Your guide to spring party hosting from this season’s tastemakers
As spring defrosts one ray of sunshine at a time, our excitement for budding flowers and blue skies builds. Welcoming the warmth of a new season is thrilling; there are endless opportunities to host the spring party you’ve been daydreaming about all winter long. That citrus-themed get-together you wrote down in your Notes app last November? It’s time to squeeze that idea and get your creative juices flowing!
While those seasonal party ideas begin to blossom, it’s time to nail down a few tailored spring party themes that speak to your personality. You might be in search of the quintessential tabletop centerpiece for your garden dinner party, or maybe you’re eager to personalize spring party invitations for everyone in your circle. We all know that when it comes to planning any get-together, the magic is in the details. Fortunately, we spoke with some stylish seasonal experts about all things spring party decorations, hosting tips, themes, and invitations.
Meet Lucy Williams, Tiffany Thompson, and Harling Ross: Three hosting connoisseurs and tastemakers who shared their inspirations, trend predictions, and helpful tips for jump-starting those spring party ideas as the season kicks off.
If you’ve been waiting for an ideal time to start planning your spring social calendar, take this as your sign.
Meet the tastemakers
Lucy Williams, a UK-based stylist, content creator, and founder of Lucy Williams Home, who has a knack for comfort and patina in any space she curates.
Tiffany Thompson, a Portland-based interior designer and founder of DUETT Interiors, who enjoys designing spaces that toe the line between eclecticism and timelessness.
Harling Ross, an NYC-based fashion writer and founder of Gumshoe on Substack, who prefers to think outside the box and source her belongings with unwavering intention.
How would you describe your personal style?
Lucy Williams
I’d say my personal style is eclectic but rooted in feeling comfortable and at ease, and I think when I look at my home through that same lens, it feels pretty similar. I always like both my wardrobe and home to feel personal and lived-in, and I’m a big believer in things never being too nice or too perfect. I think a tiny bit of bad taste works wonders.
Tiffany Thompson
My personal style and my interiors come from the same place: refined, but audacious. I love timeless pieces and a really considered, refined color palette, then pushing it with texture and material. For me, the magic is in the mix. Pairing different silhouettes, pieces, and finishes so your aesthetic feels layered, intentional, and a little unexpected.
Harling Ross
Comfortable, color-driven, and hopefully ‘not everyone’s cup of tea.’ My favorite things that I own or wear are those that feel really specific to me personally, whether it’s something I know with conviction that I’m obsessed with, regardless of trends or other influences, or something I found secondhand. I would always prefer to look a little weird than to look a little boring.
What is your approach to hosting?
Lucy Williams
I’ve realized I’m never going to be the best cook ever or have the most beautiful table, but I like to try and make people feel at ease and relaxed, so I hope I’m good at that. I also hope I’ve never sent anyone home thirsty or hungry! I like things to be as relaxed as possible for guests and for me. I want to be able to actually spend time with friends rather than just squirrelling away in the kitchen.
Tiffany Thompson
I love hosting. I want everyone to feel comfortable. Conversation is always at the center of everything. If people feel comfortable opening up with one another, then my job is complete.
Harling Ross
I’m not a great cook (nor do I enjoy cooking), but I try not to let that get in the way of hosting stuff, which I love. I tend to host things that don’t require a lot of cooking, like Super Bowl parties, casual brunches with our neighborhood friends and their kids, or low-key “sprinkles” for friends expecting their second baby. What I lack in food skills, I try to make up for in fun details—like handwritten menus and place cards, or an unexpected theme.
How do you stay inspired?
Lucy Williams
Travel is a huge inspiration for me. From small hotels and trying different restaurants to just seeing how people in different places dress, I always come home with new energy. We went to Tokyo for the first time last year, and I’ve never been so invigorated by a place.
Tiffany Thompson
I stay inspired by staying curious. Keeping myself in a constant state of discovery lets me surprise myself. New thoughts, ideas, and concepts show up all the time, and those little sparks often become the starting point for a project. I’m super inspired by people working in worlds that aren’t my own. I love set design for concerts, runways, and fashion shows, and I’m just as moved by simple, everyday spaces that shape how people feel. A really good coffee shop or a bookstore that feels lived-in, those kinds of places that feel like home, are a huge source of inspiration for me.
Harling Ross
My mom is my creative soulmate and a constant source of inspiration, particularly when it comes to hosting. She has impeccable taste and is masterful at setting a table, but she’s also a total goofball who will happily embarrass herself for the sake of a good theme. She’s one of the most relaxed people I know and genuinely loves it when friends drop by unannounced. I’m still working on achieving that level of chill.
