We’ve compiled some of our favorite Portland picnic spots — both traditional and modern — along with resources and pro tips for making your summer gathering the talk of your friends and colleagues.

Download our Sample Picnic Flyer

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Picnic venues with an urban view (clockwise from left):
Rooftop at the Treasury, E.H. Roberts Sculpture Mall at the Portland Art Museum, Director Park, and the DreamTent at the Jupiter Hotel

*BEER & WINE allowed with a special event permit and event insurance. LIQUOR SERVICE allowed with special permission.

company picnics & family reunions

Planning a summer picnic for you business, organization, or family is easy with Vibrant Table.  From hunting for the perfect picnic spot to hanging the decorations, from selecting menu options to hiring the entertainment, no task is too small for our team of knowledgeable event professionals. Here are some picnic tips from the Vibrant Table event team:

Oilcloth Tablecloth via Living With Punks Blog

• Are you a small company that doesn’t quite have the budget to treat your employees the way you want? Collaborate with some of your friends and neighbors to offer one large party. Combining resources saves money, makes a more exciting event, and promotes community building.
• Bring out the child in your guests with fun, familiar games sized for the outdoors, like giant garden dominoes or tall Jenga-like tumble towers.
• Implement a bug-proof plan before the pests arrive. Depending on the problem bugs in your area, set out your fans, zappers or bait during set up.
• Spruce up picnic tables with an oilcloth tablecloth in a fun pattern. The pattern options are limitless and oilcloth is easy to clean yet inexpensive. Cut with pinking shears for added detail.
• Picnicking under trees or not sure about the weather? Clearspan tenting provides protection from rain or falling leaves without obstructing the outdoor ambiance.

what are your picnic tips?

Do you have a favorite spot? What tricks do you have to throw a fun picnic party? We love to hear from our readers!

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You May also like

• To learn about  Portland garden venues.
• To prepare Vibrant-Table approved recipes, including chimi-churri steak and almond strawberry shortcake.
• To find more summer hosting tips for our amazing staff.

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Hors d’oeuvres: “apart from the main work.”

What’s important to know is: How many hors d’oeuvres will my guests eat? You don’t want to be the hostess sending guests home hungry, but you also do not want too much food. Goldilocks and the Three Bears had it right; it takes some trial and error before you really know the right number of pieces per person for different events. Luckily, we have done the work for you and have come up with best estimates, by event type and time:

• 2-4 pieces per person, 30-60 minutes before dinner, cocktail hour
• 5-6 pieces per person, 1.5-2 hour event, preceding dinner time
• 8-10 pieces per person, 2-4 hours event, heavy hors d’oeuvres
• 12-15 pieces per person 4+ hour event, dinner replacement

Tips of the trade for hors d’oeuvres events:

1. Hors d’oeuvre dinners are not always a less expensive dinner option. Although many people hope that ordering hors d’oeuvres will reduce overall cost, this is typically not the case!  Hors d’oeuvre dinners are often more expensive since the menu is more labor intensive.
2. How can you make an hors d’oeuvre dinner option economical? Mix it up!  Be sure to include some heavier items like salmon sliders or braised lamb meatballs; take advantage of “platters” and avoid lots of handmade smaller pieces; add some other options like quinoa salad, baked brie or a mezza platter.
3. Perks of an hors d’oeuvres dinner:
   1. Multi- stations- who doesn’t like variety of flavor?
   2. Cocktail atmospheres create a less formal service
   3. Live chef action. Watch chefs prepare your tapas!
   4. “When do you” vs. “When don’t you”:
      1. Venue matters – hors d’oeuvres menus are equipment and kitchen sensitive.  More so than the traditional buffet or plated dinner, hors d’oeuvres may require ovens, fryers and grills.  If your menu needs all three, the cost to rent equipment adds up!  And if an outdoor kitchen must be created for your event, it’s likely you’ll also need a tent, lighting, and then heating and side walls in the cooler months.
      2. If you want to encourage movement at your event, if perhaps there is not enough seating for all, hors d’oeuvres parties are absolutely great for mixers, networking and open houses.
      3. If the budget fits!

Hors d’oeuvre parties can be fun and dynamic – just remember to consider time of day, right amounts, event style, and of course, the kitchen!

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WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Do you have any experiences with hors d’oeuvre events? What have your experiences been? Any tips of your own? At the end of the day, we can only know so much.

