Tips for hosting a Fabulous Amalfi Coast Themed Party
Isn’t literally EVERYONE going to Italy (or some other fabulous destination in Europe right now)!? We went to Italy for our honeymoon back in 2018 and it was a magical journey through all of Italy’s most beautiful places - Sorrento, Positano, Florence, Tuscany, Lake Como and Venice. A stunning and beautiful trip by anyone’s standards - and we were so fortunate to experience it! But now, fast forward…and when we’re not planning fabulous parties…we live in toddler-land!
So when you have the opportunity to style a gorgeous party for a sweet one year old babe, and are tasked with making it feel like you’ve been transported to the Amalfi Coast…YOU TAKE IT!
My fabulous cousin, Michelle Calcagni (an amazing Home Chef contestant on the 2nd season of Next Level Chef - Team Ramsay!) had a BEAUTIFUL baby girl last year and she decided she wanted to throw her a fabulous Amalfi Coast themed party for her first birthday. Michelle and I partnered to create the most stunning lemon-inspired event ever! Seriously…it was jaw dropping!
This beautiful backdrop was the centerpiece of the party and served as the perfect photo op!
So take it from me, if you want to throw a beautiful lemon-inspired party, we’ve got you covered! Read on for our top tips and tricks to make your Amalfi-themed special event absolutely gorgeous!
Lemons, lemons and more lemons!
Soft yellows, mixed with pops of brightness and hints of citrus throughout! That’s the key to nailing beautiful decor for an Italian themed party! For Michelle’s party, we mixed real lemons and faux lemons, as well as decor that had printed lemons (like the table runners!). We transformed the entire backyard into an idyllic Amalfi dream and the abundance of lemons really made it all come to life!
We also borrowed a gorgeous faux lemon tree from a close friend who had it styled in her home. She was gracious enough to let us borrow it for the day and it really helped compliment the main photo backdrop area! It’s good to have friends with great style!
Mix in the greenery and white florals…and create a stunning photo backdrop!
To make the ambiance of the party feel even more like we were summering somewhere on the Amalfi Coast or Italian Riviera, we added greenery garlands and white florals to compliment the citrus decor that was styled on a beautiful white bar cart (provided by Party Please Designs). The balloons were just gorgeous and the greenery and lemons that we incorporated into the balloon design was an important touch to really make everything feel cohesive.
We also added lanterns and crates, and a beautiful blue and white vintage rug (that we found on Facebook Marketplace for $15!). These pieces really tied everything together and anchored the lemon decor, making the entire scene feel truly rustic and natural. This was the perfect place for photos during the party, making everyone feel like they stepped through a portal to downtown Positano!
Michelle and her husband Anthony set up the cutest little poolside bar that was bursting with lemon influences!
Limoncello? Lemon Italian Ice?
YUM! One of my favorite parts of this stunning first birthday party was the delicious food! It was absolutely fantastic (no surprise, since Michelle is an incredible chef!), but one of the best parts of the day was the hand-passed lemon Italian ice! This refreshing nibble had just a touch of lemon zest on top which was such an amazing detail! As everyone chatted and mingled poolside, this fresh and tasty treat really hit the spot!
Michelle and her hubby Anthony also set up a stunning, on-theme poolside bar that had tons of different drink options and looked adorable adorned with lemon everything!
Keep the blue moderate & add a themed fun zone!
Since we were planning a party for a beautiful baby girl, we wanted to play up the whites, yellows and greens, while keeping the blues to more of a minimum. Our inspiration video was a touch more blue than what Michelle was hoping for, so we muted the blues, and added them appropriately to pull the other colors forward for a more feminine, elegant Amalfi Coast vibe.
One of the most fun parts of the party was Ava’s fun zone! The ball pit looked absolutely gorgeous with the perfect combination of whites, yellows and blues and adorable little lemon decals! We were also totally obsessed with the font we used for Ava’s name!! Do you love it too?!
We hope these tips and the beautiful photos will inspire you and help you create your own Amalfi Coast event escape! If you’re in the NJ area, get in touch! We’d love to bring your event dreams to life together!