Boho Themed Party: How to Host an Event With a Bohemian Theme
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- Updated: 13th October 2023
When you think of the word 'bohemian,' your mind likely drifts toward the high fashion runway or an Instagram aesthetic. In truth, this all-natural style emerged during the pre-Raphaelite period, way back in the 18th century. Post-revolution poverty forced Parisians to live a simple lifestyle that embraced creative freedom and rejected worldly possessions.
The modern bohemian finds beauty in what's around them, and the contemporary boho themed party is full of found treasures, cosy spaces, and joyful festival music. These celebrations embrace the fluorescent beauty of the natural world, with decor derived from nature. Bohemian vibes are ultimately about freedom, so follow your creative whims and plan a uniquely original event.
We've created this Bohemian theme guide to help inspire so you can turn your party into your canvas. We'll suggest food, drinks, decor, music, and more to help you style your artsy event.
Read on to learn about our favourite boho party planning ideas and begin curating an all-natural celebration that no one could replicate.
Choose a Bohemian Party Theme
"Bohemian" is a blanket term that refers to a free, unrestricted state of mind. There are near-infinite ways to approach this artistic aesthetic. Your eclectic shindig can maintain a sense of harmony when you unify your event with a boho theme.
Here are a few themes you can use to organize the elements of your event:
- In the garden
- Camping under the stars
- Mini music festival
- Tie Dye and Sip
- Mad tea party
- Feast on the forest floor
- Summer white party
- Lantern launch
While mismatched and eclectic elements are one key to a gorgeous Bohemian bash, they can still help to tell a colour story. Choose a palette or colour scheme to unify the more off-the-wall components of the event. You might focus on subdued pastels, bright colours found in nature, jewel tones, or earth tones.
Bohemian Party Decor
The secret to decorating your venue for a Bohemian party is creating a space that looks like fairies curated it. Guests should get the sense that the charming decor appeared from thin air, and they might imagine it will vanish when the clock chimes in at midnight.
At most Bohemian events, there is a feeling of outdoors meeting indoors. Many boho events take place outside, with elements of the inside incorporated to make it feel intimate and comfortable. In the colder months, you could also bring elements of nature into an indoor space to create the sense that the room is a bubble of eternal spring.
A goal should be to create spaces where guests can talk. The original bohemians were artists and intellectuals who met to share simple food and complicated ideas as they let their hair down and lounged. Many boho celebrations incorporate one central table, where everyone can talk and feast together.
The food, drinks, and dinnerware can also add to the overall vibe, contributing practical and decorative elements to the overall aesthetic.
Flowers
When decorating for your Bohemian event, seek to incorporate "found beauty." The most obvious source is beauty stemming from the natural world, and flowers and greenery are two of the most consistently beautiful and accessible sources of Bohemian party decor.
Instead of fancy vases, consider recycled vessels, including mix-and-match containers. You can use glass bottles, mason jars, coffee cans, or terracotta pots. You can hang them from the ceiling, fashion them into wreaths and crowns, or use them to decorate the strings of your balloons.
Small potted succulents make beautiful seating cards. Set one out at every place and allow guests to take them home as simple, all-natural favours.
A small bouquet in a jar of water also makes a stunning table number if your guests will be sitting separately.
Furniture
One easy way to bring a sense of the indoors into nature is to incorporate interior furniture into your outdoor decor. A single couch in a natural environment captures the imagination and makes an excellent prop for photos. Scatter a few armchairs to create quiet spaces for intimate conversation.
As discussed, many Bohemian parties feature a central dining table where all the guests can feast together. If possible, make it a floor table and invite your guests to lounge on cushions on the ground.
Bohemian Photo Backdrop
If your guests arrive dressed in their festival finest, they'll want to take some photos! You can make the job easier by providing a photo backdrop that makes the selfie station an irresistible draw.
You can lean into the floral motif with a luxurious flower wall or choose a free-flowing tapestry. Something as simple as a crocheted shawl dripping with a floral garland adds an all-natural, free-spirited touch. Guests also love to pose in front of homemade tents or teepees, a trending contemporary aesthetic.
Festival Stage
A Bohemian gathering is a gathering of artists. Many of those artists could be musicians!
Create a small festival stage area where professional folk musicians or guests can perform for the group. You can create a recycled platform using shipping pallets or designate a space using a circle of stones.
For added cosy ambience, set up your stage near a campfire or firepit so guests can enjoy the warmth and light while singing along to their favourite songs.
Bohemian Party Music
To master the boho aesthetic, you should seek to emulate a modern folk music festival. These lyrical celebrations of peace and love bring people together to dance and sing along to their favourite bands. A great folk-style festival band can play all the indie hits your guests crave while creating a laid-back soundscape that will help everyone kick back, relax, and enjoy the beauty of togetherness.
A Mumford-inspired party band can offer chilled-out acoustic jams, high-energy indie favourites, or a combination. They can adjust their sound for mingling and arrivals and pick up the pace when it's time to dance barefoot under the stars.