PHOTO CREDITS

We are indebted to the photographers who allow us show their work. The white spoons filled with a bite of deliciousness was taken by Sara Gray. The plate of skewers was contributed by Evrim Icoz Photography.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

• To learn more about other catering tips.
• To explore common misconceptions related to catering and events. 
• To discover our hors d’oeuvres menu options.

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Ingredients

• 2 butternut squash (split, seeded & roasted)
• 2 apples (granny smith, rough chopped seeds removed)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 quart apple cider
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• water
• salt & pepper
• crème fraiche

Instructions

1. To roast the squash, split in half length-wise, scoop out the seeds, place skin side up in a pan and place in 400-degree oven until the squash is soft, 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Saute the onion, apple, ginger & cinnamon until the onions are soft.
3. Add roasted squash, with cider and enough water to cover.
4. Bring to a boil; then turn down to medium heat. Cook 30-40 minutes.
5. Season
6. Puree and strain

Yields approximately 2 quarts, and can be prepared a day in advance. To serve bring to a boil turn down to low, stir often. Ladle into bowls, garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche.

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You might also like

• To browse other Vibrant Table recipes 
• To explore our catering menus
• To follow us on Twitter for more recipes and menu ideas 

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Lower Work Load

What goes into planning and producing an event? There’s likely any combination of food, bar, lighting, linens, chairs, tables, pipe and drape, specialty lounge furniture, tableware, additional catering equipment, floral, other decor, entertainment, photography and videography. Manage your own vendors – equipment rentals or otherwise — and you’re responsible for…

• researching what you’ll need from each vendor and how much of each item
• comparing costs across vendors
• communicating the inevitable multiple revisions to your order
• confirming and reconfirming orders
• keeping track of deadlines
• coordinating load-in and load-out with the venue for each vendor
• checking that everyone has delivered what’s expected
• ensuring that everything gets returned to its proper home

One Contact

When your planner or catering rep manages your rentals, you call one person. We’re then responsible for reconfiguring your order and communicating changes to applicable parties. Aaahh… a sigh of relief.

KNOWLEDGE

As a beginning planner, you may not know what questions to ask. On the other hand, your coordinator knows what information vendors need to perform before the conversation begins – streamlining communication for all parties.

EXPERIENCE

Going with the pros means you reap the benefit of years of experience, failures as well as successes. We’ve already maneuvered the industry landscape so you don’t have to.

Sourcing

Going for a specific look? A professional planner knows the inventory and specialties offered by local and possibly even national vendors. We’re on top of new trends and products, and can help you navigate the endless possibilities.

Vendor Vetting

The pros know which vendors they can rely on to be professional and follow through. We know who always shows up on time, delivers quality materials, and offers fair pricing.

Connections

Your professional coordinator has access in a way that you, as a private individual, do not. We can call for last minute changes on a weekend. We can request free samples and sometimes vendors might even throw in a few extras for good will.

Save Time

You may not mind the endless communication that’s going to be involved in the months and weeks leading up to your event. But what about the days before and day of? Do you have time to inspect 100 linens and count 300 plates, forks, etc.?  Do you really want to be looking for the last 10 forks when everyone else has gone home?

Cost Savings

Yes, your coordinator will charge a service fee for managing rentals and vendors. Most will package it into their contract with you. However, they also can save you money. They can negotiate deals with vendors. Should you manage your rentals, you will probably make beginner mistakes. Perhaps you underestimated glassware for the bar or overlooked something as simple as extension cords. These mistakes can cost you in the long run as vendors scramble last minute to fill in the gaps.

Seamless Event Experience

Is your guests’ event experience important? Errors compromise service. Even the pros occasionally make mistakes, but they know how to respond to each emergency and can even call in favors. They’re working behind the scenes to find a solution, so your guests probably won’t even notice that something is awry. As a beginner, the likelihood of making a mistake that impacts your guests’ experience significantly increases

.

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What do you think?

We rest our case. What do you think? Is it worth it to hire a professional to manage your event rentals? Have you chosen to manage your rentals in the past? Tell us about your experience. We love to hear from  you!

Photo Credits

We are indebted to the photographers who allow us show their work. The Victorian table top was shot at an Oregon Bride inspiration shoot and can be found in their Fall 2010 issue. The white and salmon room was contributed by Evrim Icoz Photography.

You Might Also Like

• To meet some of the awesome vendors we’ve worked with.
• To explore common misconceptions related to catering and events. 
• To learn about Portland event happenings by signing up for our mailing list. 

