When I organized this dinner party shoot last month, I had Sarah take photos of me while I set everything up so I could share some behind-the-scenes images with you today.
In the true spirit of behind-the-scenes storytelling, I’ve included an embarrassing shot or two to remind us that things aren’t always as polished as they look. Sometimes it’s a little chaotic — but it’s my kind of chaos, and I like it.
Check out the final images in the original post to see the completed shots of the dinner party, then come back here for the behind-the-scenes details.
First up: garlands.
To get the knotted garlands at the right height for photos, I taped one end to the window and the other to the opposite wall. Normally I would hang them from the ceiling, but the gentle swoop I wanted wouldn’t have worked if they were too high. Yes, I used painter’s tape — very official. Very chic. Or at least that’s what I told myself.
You can also spot that I hadn’t finished painting the wall behind me at the time (I’ve since taken care of it). We cropped that area out of the final images, so no one noticed — until now.
Here’s how the finished garlands looked in the final shots.
Now for the flowers. I changed the centerpiece a few times during the shoot because the first arrangement didn’t feel quite right.
I tried one floral centerpiece, then added a couple more as an alternate option, and eventually removed the flowers entirely in favor of a much more minimal look (which I ended up abandoning). In the end I chose multiple floral centerpieces because they offered lively color and a range of heights that helped fill the frame for certain photos I wanted Sarah to capture.
On to the food prep.
I didn’t have a honey dipper, so I used the handle of a spoon to drizzle honey over goat cheese and fig crostini. It worked perfectly, and I later included that tip in the hacks for the original post. At first it was just a little behind-the-scenes improvisation I hadn’t planned to share.
By the end of the day things looked a little like this: piles of food and props, a few drooping garlands, and the general kind of mess that comes from pulling together a styled shoot.
But a few slices of cake made everything better. Cake fixes a lot of problems, doesn’t it?
Photography by Sarah Eddy
Have your own behind-the-scenes moments to share? I’d love to hear how you approach styled shoots — or just a funny or embarrassing moment you’ve experienced while creating. Share your stories and tips.