Grannies in the Garden
The Idea —
Some parties have a theme. Some parties have a concept. And then some parties have a full character arc, complete with wigs, canes, and grown women doing their best impression of their grandmother. That is what this was. LOL
Grannies in the Garden started as a simple idea: everyone dresses as an old lady, we eat outside in a beautiful garden. And as things typically go when I’m planning a party, the theme snowballs into many little details!
This one is easy to pull off, genuinely hilarious, and costs almost nothing. Here is how to do it!
How I Prepped —
We ate outside on the deck, and honestly the setting did most of the work for us. (I know technically we should have been in a garden, but this was the most functional for hosting.) String lights, paper lanterns, lace bunting, florals on the table, and vintage style dishes set the scene. Bring out the embroidered pillows, Longaberger baskets. You might need to borrow some things from your mom! DON’T FORGET THE TISSUES.
A lace or linen tablecloth goes a long way here. Fresh flowers instantly elevate the vibe. If you have a ceramic goose or any garden ornaments, get them out. The more grandmotherly the backdrop, the funnier the costumes look against it.
As the sun started to set it got a little chilly, so everyone pulled out the quilt they had been asked to bring from home. Asking guests to bring their own quilt was one of those details that ended up being really special. Everyone had a story about theirs.
What We Ate —
I asked my friends to each bring a dish that reminded them of their grandmothers.
We had meatloaf with mashed potatoes, deviled eggs, meatballs, sourdough, salad, apple pie, JELL-O, and the most nostalgic dessert of the evening, a marshmallow pistachio Cool Whip situation. I think every family must have some version of this- mine calls it '“pink stuff” and it’s made with cherry pie filling.
To drink we had hot toddies and a sorbet punch that was absolutely made for a grannies in the garden moment! Don’t forget a bottle of prune juice for the laughs!
Having everyone bring a grandmother dish was one of the best decisions of the night. People showed up with stories attached to their food, and that added something to the evening that no amount of planning could have created.
Let’s Talk Props —
The rule is simple: come dressed as an old lady. Beyond that, give your friends full creative autonomy. You will get a better party out of it.
The range at our party was spectacular. We had women in house dresses with orthopedic footwear. We had a cane. We had multiple wigs including one that could only be described as aggressively voluminous. We had reading glasses worn at the end of the nose. We had pearl necklaces, cardigans, and at least one neck scarf tied with intention.
The only addition I recommend is giving everyone a granny name when they arrive. Keep the first letter the same as their real name. Thelma, Laverne, Loretta, Agnes, Clementine. You get the idea. OR use one of their grandmother names! It sets the tone immediately and people will stay in character longer than you expect.
A couple of FUNNYYYY things I purchased on amazon: these “Oldbitchamin Pills”. They were SUCH a hit in addition to the variety pack of hard candy I purchased.
What We Played:
There is no agenda here and that is the magic of it. Once the wigs go on and the accents come out, the night runs itself.
We played bingo using dried florals as markers, which was such a simple touch that felt completely on theme. And the prize for the winner? An extra large pair of granny panties. Obviously. The table lost it.
After bingo we painted gnomes. Both funny and regular, because there is truly something for everyone. It was the perfect activity for a group that was already deep in character and not willing to come back out of it. Nobody needed instructions. Everyone just painted their gnome and kept their southern accent going and it was perfect.
What you will find is that everyone leans fully into character without any prompting. People start telling stories as their granny alter ego. They give unsolicited advice. They complain about their knees. They express strong opinions about things that do not matter. The southern accent that apparently lives inside every one of my friends made its full debut and showed no signs of leaving.
Plan for a long dinner. This is a sit and linger kind of party. The funniest moments will happen at the table so set it beautifully and let everyone settle in.
