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Ask event planner Blythe Hill to describe her favorite childhood birthday party and the Lexington, South Carolina, native doesn’t bat an eye. “When I was five,” says April-born Blythe, “my mom made me an Easter bunny cake. All my friends showed up in their Sunday best, and we ran around hunting for candy-filled eggs. I think we all wish we could go back to those times when we believed in magic like the Easter bunny.”
Blythe knows something about magic-making. A hospitality and tourism graduate of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, she’s rooted herself in the city’s food and entertaining scene for more than a decade. She has served as marketing director for Holy City Hospitality (including 39 Rue de Jean, Good Food Catering, and the Historic Rice Mill Building), and while working with King Street Hospitality Group, she helped to open private, posh venues The Gadsden House and 95 Broad.
In 2016, Blythe shifted gears to become the lead planner for Yoj Events, an outfit known in town, in print, and across the blogosphere for colorful, festive parties and weddings that run smoothly—and with one heck of a bubbly spirit. Last year, she became a partner in the business.
On a Saturday last spring, Blythe and her husband, Martin, threw a party for their daughter Millie’s first birthday. “Birthdays are a big celebration of life,” says the new mom, “and I wanted her first to be filled with joy, bright colors, yummy food, and, most importantly, the people we love and who love her.” In this feature, Blythe shares some takeaways from that most magical celebration.
“If our house had as sweet of a garden as the one at The Parsonage,” says Blythe, “then we would have certainly hosted at home.” Instead, being familiar with the 1846 house on Hasell Street that’s rented out for events by St. Johannes Lutheran Church, she opted to “borrow” their grounds. Not only does the place hold all the charm of a classic downtown historic home with, as Blythe puts it, “a secret garden,” but its piazzas offer a built-in rain plan.
Still, as spring is an unpredictable season when it comes to the timing of blooms, Blythe had to cheat Mother Nature a little. To give the garden’s lush, evergreen foliage a splash of vibrant hues, she brought in a rainbow’s worth of florals, furniture, tablescapes, and food. Here are more of her thoughts on setting a springtime stage:
When it came to planning the menu, Blythe made sure there was something for all ages in the realms of finger foods and drinks alike. For the former, she turned to tried-and-true recipes, some from home (cucumber sandwiches and Blythe’s mother’s “famous sausage balls”), some from Hamby’s Catering (mini tomato pies, ham biscuits, chicken salad, and more), and sweets from ABCD Cakes (cake and macarons). Since so many of the 40 guests were children, Blythe also ordered the utmost in fail-safes for that age group: Chick-fil-A.
Edibles aside, Blythe suggests everyone hire a bartender. “It’s one of the best investments you can make,” she says. “You can’t entertain your guests and make sure they have a full drink at the same time.” For this fête, beverages ranged from juice boxes and strawberry water to local brews and Veuve Clicquot.
“My mom is a hoot,” says Blythe. “She told me years ago she wanted to be known for ‘something’ so she has been perfecting her secret cookie recipe for years.” Till that is ready for public consumption, here’s another favorite, her spin on a classic. For the grownups, Blythe swears the “secret ingredient” is cayenne pepper, and the Saucier side of the family says the hotter, the better.
(Makes 4 dozen)
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into bite-size balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
(Makes 18)
Combine the cream cheese, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in bowl. Butter one side of the bread (this keeps it from getting soggy) and spread the cream cheese mixture on top. Using a two-inch biscuit cutter, cut the bread into circles. Top each round with a cucumber slice, a dab of mustard, and a sprinkling of dill.
When it came to compiling the guest list, Blythe and Martin turned to the family and friends who have played important roles in little Millie’s first year. “Coincidentally,” Blythe says, “most of our friends have daughters, so it worked out to have a very girl-inspired theme.”
The secret garden motif involved a bit of crafting. Some elements (such as the Italian ruscus-wrapped leads for the over-size balloons and the hand-painted macarons) were tackled beforehand and used as decoration. Others, like the floral crowns, were entertainment. For those, Blythe walked the mothers through a few simple steps, then they coached their daughters along.
Easy Flower Crown Entertainment
You will need:*
* amounts depend on the number of crowns you will make
Tape the Italian ruscus to the circlet, allowing the leaves to sprig out. Affix several strands onto the circlet for a full look. Choose blooms (the amount depends on how dense a crown you wish to have) and snip the stems, leaving an inch or two. Tuck the bloom in between the leaves and tape the flower stem to the crown base. Repeat until you’ve got your desired look. Mix colors, vary sizes, and alternate the directions the blooms face. Tie ribbons to each end of the circlets (see top right), leaving enough to trail. Use them to tie the crown on head.
“We want to instill a love of life and gratitude for every day in Millie,” says Blythe. Part of those lessons comes from something that Charlestonians have long embraced—gathering generations together to commemorate milestones. At Millie’s party, the guest list included the six-week-old newborn daughter of a friend on up to Millie’s paternal great-grandfather, who is 92 years old.
To ensure the fête was enjoyed by all, Blythe adhered to some basic etiquette along with a favorite guidepost quote from Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Need a little help minding your Ps and Qs? Blythe offers her advice.
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