The Best Boho Bands for Hire
To choose the ideal band, decide whether your party is more about community or free roaming and exploring a lovely natural space. If your guests like to spread out, consider a roving folk band like JJ & The Beatniks, who use wireless technology to present a unique acoustic performance anywhere.
The small indie-pop trio Riptides is ideal for a more intimate venue. This high-energy group will bring you everything from contemporary rock to mainstream indie hits in their signature folk style. These professionals can fill a small space with energetic sound.
For a more rustic event, consider Hunters & Co, an eclectic folk band bringing chilling harmonies and next-level charisma to any space. These artists are first and foremost performers and will add light and life to your Bohemian gathering.
There is a funky folk-inspired band eager to perform at your event, whatever vibe you have in mind. When you reach out to book, let us know what vibe and space restrictions you have in mind. We'll match you with performers who will turn your magical Bohemian paradise into a private musical festival that no one will ever forget.
Bohemian Food and Drink
The key to feasting in Bohemian style is simplicity. You should choose foods with a simple aesthetic and natural flavour.
You can accomplish this by offering a communal charcuterie-style grazing board filled with crackers, bread, meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, and berries. Guests can arrive to find this spread, which is both delicious and decorative. The freedom to graze as they get hungry will ensure nobody is grumpily waiting for the sit-down meal as their blood sugar drops.
If you offer a sit-down meal, prioritize cuisine that highlights the earth's bounty and puts fresh, local ingredients at the forefront. You can provide a salad bar with options for vegetarians and meat eaters. Simple, hearty soups, crusty bread, and family-style casserole dishes add warmth and support the Bohemian vibe.
Another way to centre the natural world in your cuisine is to serve wine at your event. Wines pair wonderfully with rustic, earthy flavours and charcuterie. They evoke ancient Greek Dionysian festivals and add a touch of class to a laid-back affair.
You can embrace the community-centred aspect of Bohemian life by offering a selection of punches served simply in mason jars or mismatched glassware. Guests can help themselves out of bottomless punchbowls full of unique drinks inspired by seasonal flavours.
Likewise, desserts and puddings can feature "nature's candy." A popular trend is serving a "naked" cake, iced and decorated with fresh flowers or fruit.
Dressing the Part
The whole party comes together when you encourage your guests to come dressed for a Bohemian festival. When they curate their style to match your theme, the people become part of the decor and contribute to the eclectic but harmonious vibe.
There is no single definition of "bohemian style." It's anything free, unrestrictive, and a little bit eclectic. Some Bohemian dresses have a retro or vintage feel, acknowledging the free-thinkers that pioneered the boho way of life.
Flower crowns are a huge component of the contemporary Bohemian aesthetic. You can include a flower crown-making station at your event or encourage guests to bring their own. You might ask guests to come dressed in all white with pops of colour from flowers or natural sources.
Ultimately, if guests are unsure what to wear, encourage the following elements:
- Rich, earthy colours or neutrals
- Free-flowing, unrestrictive silhouettes
- Comfortable, nature-derived materials
- Artsy details and embellishments like embroidery, beads, or tassels
- Vibrant, bold patterns such as paisley or florals
- Handmade accessories featuring crochet or macrame elements
Festival fashion is all about creativity, originality, and surprise details. Your guests should feel free to get creative and interpret your theme as they see fit. You will love the styles they dream up!
Bohemian Party Activities
At a Bohemian party, the guests are the main event. Get ready for stimulating conversation, musical performances, and star gazing. Still, you might want to incorporate a few free-spirited party activities to keep your guests busy throughout the event.
Here are a few boho activities that guests love:
- S'mores around the firepit
- Paint and sip
- Communal weaving
- Macrame station
- A tutorial from an experienced mixologist
- Tarot readings
- Seed bomb-making station
We encourage you to approach your event with a DIY attitude. We don't mean making everything yourself. Instead, provide ample opportunities for guests to participate in crafting their own experience.
How can they participate in food preparation, contributing decor, and providing entertainment?
Ultimately, your goal should be to create a singular experience that no one could replicate. That begins when you curate a guest list full of warm, creative friends and concludes with what each of them brings to your one-of-a-kind celebration. Allow them to participate and add something unique that transforms your boho festival into a once-in-a-lifetime gathering for the ages.
Chill Out With a Boho Themed Party
Whether you're chasing a pre-raphaelite intellectual salon or a free and easy hippie-inspired bash, a boho themed party will offer the easygoing aesthetic you crave. The best part about the boho theme is that there are no rules! We know you'll have a blast stretching your creativity as you deck out your space.
Your event's immaculate vibes start and end with a live folk party band. We'll help match you with a musical act that complements your eclectic, artsy affair from beginning to end. Our bands book up quickly, so get in touch today to ensure your perfect festival band will be available to elevate your incredible event.
