With Easter around the corner, The Get It girls spent a beautiful afternoon under the trees, enjoying a dreamy Peach Fuzz-inspired picnic.
A gorgeous setting, incredible food, and an afternoon of laughter – there are few things more pleasant than a pretty picnic. As an early Easter celebration, we took inspiration from the Pantone Colour of the Year to create a soft, elegant look at our very own al fresco feast. The shade, which falls somewhere between pink and orange, is both sophisticated and sweet. It brings with it a subtle warmth, and according to the team at Pantone, highlights our desire for togetherness and the feeling this creates – perfect then for some quality time in a peaceful spot.
Chelsea Kuiperi, owner of House of Design in Ballito, provided us with everything we needed to make our picnic as comfortable as it was beautiful. She hires out furniture, as well as cutlery, crockery and décor items for those who would like to host their own event, but don’t necessarily have all the necessary items at home. We found a place under the trees and opted for two low trestle tables – one to sit at, and one to display our spread of food – as well as some jute rugs, cushions in peach tones, and a beautiful boho-style umbrella for extra shade.
With all the practical details taken care of, we called on Ro Arnold from The Floral Team to help us with the styling and floral design. She chose table linens and candles in our base colour, before adding textured napkins to match the peachy palette. For the flowers, Ro went with seasonal blooms – something she always advises. “If you are making your own floral arrangements then going for in-season flowers is a must,” she says. “The colours will always be vibrant and the flowers themselves are just so gorgeous.” She sourced dahlias, lisianthus, seeded weeping gum, snap dragons, cream roses (these add more warmth than pure white roses) – all from KZN farms. “
Our star feature to bring everything together was the Peach Fuzz Princess, Tiffany roses,” explains Ro. “Fresh flowers are like great food or good wine — they enhance the moment and help transport our hearts and minds to a happier space.”
In terms of floral design, Ro decided to break with a traditional tablescape and chose instead to place a large arrangement to one side of the table to create space for the food. Extra candles and large jars filled with fresh peaches added to the overall aesthetic. In a subtle nod to Easter, she placed white bunnies on and next to the table, and tied the peach palette together with cutlery and glasses in the soft, elegant shade.
With the gorgeous table décor sorted, it was time to lay out the food – and Nicky Cooper’s spread certainly took centre stage! Nicky is the owner of Yoli’s Bakery and La Sandwicheria, and she absolutely loves a creative challenge when it comes to baking. With an eye for beautiful details, Nicky created cheese and charchuterie boards with fresh berries, dried fruit and nut brittle, along with freshly-baked bread sticks, seeded bagels with salmon and cream cheese; wholewheat croissants with roasted chicken, mayonnaise, basil pesto and rocket; and a French Pain Tordu, an exquisite twisted bread.
With the Peach Fuzz theme in mind, Nicky decided to incorporate both the fruit and the hue into her menu. We were treated to a mouth-watering selection of sweet goodies, including peach and almond pastry roses; death-by-chocolate tarts with vanilla, honey and roasted peaches; chocolate brioche mini doughnuts; and vanilla cupcakes with the prettiest peach rose buttercream. White chocolate eggs with a touch of gold leaf were a lovely addition to our Easter table. Nicky and her team handcraft each of their delicious creations, and together with quality ingredients and traditional recipes, the result truly is worth the effort.
With our gorgeous tables laid, and a feast in front of us, it was time to relax with good food and a glass of bubbles. The Get It girls had a most lovely afternoon – enjoying time outdoors, savouring decadent flavours and celebrating the moment. Because that’s what it’s all about, after all.
Details: The Floral Team, IG: @thefloralteam; Yoli’s, The Market at Ballito Lifestyle Centre, IG: @yolisbakery_; House of Design, IG: @house_of_design
Photographs: Chris Allan Photo
