You may remember a post I wrote a couple of years ago about a dinner all dressed in white in London? OK, I know two years ago seems forever ago, but this is what I am talking about; the night at Le Diner en Blanc London 2013. I am so excited to write and share that the fun, all white, pop-up picnic is back this year and I am sharing ALL the details below!
WHEN: Thursday 3rd September 2015, 7pm
WHERE: it is a SURPRISE! Somewhere in central London.
Guests meet at assigned departure location and are escorted by Dîner en Blanc volunteers.
It truly is so fun. You are in an area in city surrounded by hundreds of people in white, dancing, drink bubbly, a night to remember!
WHAT TO BRING: A table for two, two white chairs, white tablecloth. A picnic basket of fine food, proper stemware and white dinnerware. Champagne, water and wine. {see my suggestions below!}
WHAT TO WEAR: White. Dressy. Sparkle. Fun. {see my suggestions below!}
A bit about the event for those of you who are thinking, "WHAT! Meet at a disclosed location, bring all my own stuff for dinner, even my table? And dress all in white, wtf!". Trust me, its fun!
Le Dîner en Blanc was founded in Paris over 25 years ago, it is attended by over 100,000 people in over 60 cities around the world including Sydney, Shanghai and New York.
This is the 3rd time that that Le Diner in Blanc has returned to London For the 2013 edition, Le Dîner en Blanc - London attracted close to 700 cultural enthusiasts for a memorable evening at the Trinity Buoy Wharf.
Visually breath-taking moments during the event include the waving of a cloth napkin to mark the beginning of the dinner, as well as the lighting of sparklers before the dancing kicks off. At the end of the evening, guests pack up their crystal, dinnerware and tables; pick up all their litter; and head into the night, leaving no sign of their revelry behind.
{In 2013 we went ALL out. Bring some flowers for the table, we had pretty china and cutlery and TONS of food which was great the more bubbly we consumed as the night went on! Ok, I know the flowers should have been white, it was a las minute addition.eek. ;) See my 2013 post here.}
About Le Dîner en Blanc
Launched in Paris in 1988 by François Pasquier and a handful of friends, Le Dîner en Blanc has become a worldwide epicurean phenomenon. Le Dîner en Blanc - Paris now attracts nearly 15,000 people each year, crazy right! What was a “friends and word-of-mouth only” event has grown into an international sensation celebrated on five continents. The same things apply now that applied when it first begin; guests continue to gather at a secret location for the sole purpose of sharing a gourmet meal with good friends in one of their city’s most beautiful public spaces. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Dîner en Blanc International is responsible for developing this secret posh picnic in over 60 cities in more than 25 countries around the world. Each event is headed by passionate local organizers who fell in love with the concept and wanted to bring it to their city, giving this rendezvous a local flair.
What To Wear : YOU MUST WEAR WHITE!
Dress to impress! Elegant and white. Stylish and white. I saw a few girls in their wedding dresses, no joke, now they went ALL out on the white dress code;) Here are a few of my suggestions if you are looking for a LWD {little white dress!}.
1. White Crepe Blazer - Last time it got a bit chilly outside! I would recommend a little jacket, pashmina or a shawl, white of course!
2. BLING - It is a night to celebrate and dress up so you should definitely add a bit of BLING to your attire!
3. A WHITE dress - So the hardest thing I found the last time I attended was finding a cute white dress that didn't break my bank account. Luckily it is the end of summer so there are some great sales! Here are a few favs:
Victoria White Floral Eyelash Dress { $118, order from the US} | Super Full Bonded Skater Dress {£68} | Full Flower Cut Crochet White Dress {£36.99 SALE!} | Garance Broderie Dress {£69.95}
4. Shoes - OK, they do not HAVE to be white, you could do a nude shoe, however I think this selection is actually pretty cute. Pack a pair of ballet flats to slip on after dancing the night away.
5. White Mask - I love the idea of throwing on a white mask for the night! Super fun right!
6. White Fascinator - So you need some showstopper piece to wear for the night, these fascinators may be the answer! How fab are these? White Fascinator | White Floral Fascinator
{The location at Trinity Buoy Wharf was super cool! I just happened to love that my initial was the perfect photo op that evening. See my post from that evening here.}
There are a few RULES for the evening...The Rules of Dîner en Blanc
To maintain the uniqueness of Dîner en Blanc as well as staying true to tradition, guests must observe certain requirements and follow a few key rules:
Registration to participate happens in three stages:
Phase 1 is for members who attended the previous year
Phase 2 is for new members who are referred by Phase I attendee
Phase 3 is for people who signed up on the waiting list viathe official website: london.dinerenblanc.info/
Dress code: Elegant and white. Originality is encouraged!
Table setting: All white! Correct, no green picnic chairs or you hot pink cute chairs from your balcony, sorry, only white.
Location: To ensure that the location secret is kept undisclosed until last minute, guests meet at assigned departure location and are escorted by Dîner en Blanc volunteers. Sounds crazy I know, but when we arrived at Victoria Station and saw hundreds of other loading on to coaches for a mysterious evening out, it was super fun.
Rain OR Shine: The event proceeds regardless of weather conditions. This is a rain or shine event
Bring What You Can Carry: In order to leave the event location as clean as when they arrived, guests are required to leave with all their belongings, leftovers and litter
1. You need to bring your own table & chairs. Get the lightest ones you can find because you will need to carry them with you there and back home! Ikea Haro Table £15 | Haro Chairs £12 | Why not add a little sparkle to your table with a White & Gold Chevron Table Runner to hire Glimmer & Threads £12 | Mydrap Disposable Cotton Napkins £17...also check out Gumtree!
2. How cute is this basket?!?! And less then £50, I think its a deal! 4 person wicker basket £29.99
3. Dinner. Last time we cooked A LOT. This year I still want to bring my own food but I think I am going to buy some delicious pre made items. I am going to stop by my favorite place the night before and get an assortment of salads and room temp items at Ottolenghi, LOVE! Salads from Ottolenghi These M&S Mini Dip Selection with a selection of Crackers £2.50 will be the perfect nibble but still look pretty on a real china plate:) As the night goes on you WILL want a little sweet, it is a party, a celebration. Ottolenghi Salted Caramel & Chocolate Brittle £6 | M&S Mini Macaroons £12 And then do not forget your beverages, important. How about some sparkling English bubbly,
Chapel Down Vintage Reserve Brut £15 and have you seen these AMAZING Frozen Champagne POPS for Fortnum & Mason ?!?! I may need to get some this week. These are fabulous.
4. Yes, you should dress up your table a bit. A little vase with a big white hydrangea. Some white candles with battery operated lights. Perfect. Pure White Ceramic West Elm Vase £4.95 | Battery operated tea lights £2 | West Elm Waterscape Votives £14
Guests MUST bring:
A table, two white chairs, white tablecloth.
A picnic basket comprising fine food and proper stemware and white dinnerware. You can order a meal from the site to pick up there, so if you are busy, running from work, check out that option!
Champagne or wine. Beer and hard liquor are prohibited
{image from Le Diner en Blanc London 2013}
For full details on the event’s rules and regulations, please visit the official website:
About Le Dîner en Blanc - London Hosts
The event is organised by events and marketing professionals Alana Buckley, Ainsley Kowal and Hannah Talbot who are lending their talents to help organise a pop-up event like no other.
I hope to see you there!
xoxo - Becca
It's hard to think of enough superlative adjectives to describe our event coordinator! I'm sure there are a million things she did that I didn't even think about because I didn't have to. To me, that makes her the perfect planner!
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