A 21st Birthday Backyard Picnic for 23 Near LMU

Not every picnic happens on the sand. In November 2022, a mother planning from out of state asked us to set up a 21st birthday dinner for her daughter, an LMU student, in the backyard of the daughter's house a couple of blocks from campus. There were 23 guests, and the picnic started at 5:30 p.m., well after the early-November sunset.

Evening meant lighting mattered. We brought string lights, electric candles and lanterns to go with the family's two outdoor heaters. We set five low picnic tables on rugs, with a tarp underneath to protect them from the lawn, and six cheese boards on the tables. A buffet table off to the side held the desserts: 24 cupcakes and a small six-inch cake, both frosted in pink and white instead of the usual fruit topping.

Our picnics are styled in a neutral white, tan and black palette, so the family added pink decorations of their own for the guest of honor. The chalkboard wished her a happy 21st birthday.