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VT: How long have you been a specialty baker? How has cake designs, techniques, etc. changed over that time?

I started to bake professionally in 2006. Techniques haven’t changed much since then – most are classic and have been used for decades , but designs change every year, depending on what’s in fashion. This summer it is “ombre” style! Flavors seem to have changed more towards using natural ingredients, preferably local and seasonal.

VT: Why did you choose baking and cakes? What was your first taste like?

I have always been obsessed with food, and I love to design. Baking and decorating cakes is the perfect combination of the two. I don’t remember my first taste, but I do remember the fruit pies my grandmother fed me when I was a child. Divine!

VT: You are originally from Germany, correct? Do you feel that your German heritage has influenced your work? In what way?

I was born and raised in Germany. My perfectionism and work ethic seem to be typically German traits. I simply can’t stand it to deliver a cake that is not perfect!

VT: You’ve also studied architecture? How do you incorporate your knowledge of architecture into your designs?

I have a degree in architecture and urban design. I look at wedding cakes as if it were a structure or a high rise, with the tiers being the floors. Everything I know about shape, proportion, color and texture will be incorporated in the design. The only difference is that it is edible!

VT: What’s a good description of your dream client?

My dream client has unlimited funds and completely trusts me to come up with the best possible design. Just like in architecture.

VT: For celebrations such as weddings, why is it important to go with a specialty baker rather than your local grocery store that makes wedding cakes on the side?

A wedding is obviously a very special occasion. You want your cake to taste great and to look gorgeous and unforgettable. Most cakes in grocery stores taste awful and look tacky.

VT: What is the most challenging cake you’ve ever made?

I made a pagoda cake for the Lan Su Chinese Garden this summer. It was 5 “stories” tall with hexagon roofs and a poured sugar spire on the top. I had never done a cake like this before and didn’t know if it was going to work out. I planned it like an actual building, drawing plans, sections and elevations to figure out the dimensions. It looked stunning!

VT: What ideas, trends, etc do you find exciting right now?

I love the “Victorian” look with lots of texture, ruffles, lace and sugar flowers. The royal wedding cake last year inspired that, and I think it is exciting. Very feminine…

VT: Is there a particular person that inspires you? Who?

I am very much inspired by the work of Pierre Herme, a famous French pastry chef.

VT: What’s next for you? Anything exciting in the works?

I will continue to expand my business – maybe I will add a retail section and sell cakes to the public?

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In Your Words

Have you worked with Jutta Bach and La Joconde? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

Photo Credits

All photos provided by La Joconde with the exceptions of square cake on paisley rounds (Aralani Photography), la pagoda cake (Jessica Hill Photography), Art’s birthday cake (Evrim Icoz Photography).

You May Also Like

• To meet other local Portland vendors
• To discover planning and budget tips
• To meet our Creative Director, Kurt Beadell

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Attracting an audience

• Research what else is happening in the community before setting a date. Portland Society Pages and Travel Portland offer comprehensive calendars on their sites. Ask your event planner friends to see if they know of any festivals or other happenings. Check the websites of any similar organizations and do a general internet search. You’re likely to conflict with something, but you can at least avoid conflicting with an event that will attract a large section of your target audience.
• Keep an open mind about your event format. It’s ok to stray from the “standard” to keep your event fresh and attract new and future donors. Consider, for example, an after-auction party with reduced entrance fees, fun music, and a couple of drink tickets to get a younger demographic.
• Entice registration with an attention-grabbing name that speaks to your audience, something like “Flash!”
• Use social media to promote your event. It’s best to have an audience already established, so maintain a social media presence even during slow seasons. For large events, you may even consider creating a unique account. Network, network, network. Social media is SOCIAL; reach out to anyone and everyone you think may be interested in your event and cross-promote other events to spread good-will.
• Add your event to Portland Society Page’s calendar. It’s FREE for non-profit organizations.

working with vendors

• Don’t be afraid to pay a little more for experienced vendors. In the long run, they will save you more and might even help you raise more!
• Hire a professional benefit auctioneer. They know how to work a crowd and will raise significantly more money than a staff member or volunteer.
• Realistically share your budget to encourage a more efficient planning process. If your vendors know what they have, they will do their best to find ways to make it work. Plus, they may suggest ways to reduce costs that you haven’t thought of.
• At meetings, be prepared to talk about what event elements are most important to your organization to help vendors identify the most appropriate cost-saving measures.
• Offer your vendors sponsorship or promotional opportunities in exchange for discounts, such as ad space in your program, features on your website, or a verbal thank you in the greeting or closing.
• Partner with vendors that have a strong social media presence. Ask them to promote your event. Provide them with all the necessary information (event dates, location, highlights,social media networks, hashtag, promotional images, logos etc.). The person you work with directly may not be the person managing the social media accounts.

