(Co-)Organising Year 7 Grad Dinner - venue and setup

The kids asked could they have a Dinner and one last 'camp' (sleepover) as they approach the last weeks of their primary school years.  They wanted something 'special' but not formal, where they could be themselves and have fun but it was still a special occasion.  The lovely S volunteered to organise and I said I'd help out.

One of the parents volunteered a venue idea and we were able to hire it out for a very humble amount.

This is the photo we took when we went to see the place and decided we would set up under the trees, by the jetty and the water and have the city lights in the background as the sun went down.

We had a 16m roll of fabric (buy 2m get 1m free thanks Textile Traders!  called 'mechanical stretch' cut to length on site using pinking shears lol - it worked out so well.  Awesome fabric and no ironing required.  bonus.

Collected jars, paper bags, sand, tea light candles and standard candles.  Lanterns and fairy lights in the trees.  Hired cutlery, plates, bowls and glasses, lights and lanterns for the trees.  Ordered top notch pizza, and everyone bought salads and desserts.  Hand made napkin rings (DIY step by step on those later) with springs of rosemary, and rosemary on the tables in tins.

Weather had been happy-as, and then what do you know, but the forecast changed to rain.  yikes!  We all just hoped for the best and what do you know, as quick as it changed it changed again.  Drizzled in the morning but cleared up for the rest of the day and night and only the first spitting drops fell as the last of the stuff was packed away into cars.

this is the scene as the light changed:

yep... looks like 'the' spot

unloading and setting up - lights into the trees

tables, chairs, cloth and settings are done

This photo courtesy of S (thankyou S!)

waiting for the sun to get lower so we can light the candles

The light gets lower

chillin' on the jetty

last photo of the night from me.  Didn't capture 'it' at all but oh well.

napkins in their rings

I have to say my pics do not do the outdoor setting and lighting, justice.  I have to spend more time experimenting on taking night pics with the camera as it's got so many options.

These are the two desserts I made (more on the fruit one later)

Watermelon, rockmelon, kiwi fruit, strawberry, cherry, blueberry.

 Sprinkled on some grated white chocolate at serving time (no pic).

and the salad which had several varieties of home grown tomato, black capsicum and slivers of tri-colour carrots (purple outer, orange inner) plus lettuce, and home grown spring onion.

and some mini-creams.

Cost for the event ame out at a very reasonable price per head (which is important generally but especially this time of year), everyone had a good time, was comfortable, fed and enjoyed the view (which I'm told included dolphins playing).  What more could you ask for!  The two brave teachers stayed on for the kids to sleep the night.  Not long now and they'll all be highschool kids!  Jeepers...