Stepping into spring
What feeling do you hope guests will have when receiving a spring party invitation from you?
Tiffany Thompson
I want them to feel chosen. I keep my circles small and intentional, so when someone gets an invitation from me, I want it to feel like they are being welcomed into a special little club of like minds.
Harling Ross
A total lack of pressure. I want people to feel like they can come exactly as they are, stay as long or as little as they want, and absolutely Irish goodbye if that’s their vibe. The best hosts, in my opinion, are those who make their guests feel at ease from the moment they walk in the door—so that’s what I strive for whenever possible.
Whether you’re having an intimate gathering or a milestone celebration, what excites you the most about hosting?
Lucy Williams
It’s normally the guests themselves—getting to catch up with friends and spoil them a bit is the best bit of hosting. And being able to go straight up to bed at the end!
Tiffany Thompson
The intimacy. I want people to feel safe and seen.
Harling Ross
My honest answer: I’m a major homebody and a tired mom of two little kids, so one of my favorite things about hosting (beyond the sheer delight of spending time with people I love) is the fact that I never have to leave my apartment and can go to bed right when it’s done!
How do you like to decorate your home for the spring?
Lucy Williams
I like having some jars of little white daffodils dotted around, and I always get some green, budding branches to sit on my mantelpiece for the whole season.
Tiffany Thompson
The season of florals. They become the focal point in every space.
Harling Ross
I’m the biggest sucker for bodega peonies and tulips. I like to tuck individual stems into little bud vases around my apartment, on shelves and countertops that are out of my toddler’s reach.
Spring trends and traditions
What trends are you predicting for the 2026 spring season?
Tiffany Thompson
I think people are gathering outside of their homes at their favorite places like bars, cafés, and retail spaces. People are using spaces in the service industry to invite their community into their worlds. I also see a lot more activity-based community hosting centered around wellness. It is not enough to just get together; we are asking how we can make one another better.
Harling Ross
More last-minute plans and impromptu gatherings. We spend too much time on our phones and playing Tetris with our calendars these days—it makes us overstimulated and flaky. That’s why there’s something so appealing about a gathering that materializes out of nowhere. It has a whole different energy.
Are there any spring traditions that you partake in?
Lucy Williams
Easter at home with my family is my favorite. My nephews are all in their teens now, and yet we all still run around doing a competitive Easter egg hunt. It gets heated!
Tiffany Thompson
I think spring is about the emergence of new things: new ideas, new versions of yourself. It is about stepping into who you are becoming.
Harling Ross
Spending as much time as possible in Central Park, basking in the daffodils and cherry blossoms with a mini pack of Kleenexes handy for allergies. Heaven.
Spring parties: tips and tricks
If you were to give 3 pieces of advice to a host who wants to throw a spring event, what would they be?
Lucy Williams
- I like making the table reflect all those new flowers and signs of life outside. Little jars of greenery and whatever’s growing outside.
- Add lemon zest and chopped mint to everything and anything—instant spring feeling in my mind.
- I always feel like a striped or bright white tablecloth is a great antidote to the end of winter.
Tiffany Thompson
- Feed your guests. I despise going to gatherings, and there’s nothing to eat, so please feed your people.
- As the host, you are the guide for conversation and a beautiful evening. Take that role seriously.
- Allow the moment to evolve into what it will become. Don’t be rigid. Be present and let the moment lead you somewhere beautiful.
Harling Ross
- Crack your windows! Even if it’s still chilly. The smell of the season is part of your ambience.
- If you’re neurotic about shoe germs like me (particularly in the spring when it’s muddy outside), put a cute little sign on your front door asking people to remove their footwear when they come inside; that way, you’ll spare yourself the sheepishness of having to keep asking.
- For anyone with a milestone spring birthday coming up, please borrow this party idea I came up with: a Spring Chicken Party. You serve roasted chicken and celebrate the fact that you are, officially, no longer a spring chicken.
Any other hosting tips and tricks?
Lucy Williams
Prep as much as you can in advance. Even the things that you think are easy become stressful when someone’s chatting to you, I find. Oh, and personally, unless it’s a seriously special occasion, I’m a big fan of cheating and buying dessert!
Tiffany Thompson
A theme is always fun. Lean into that.
Harling Ross
The main tip that I try to employ myself is: assume that people are happy to be there.
Plan your next spring soirée with Paperless Post
Garden parties and picnic brunches might look illustrious and effortless, but planning the perfect fling is a team effort! Paperless Post aims to alleviate your planning stressors one beautiful spring invitation at a time—whether you’re hosting a birthday brunch in the garden or cocktails and conversation on a warm spring evening. Spring has sprung, and it’s time to welcome the warmth in style.