choosing the Setting

• Select a venue that includes the most services with the rental of the facility. Do they provide tables and chairs, discounted audio-visual services, dance floors, etc?
• Ask about reduced rates for non-profit organizations.
• Choose your date wisely. Venues are more likely to provide a discount for a mid-week day and off-peak seasons.

Feeding your guests

• Limit your menu to reduce food costs. For example, serve your guests one entrée (with a vegetarian option) rather than two if providing a plated meal. For buffets, use smaller plates to reduce over-eating.
• Is a local bakery willing to donate desserts or offer them at discounted rates? Talk to your caterer to make sure this is ok first.
• Pass on the love. Ask your caterer about donating any left-over food to a local food bank.

Adding libations

• To lower bar costs, offer a signature cocktail with beer and wine or limit the number of hosted beverages with drink tickets.
• Contact local wineries and beverage distributors to see if they will donate their goods.
•  Find venues and caterers that allow you to provide your own alcohol. Shop around for the lowest corkage fees.

Creating the look

• Lighting will have the most impact on mood. Invest in lighting even if you do little else.
• Select seasonal, local blooms and incorporate large focal flowers in simple ways. Consider floating dahlias in water-filled vases as a table centerpiece.
• Can auction items be incorporated into the table displays? Not only will you save on vase rentals, a hand-made bowl filled with beautiful flowers is more exciting to take home.

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Our Vibrant Community

Vibrant Table is honored to work with dozens of local organizations every year, including:

• Our House
• Basic Rights Oregon
• Three Rivers Conservancy
• Columbia Land Trust
• Oregon Humane Society
• Cascade Aids Project
• Salon Q
• Friends of the Children
• Oregon Ballet
• Pacific Northwest College of Art
• Northwest Academy

You Might Also Like

Vibrant Table was delighted to be a part of Lan Su’s open house planning team. Here are some of the event’s highlights. We hope to see you there next year!

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IN YOUR WORDS

Did you attend the Lan Su open house? What was your favorite element of the party? Have you been to Lan Su Chinese Garden? What do you think makes this garden so special? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Contributing Vendors

Not all vendors are represented in the images above. A grand thank you to everyone who participated (and attended!).

• Ambient Sky Couture Image
• Blush Furniture
• Food in Bloom Catering 
• f&b cafe catering 
• Hurqalya
• Jessica Hill Photography
• La Joconde
• Lan Su Chinese Garden
• Portland Lee’s Association
• Portland Party Place
• Tao of Tea
• Vibrant Flowers
• Vibrant Table Catering & Events
• West Coast Drape

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Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a traditional sauce from Argentina similar in many ways to a pesto. Chimichurri can be prepared up to a day in advance.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth. If preparing for the next day do not add the vinegar until ready to use.

Roasted Summer Succotash

This delicious summer succotash can be prepared up to a day in advance.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Roast corn in the husk on a hot grill turning every couple of minutes, the husk will burn which is fine. The corn should be on the grill for about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Peel the corn and cut off the kernels, reserve for later.
2. Cut the bottom 2-3 inches of the asparagus. Toss the asparagus with 1 T of the olive oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Grill 1-2 minutes depending on the size (if they are thin cook less, approximately 1 minute). Let cool. Cut into 1/4 inch pieces.
3. Combine corn, asparagus, tomatoes, scallions, garlic, parsley, vinegar, and just enough oil to moisten everything, season. Reserve until ready to serve. Best served at room temperature.

Grilled Steak

Keep it simple. Salt and pepper your favorite cut of meat — Chef recommends New York Strip, Ribeye, Flat Iron, Flank, or Tri Tip — and grill to desired wellness. Serve over a bed of the succotash and top with chimichurri. Enjoy!

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You Might Also Like

• To review other Vibrant Table Recipes
• To find tips on summer hosting
• To peruse our catering menus

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THE FOOD

Non-alcoholic punches can be spiked at leisure.

