Award-winning celebrity event planner Liz Taylor has put together five upscale party ideas to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. From traditional street parties to those fashioned around the era Her Majesty took to the throne, here Liz proves there’s more than one way to celebrate 70 years of our enduring monarch.
Liz, of the Cheshire-based Taylor Lynn Corporation, has a little unique insight into the Queen’s celebrations as she has been lucky enough to meet the Queen twice. Firstly, she accompanied her parents to the Queen’s Garden Party around 40 years ago.
At that time, unmarried women over the age of 18 years were allowed to accompany invited parents to the event. In the 1990s, Liz was again a guest at the Queen’s Garden Party in recognition of her service to the Prince's Trust. On this occasion, she discovered that she was wearing the same Philip Treacy hat at The Queen.
CELEBRATION IDEAS
Fifties Rockabilly Party
Injecting the fun element and attention to detail needed for this occasion, it’s time to honour the era that our Queen took to the throne with a Fifties Rockabilly party. Set up a 1950s diner and have waiters on roller skates deliver burgers, shakes, American-style pancakes and host of other goodies to your guests.
Hire in an authentic fifties jukebox and give guests a dime or two to hit the dance floor. You could even bring in a dance teacher to show them some authentic bunny hop, jive and jitterbug dance steps to go with the fifties rock and roll classics. The dancefloor has to be black and white of course. Bring in vintage motors to provide the wow factor if your budget allows.
Up-Styled Street Party
Street parties are of course the traditional way to celebrate a royal occasion and are likely to be the way most people mark the jubilee.
It’s not actually as easy as simply decking out the street with bunting and popping the champagne corks. There are some rules and regulations you’ll need to follow. You may need to notify your local council in order to get a temporary road closure or apply for temporary events notice to serve alcohol or play loud music.
Once you’ve got the rules and regulations sorted my advice is to up-style your street party. Investing in live music is a must.
Garden flowers and candles displayed in an eclectic mix of red and blue bottles and glass holders will dress white table linens perfectly and provide a patriotic touch to your tables. You can set out a big, long table down the centre of the street but for me, it’s an uncomfortable and unsociable way to dine.
There’s nothing wrong with six to eight-seater tables dotted around the street which offer more opportunity to mix and mingle. You can hire in gold dining chairs to add to the regal vibe.
Weave a sea of festoon lights above tables for added lighting drama as you party into the evening. Also use candles (battery-operated are fine) in storm jars or lanterns to mark pathways. For a real touch of opulence, why not carpet the street. Yes, with a bigger budget you can place deep red rugs or bring in a company to temporarily carpet the area where you will dine.
Catering should be street food stalls if you want that festival feel. Wood-fired pizzas are a popular option. Traditional fish and chips served in cones. Or go for a smorgasbord selection of foods served around the Commonwealth nations for something more diverse, but meaningful.
Glamorous Garden Party
Another traditional royal occasion and one that can be easily emulated at home is the garden party. Upscale your event by adding in traditional Royal Garden games, croquet or Pall-Mall (a la Bridgerton), an oversized chess board and boules would give your day a high society feel.
You can give each guest a luxury picnic hamper and their own personalised embroidered blanket to find a sunny spot. Include miniature bottles of bubbles for each and some upmarket picnic treats, individual patisserie, goats cheese tartlets, and cheeses.
Provide pretty parasols for shading in style.
Barbecues offer more flexibility and creative opportunity than a sandwich selection! Dress a table with colourful salads, cold meats, and artisan breads to accompany what comes off the grill.
1950s Lounge Cocktail Party
At the other end of the scale from the1950s is Madmen-style glamour. Follow the correct etiquette with printed invitations in the style of the era. A retro cocktail bar should be your focal point and be sure to dress to the nines. Seventy years ago, it was a stylish era indeed. Serve up authentic drinks like the Singapore sling, the sidecar, the mint julep, whiskey sours and of course the martini. Some 1950s jazz music or crooners such as Frank Sinatra can create a sophisticated vibe at your cocktail soiree.
Platinum Themed Party
The final theme is a celebration of Queen Elizabeth herself. A monarch who has led by example for 70 years. Stick to a platinum colourway for all your décor and bring in all of Her Majesty’s favourite things.
It’s well documented our Queen is a lover of chocolate cake and lemon drizzle so who are we to argue? Why not go all out with a full afternoon tea in her honour? Did you know the Queen had launched her own sparkling wine in honour of her jubilee? So why not make that the tipple of choice. Or it’s also said she favours a Dubonnet and gin with a slice of lemon and a lot of ice.
*Liz Taylor is an award-winning planner; she has been at the helm of one of the UKs leading luxury and celebrity event planning businesses, The Taylor Lynn Corporation tlc-ltd.co.uk, for more than 30 years.
She specialises in high-end, luxurious parties and has organised events right across the world, from Venetian palaces, stately homes, chateaux, boutique hotels, marquees, nightclubs, mountain top retreats, beaches, and the streets of Manchester to Marrakech or the Vatican City.
It also happens that Liz is no stranger to arranging parties by royal appointment. In fact, when in 2013 the Kensington Palace Winter White Ball Charity Fundraiser was in jeopardy, it was Liz that palace officials called in to save the day. Crisis averted – Taylor Swift, Jon Bon Jovi and Prince William sang karaoke on stage and the photos went viral!
Her clients include the likes of Take That stars Gary Barlow and Howard Donald, Coronation Street cast members Simon Gregson, Jack P Shepherd, Alan Halsall, Antony Cotton, Jennie McAlpine, Shobna Gulati and Catherine Tyldesley, former Manchester United football player-turned-businessman Gary Neville, football stars James Vaughan and Yaya Touré, actress Sally Lindsay, actress and TV personalities Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright, I’m A Celebrity… winner Jaqueline Jossa, and television presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.
*As Her Majesty celebrates her record-breaking reign we have delved into our archives to create a tribute to her life and 70 years of service. Filled with photos and history, Our Queen's Platinum Reign is a magazine we hope readers will treasure for years to come. This special souvenir is available to preorder with £2 off the £9.99 cover price. To find out more, go online to gblshop.co.uk/jubilee
