Take it back to inRegister’s founding year with an elevated retro dinner party
Time to party like it’s 1989! In honor of inRegister’s anniversary, we are throwing it back to the year it all started. But you won’t find neons, leg warmers or boom boxes at this dinner party designed by Angela DiVincenti Babin of Angela Marie Events. Instead, she opted for a mature color scheme, drawing on the real-life interiors of homes during the ’80s, which were more often than not the backdrop for special get-togethers with friends and family.
“Back in the day, from what I can remember, people ate at home,” Babin says. “Supper clubs were big at the time. My parents had a group of three couples, and they would take turns hosting these dinner parties at their houses.”
With that in mind, Babin invited us into her own dining room for a blush and bashful celebration combining the best of old and new.
Late nights on Etsy as well as the collections of family friends helped Babin bring together an authentically ’80s experience, complete with vintage plates, butterflies, glassware, silverware and even a vase and lamp. Rather than typical floral arrangements, Babin opted for bunches of eucalyptus, a nod to an era-long fixation on dried florals—remember potpourri, anyone?
“A lot of this was pulled from my memories of my aunt’s house,” Babin says. “I remember she had pinks and eucalyptus everywhere.”
Babin even changed out her dining room curtains in favor of two panels of blush-toned velvet. But, one thing that stayed the same was the space’s larger furniture pieces.
“In the ’80s, things like Miami Vice and Tom Cruise in Cocktail got people obsessed with the art deco, Miami style,” Babin notes. “This style has come back around, with the Palm Springs vibe that is so popular right now.”
No dinner party is complete without, well, the dinner. Babin enlisted friend and The Gilded Artichoke owner Lisa Boudreaux for a full menu of nostalgic favorites. Southern Sausage Balls. Fancy Pigs in a Blanket. Shrimp Cocktail. The selection is stacked with dishes still found at parties. To wash it down, a trio of fruity cocktails—reminiscent of those Cruise mixed up in the aforementioned blockbuster film—rounds out the offerings.
“The ’80s were full of recipes for quick, easy and semi-homemade meals and snacks for busy moms,” Boudreaux notes. “Simple ingredients or items that were store bought and then assembled at home like the dishes prepared for this shoot were the way to go for entertaining with ease.”
While much has changed in the last 35 years, this same desire for simple yet dazzling dishes remains. Today, there is an entire industry of professionals ready to bring party dreams to reality without the hosts having to worry about picking up a pack of pre-shredded cheese or miniature sausages from the grocery store.
“As a professional in this industry, I can say that menus are now created for the foodie palette in mind and guests are more open to trying out-of-the-box dishes,” Boudreaux explains. “The options are endless, and hosting is more than just food, it’s an experience for guests to remember. Although the occasion is the reason to celebrate, it’s the details such as table settings, crafted dishes and specialty drinks that bring it to life.”
Here’s a detailed look at this ’80s-inspired celebration, including two of Boudreaux’s appetizer recipes.
VENDORS
Design: Angela Marie Events
Catering: The Gilded Artichoke
Vintage finds: Transistor Sisters Vintage
Linens: Nüage Designs
Eucalyptus: Carlstedt’s Wholesale Florist
Southern Sausage Balls
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground mild pork sausage, room temperature
2 cups biscuit baking mix (or 2 cups all-purpose flower and 2 tsp. baking powder)
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (Balls will not stick together if bagged shredded is used.)
Dash cayenne pepper
Fresh cracked pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sausage and biscuit mix and seasonings in a large bowl; mix with hands until well combined. Add shredded cheese and mix until fully incorporated. Roll mixture into 1-in. balls and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and sausage is cooked. Depending on oven, approximately 20-25 minutes. Once cooled, remove from pan and garnish with fresh chopped parsley or chives.
Fancy Pigs in a Blanket
INGREDIENTS
1 roll refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 pkg. cocktail sausages
1 egg, beaten
White sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unroll crescent dough and cut each triangle in half, lengthwise. Gently roll one cocktail sausage in each triangle and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly brush each with egg wash (beaten egg) and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Once cooled, remove from the pan and serve with your favorite mustard. If made as a breakfast treat, serve with mustard or preserves.