Reduce the stress of entertaining by prepping ahead. We recommend plenty of cold sides with hot entrees that come straight off the grill. Have everything ready to go in the fridge, with little or no assembly required. Want to handle some things but not all? Your local caterer or deli will gladly help. Order times vary, so call ahead to see when you should place your order.

For menu ideas, peruse our picnic and barbecue menu or find recipes on our blog.

THE BEVS

Premixing signature cocktails makes serving much easier. For a wide range of guests, consider a fruity beverage that can be made alcoholic or non-alcoholic, such as a strawberry lemonade. Serve the lemonade in a bubbler and let them add the liquor at their discretion. Sangria is always a popular libation, and there are tons of delicious sangria recipes to choose from (104 on the Food Network alone!). A red wine lover? Try chilling a light red for a refreshing summer option.

THE PRESENTATION

MyDrap linens (via Elle Decor)

Pretty buffets by serving dishes at varying heights. Boxes covered in a linen work great. Think outside the bowl or platter for a fun twist. Consider fruit salad skewers or individual desserts in shot glasses or mason jars (reuse mason jars in fall canning). Stylish with a social conscious? China is the most sustainable option, but for larger groups we recommend banana leaf plates. Creative Director Kurt Beadell adores MyDrap, attractive cotton-linen napkins that come on a roll. They can be washed up to six times and offer a vast array of color options. Completely biodegradable, throw them into the compost bin when done!

THE GATHERING AREAS

Guests are drawn to food, music, and seating areas. To keep guests out of the kitchen, provide them with alternative gathering spots by setting up food and beverage stations in a more convenient location. Consider setting up the beverage station on the porch, with seating nearby. Create an area for outdoor games, such as croquet, badminton, or horse shoes.

THE DECORATIONS

Light pathways to save your guests' ankles.

Choose a color scheme with 2 colors and work it throughout. An attractive garden needs few extra touches, but you might consider signs to direct your guests or labels for food items. Have a few blank labels on hand for items your guests bring. DIY flag strands or pom-pom balls can be added to brighten up gathering spots or food stations.

THE LIGHTING

Stumbles to the restroom are no fun! If you plan to go after dark, light all food stations, gathering spots, and important pathways. Popular solutions include hurricane candles, string lights, torches, or solar lamps.

STAYING COOL

Shade Sail (via Practical Home & Garden)

Take advantage of naturally shaded areas. If your party isn’t at home, survey the event locale during the same hours as your event so you know where the sun hits. Lack natural shade? Consider a shade sail with a pretty cloth, muslin or canvas. Ikea has ready-made shade sails for $25, but we found this DIY tutorial on Apartment Therapy. Mint extract and water in spray bottles can be cooling misters. Kids love water guns or balloon fight, but prepare to be target practice!

BUG DISTRACTORS

Bugs are a fact of life with outdoor hosting, but there are some tricks to deterring them. If possible, connect a fan so that a breeze runs over the food display. Use attractive glass containers with lids (i.e. apothecary jars, cake stands, etc.). Lemon candles can supplement citronella, and there’s always the standby bug zapper. If meat-loving yellow jackets are a problem in your area, the best approach is to bait them away from the festivities with meat or seafood scraps (but not too far to be ineffective), taking care to place canisters out of reach of pets and children.

PORTLAND PARKS, PERMITS & RESOURCES

Based in Portland? Here are some handy links and resources:

• Holding Your Event in a Public Portland Park – Leaflet outlining general things to know when holding an event in a public park. Offers broader information than specific manuals listed below.
• Reserving a Park for Your Picnic -This brochure is for you if you want to reserve a Portland park for your event. Includes locations, rates, and how-to instructions. Download application.
• Wedding Brochure – Planning a summer wedding in the Rose Garden, Hoyt Arboretum or other park?  This is the brochure for you. Portland Parks reserve quickly for weddings, so book early!
• Special Event/Use Permit – Instruction manual for large public events.
• Block Parties – Webpage devoted to hosting a block party. You’ll find tips, guidelines, and application links.
• Additional Event Permits -List of permits that may be required for your event, including links for noise permits, fire marshal permits, or parades.

Your Thoughts

Do you have any summer hosting tips to share? Add them in the comments below!

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You Might Also Like

• Garden Venues in Portland & Surrounding Areas
• Choosing Decor to Complement Your Venue 
• Recipes on our Blog

Photo Credit

Portland-based Evrim Icoz generously donated the images of the punch and candles for this blog post. As always, we extend our gratitude!