much of the decor elements a secret from our guests as possible so there would be some element of surprise.
I think getting everyone and all of the food out to the location we chose for the dinner was the most comical part of the evening. We rode over on Rangers (riding around out there feels straight out of Jurassic Park at times) holding on to the food and praying that the cake didn’t fall over en route (success!).
We kicked off the big 3-0 celebration with an assortment of cheeses, and crisp glasses of Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay. Our families are big wine fans so of course this is always the most important aspect of any party.
Stay tuned for the rest of the evening in tomorrow’s post!
* This post was sponsored by Chateau Ste. Michelle. As always, thank you for supporting all CITNB collaborations.
Photography by Michelle Drewes