Meet The Planner - Blythe Hill
Ask event planner Blythe Hill to describe her favorite childhood birthday party and the Lexington, South Carolina, native doesn’t bat an eye. “When I was five,” says April-born Blythe, “my mom made me an Easter bunny cake. All my friends showed up in their Sunday best, and we ran around hunting for candy-filled eggs. I think we all wish we could go back to those times when we believed in magic like the Easter bunny.”
Blythe knows something about magic-making. A hospitality and tourism graduate of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, she’s rooted herself in the city’s food and entertaining scene for more than a decade. She has served as marketing director for Holy City Hospitality (including 39 Rue de Jean, Good Food Catering, and the Historic Rice Mill Building), and while working with King Street Hospitality Group, she helped to open private, posh venues The Gadsden House and 95 Broad.
In 2016, Blythe shifted gears to become the lead planner for Yoj Events, an outfit known in town, in print, and across the blogosphere for colorful, festive parties and weddings that run smoothly—and with one heck of a bubbly spirit. Last year, she became a partner in the business.
On a Saturday last spring, Blythe and her husband, Martin, threw a party for their daughter Millie’s first birthday. “Birthdays are a big celebration of life,” says the new mom, “and I wanted her first to be filled with joy, bright colors, yummy food, and, most importantly, the people we love and who love her.” In this feature, Blythe shares some takeaways from that most magical celebration.
Ask event planner Blythe Hill to describe her favorite childhood birthday party and the Lexington, South Carolina, native doesn’t bat an eye. “When I was five,” says April-born Blythe, “my mom made me an Easter bunny cake. All my friends showed up in their Sunday best, and we ran around hunting for candy-filled eggs. I think we all wish we could go back to those times when we believed in magic like the Easter bunny.”
Blythe knows something about magic-making. A hospitality and tourism graduate of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, she’s rooted herself in the city’s food and entertaining scene for more than a decade. She has served as marketing director for Holy City Hospitality (including 39 Rue de Jean, Good Food Catering, and the Historic Rice Mill Building), and while working with King Street Hospitality Group, she helped to open private, posh venues The Gadsden House and 95 Broad.
In 2016, Blythe shifted gears to become the lead planner for Yoj Events, an outfit known in town, in print, and across the blogosphere for colorful, festive parties and weddings that run smoothly—and with one heck of a bubbly spirit. Last year, she became a partner in the business.
On a Saturday last spring, Blythe and her husband, Martin, threw a party for their daughter Millie’s first birthday. “Birthdays are a big celebration of life,” says the new mom, “and I wanted her first to be filled with joy, bright colors, yummy food, and, most importantly, the people we love and who love her.” In this feature, Blythe shares some takeaways from that most magical celebration.
Secure a Secret Garden
“If our house had as sweet of a garden as the one at The Parsonage,” says Blythe, “then we would have certainly hosted at home.” Instead, being familiar with the 1846 house on Hasell Street that’s rented out for events by St. Johannes Lutheran Church, she opted to “borrow” their grounds. Not only does the place hold all the charm of a classic downtown historic home with, as Blythe puts it, “a secret garden,” but its piazzas offer a built-in rain plan.
Still, as spring is an unpredictable season when it comes to the timing of blooms, Blythe had to cheat Mother Nature a little. To give the garden’s lush, evergreen foliage a splash of vibrant hues, she brought in a rainbow’s worth of florals, furniture, tablescapes, and food. Here are more of her thoughts on setting a springtime stage:
Get Your Peter Cottontail On
- Add flowers, flowers, and more flowers. Blythe enlisted Stephanie Gibbs Events to craft tabletop arrangements. Eschewing the trend of greenery-dominated décor, Blythe asked for “abundance” and “tradition,” which translates to bright, all-bloom creations.
- Borrow blooms. If hiring a florist or buying flowers isn’t in the cards, Blythe suggests foraging. “It’s highly likely you or a neighbor has a hydrangea bush—that’s floral gold!” she says. “Snip a few heads and pop them in your favorite blue-and-white ginger jar for easy, quick color and volume.”
- Contain yourself. Slip small boxwoods and other green plants into colorfully painted or glazed pots and planters.
- Mix in bright fruit. Since the party was in early April, Blythe and team managed to buy the last of the kumquat crop for the place settings. Calamondins or fresh strawberries are great in-season options.
- “Plant” colorful décor. Opt for linens, pillows, furniture, and garden décor in a set palette and then mix and match patterns in its colors.
Something for Every Bunny
When it came to planning the menu, Blythe made sure there was something for all ages in the realms of finger foods and drinks alike. For the former, she turned to tried-and-true recipes, some from home (cucumber sandwiches and Blythe’s mother’s “famous sausage balls”), some from Hamby’s Catering (mini tomato pies, ham biscuits, chicken salad, and more), and sweets from ABCD Cakes (cake and macarons). Since so many of the 40 guests were children, Blythe also ordered the utmost in fail-safes for that age group: Chick-fil-A.
