Today I’m super excited to kick off a new series on Oh So Beautiful Paper all about summer cocktail parties! Long summer days offer the perfect opportunity to invite a few friends over for a cool beverage, so we’ve teamed up with St-Germain to bring you a different party idea every month. I invited some of my favorite stationers and calligraphers to participate in the series, with inspiration for everything from invitations and paper details to floral ideas – and of course lots of cocktail recipes with our favorite liqueur. For the first installment, I drew inspiration from my own life: a cocktail housewarming party!

I’ve been obsessed with these dip-dye cards from Fig. 2 Design Studio for well over a year now. Claudia and I used those cards as the inspiration for the party invitations, which feature a beautiful ombre effect in shades of light pink and lavender and bright pink text. We couldn’t resist including a small packet of confetti in fun colors for an added element of celebration.

Cookies in the shape of a house as party favors – and the cutest favor bags ever with calligraphy from Meant to Be Calligraphy.

We thought a cocktail and dessert party sounded like a fun idea, particularly for a housewarming party where people might be coming and going over the course of an afternoon and evening. We chose doughnuts and chocolate croissants (I can’t pass up a good doughnut these days), but you could easily include cupcakes, macarons, or any dessert of your choice.

Dip dye menu cards by Fig. 2 Design Studio with calligraphy by Meant to Be Calligraphy

Whenever possible, we recommend mixing a large batch of your cocktail recipe ahead of time and placing it in a pitcher for easy serving – otherwise you’ll be stuck at the bar all evening! For this recipe, which we’ll be sharing in full in just a bit, you can mix up the rosemary-infused strawberry gin a day or two in advance, then place seltzer or tonic water nearby for mixing into each individual drink just before serving.

We used a flower petal as a garnish for this cocktail, but you could also garnish with a maraschino cherry or berries.

For the flowers, I placed a single peony in antique decanters that previously belonged to my grandmother and great-grandmother. You can find similar styles at flea markets or on Etsy and ebay.

Full cocktail recipes are coming up in just a bit!

Invitation Design + Dip-Dye Menu Cards: Fig. 2 Design Studio

Calligraphy: Meant to Be Calligraphy

Favor Bags: Poppies for Grace

Party Design: Oh So Beautiful Paper and Bellwether Events

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

This post is brought to you in collaboration with St-Germain. All content, photos, recipes, and words are our own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make Oh So Beautiful Paper possible!