March 12, 2016 • CULTURE, FOOD, PARTIES, PEOPLE

Party People: Black Southern Belle Hosts Biscuit Bar Party

“I started Black Southern Belle because I was planning my wedding in Charleston and decorating my first home, and I could not find design inspiration that was uniquely Southern and African American at the same time,” says Michiel Perry, whose ‘Southern bred and soul infused’ blog does just that—with plenty of panache.

Michiel grew up in Summerville, SC (home of sweet tea!) and now lives in Walterboro, SC—an area known as the frontporch of the Lowcountry. Her newly purchased historic home there served as the setting for a savory and sweet biscuit bar party she hosted on her front porch. (You can check out the full menu and get a recipe here.)

See how Michiel incorporated our Draper James Spring collection into a well-appointed affair she says will be the “first of many” she hosts in her new home.

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“I love anything with stripes,” says Michiel, seen here in front of her home wearing our Ottoman Stripe Knit Blazer and carrying our Printed Vanderbilt Tote. “I love a good preppy look with some fun. A blazer makes everything look pulled together. I styled this blazer with a simple white top underneath, black leather jeans, and my favorite blue velvet pumps with a silver heel for a little fun.” (All photos by Sean Money and Elizabeth Fay.)

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“I love hosting and entertaining, and most importantly, I love biscuits,” says Michiel, pictured holding our Draper James Ribbon Tray with a plate brimming with goodies from her biscuit bar. “I never met a carb I didn’t love, and biscuits are the Queen Carb of the South.”

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“A biscuit bar is as Southern as it gets,” says Michiel, who laid out biscuits and trimmings for guests to help themselves. “You can’t go wrong with it. I love a formal dinner, but a biscuit bar is perfect for relaxed and chic entertaining.”

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The biscuit bar menu included a variety of twists on both sweet and savory biscuits, There were shortcake biscuits, sweet potato biscuits, buttermilk biscuits and more, with toppings that ran the gamut from sugar macerated strawberries to Carolina pit ham. “From the fresh fruits and berries to the homemade whipped cream, there is something for every biscuit lover on this menu,” says Michiel. Click here to see the full menu.

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Tables set on the porch featured bouquets of fresh hydrangeas, plenty of votives, and a spring-like palette in blue and white.

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A well-stocked bar is a must at any party. Our Draper James Printed Vine Coaster Set added a pop of color to the indoor spaces, where guests also mingled.

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“The goal was to pay homage to tradition, while keeping the look fresh and young,” says Candice Hilse of Yoj Events in Charleston, who styled this simple fresh-from-the-garden bouquet on our Draper James Ribbon Tray.

 

Special thanks to: Ruth’s House, EventHaus, Nuage Designs, and Yoj Events for the furniture and tabletop pieces; Hamby Catering & Events for the food and menu development; Southern Season for the party favors; Yoj Events for the flowers and design; Sasha Nicholas for additional decor; Lure & Ravish for makeup; and Sean Money and Elizabeth Fay for photography.

Don’t forget to click here to see the full menu and score the recipe for sweet potato biscuits.