Edibles aside, Blythe suggests everyone hire a bartender. “It’s one of the best investments you can make,” she says. “You can’t entertain your guests and make sure they have a full drink at the same time.” For this fête, beverages ranged from juice boxes and strawberry water to local brews and Veuve Clicquot.
Jan Saucier’s Famous Sausage Balls
“My mom is a hoot,” says Blythe. “She told me years ago she wanted to be known for ‘something’ so she has been perfecting her secret cookie recipe for years.” Till that is ready for public consumption, here’s another favorite, her spin on a classic. For the grownups, Blythe swears the “secret ingredient” is cayenne pepper, and the Saucier side of the family says the hotter, the better.
(Makes 4 dozen)
- 3 cups biscuit mix (Bisquick brand preferred)
- 1 lb. uncooked hot ground pork sausage
- 2 cups sharp or extra-sharp cheese, grated
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into bite-size balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Cucumber Sandwiches
(Makes 18)
- 6 oz. cream cheese
- 2 Tbs. freshly chopped dill, plus more for garnish
- Juice of 1/2 large lemon
- Sea salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Salted butter, softened
- 6 pieces of soft, pre-sliced sandwich bread
- 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- Deli mustard
Combine the cream cheese, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in bowl. Butter one side of the bread (this keeps it from getting soggy) and spread the cream cheese mixture on top. Using a two-inch biscuit cutter, cut the bread into circles. Top each round with a cucumber slice, a dab of mustard, and a sprinkling of dill.
Party Talk Podcast
Join Charleston editor-in- chief Darcy Shankland in getting spring garden-party planning tips from local event pro Blythe Hill of Yoj Events.
Listen to "Charleston Magazine Podcast" on Spreaker. (opens in a new tab)DIY Details & Entertainment
When it came to compiling the guest list, Blythe and Martin turned to the family and friends who have played important roles in little Millie’s first year. “Coincidentally,” Blythe says, “most of our friends have daughters, so it worked out to have a very girl-inspired theme.”
The secret garden motif involved a bit of crafting. Some elements (such as the Italian ruscus-wrapped leads for the over-size balloons and the hand-painted macarons) were tackled beforehand and used as decoration. Others, like the floral crowns, were entertainment. For those, Blythe walked the mothers through a few simple steps, then they coached their daughters along.
Easy Flower Crown Entertainment
You will need:*
- Italian ruscus greenery
- Pip circlets (order online)
- Scissors (regular or floral)
- Florist tape
- A bucket of hardy blooms in water (ranuculus, spray and garden roses, and smaller peonies work well)
- Ribbon
* amounts depend on the number of crowns you will make
Tape the Italian ruscus to the circlet, allowing the leaves to sprig out. Affix several strands onto the circlet for a full look. Choose blooms (the amount depends on how dense a crown you wish to have) and snip the stems, leaving an inch or two. Tuck the bloom in between the leaves and tape the flower stem to the crown base. Repeat until you’ve got your desired look. Mix colors, vary sizes, and alternate the directions the blooms face. Tie ribbons to each end of the circlets (see top right), leaving enough to trail. Use them to tie the crown on head.
Etiquette & Pro Tips
Mind Your Manners
“We want to instill a love of life and gratitude for every day in Millie,” says Blythe. Part of those lessons comes from something that Charlestonians have long embraced—gathering generations together to commemorate milestones. At Millie’s party, the guest list included the six-week-old newborn daughter of a friend on up to Millie’s paternal great-grandfather, who is 92 years old.
To ensure the fête was enjoyed by all, Blythe adhered to some basic etiquette along with a favorite guidepost quote from Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Need a little help minding your Ps and Qs? Blythe offers her advice.
Spring Into a Successful Shindig
- Stick to a two- to three-hour time frame. This is especially important when attendees include infants and elders.
- Aim for a morning party. Pre-lunch events ensure little ones are at their best, increase the chance for milder temperatures, and respect schedules that most often include afternoon naps.
- Send invitations four weeks before the party. This gives everyone a chance to work your celebration into their schedule.
- Decide about gifts—and let your guests know. “It is so easy for birthday parties to become centered on gifts rather than on the celebration,” says Blythe. “And it is so important to teach, even at this young age, that life isn’t simply about the material things of this world; it’s about the friendships and bonds we share with others.” To that end, the one-year-old’s invitation specified “no gifts.”
- Be gracious. “Although we asked for ‘no gifts,’ a few folks, mostly family members, brought surprises for our girl,” says Blythe. “We expressed our gratitude, but did not open them at the party to save others from feeling uncomfortable.” Within a week, send gift-givers a handwritten thank-you note, she advises.
- Have ample seating. Blythe explains that you don’t need a seat for everyone unless you’re hosting a sit-down meal, but do offer a variety of stools, chairs, and benches.
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