A 30-Guest Beach Picnic with Succulent Favors at Tower 28

Take-home favors don't have to be complicated. At this May 2022 gathering for about 30 guests at Lifeguard Tower 28, every place setting had a small succulent waiting on the plate, a detail guests could carry home after the party.

The host brought their own vegetable and fruit platters, and we set up a buffet station to hold them, with cupcakes placed at the buffet in the shade. Two floral arrangements dressed up the tables, and we brought two igloo coolers: one for water and one for wine.

Guests could also play badminton and cornhole on the sand beside the picnic, and the booking included an extra hour so nobody had to rush. Tower 28, in the Ocean Park area south of the Santa Monica Pier, was our go-to beach location that year, with a parking lot right by the sand for hosts arriving with platters and desserts.