Planning an event away from home? Try these suggestions from sisters
Susan Hable Smith and Katharine Hable Sweeney, native Texans who recently coordinated
a party in Florida from 1,200 miles away in New York.
· Plan ahead. Send personal items that you are most comfortable entertaining
with to the location in advance.
· Evaluate local resources. Our friend Susan Massey knew everybody in
the area and gave us the contacts we needed.
· Incorporate indigenous foods. We asked a local chef to tell us what
was in season.
· Festive cocktails are an easy way to create ambience and add color.
Chef Todd Reber of Vintij prepared sangria. It was not only refreshing in the
warm weather, but it coordinated with our color palette.
· Make your arrangements last. Instead of fresh flowers, we used dried
lotus blossoms.
· If you are planning an outdoor party, always have a backup game plan
in case you need to move indoors.
