It was the perfect summer day at Maple Shade, the historic Hamptons home of KDHamptons founder Kelli Delaney Kot and Dr. Mark Kot. Hosted by KDHamptons, the Luxury Lifestyle Diary, LUX Lifestyle Magazine and Bed Side Reading, the exclusive “Books, Bubbly, and Blooms Garden Party” was held on July 2, attracting invited Hamptons influentials, tastemakers, writers and passionate readers who came to celebrate the holiday weekend. A dynamic group of selected authors signed their hot new summer reads and guests toasted with Kelli’s favorite cocktails while being served artisanal summer bites by Andrea Correale of Elegant affairs.

I love to serve a “small bite”menu  at my garden parties presented and passed on beautiful trays.

Elegant Affairs staff greeted guests as they served delicious bites throughout the garden. Pictured above are the caesar salad bites which were a unique spin on the fan-favorite salad.

Andrea Correale pictured with her scrumptious seared tuna bites.Elegant Affairs is a full service off-premise caterer serving social, corporate, and non-profit parties and events in Manhattan, NYC, Long Island, and the Hamptons. A favorite appetizer of the guests were the mini cups of Stracciatella Panna di Latte from Lioni cheese served with an Oishii strawberry. 

Another popular Lioni cheese dish that was served was the Marinated Ciliegine With Sundried Tomato Fresh Mozzarella Cup (pictured above).

Andrea (pictured above) has a love for each and every aspect of her business. From the perfect presentation, to the smallest of details. She is always thinking of how something could be done even better the next time around. Her commitment to providing the best food, service and overall experience is exactly why Elegant Affairs is known as the go-to caterer on Long Island, Manhattan and the Hamptons. Known for her innovative food presentations, Andrea inspires people to entertain at home with style and ease.

An adorable touch to the menu was the assorted melon balls- the perfect summer bite!

The event was hosted in the Kots’ gorgeous blooming gardens which featured charming conversation tables and sitting areas styled with Weston Table decor including French table linens, Arte Italica Scalloped Pitchers filled with layers of peonies and pink Chinese forget-me-nots. Weston Tables white Mosser Glass cake stands were accompanied by Cheryls’ flower shaped cookies which were the ultimate treat at the garden party.

Twenty authors were selected by Kelli and Jane Ubell of Bedside Reading which places books by the bedsides, poolsides, firesides and in the hands of VIPS through their partnerships with luxury and boutique hotels.

Guests toasted with Harry and David Sparkling White Wine which has a textured creaminess and light citrus flavor that complements just the right amount of crisp minerality, making this wine perfect for a warm summer day in the Hamptons. Harry & David’s award-winning wines are made with grapes primarily sourced from Oregon’s many micro-climates situated in the rich Umpqua, Rogue, and Willamette valleys, as well as the Pacific Northwest. To hear more about Harry and David, check out KDHamptons’ article here.

The cocktailing crowd was thrilled to try Via Carota’s new line of exquisite craft cocktails which are inspired from their award-winning namesake West Village restaurant. For more information about Via Carota’s Craft Cocktails, read KDHamptons’ article here. Kelli chose to serve the White Negroni, Old Fashioned, and Espresso Martini. Another hit were the tequila cocktails by 21 Seeds which are infused with cucumbers, jalapeños, oranges, and grapefruit. Read more about the delicious tequila beverages here.

More party tricks included serving mouth-watering Oishii Strawberries which are the summer hit of TikTok and Instagram. These “Omakase” and “Koyo” supermodel strawberries are vertically grown and can be delivered to your door through FreshDirect. To read more about the unique berries, read KDHamptons’ article here.

Kelli’s gifting table for guests included delightful sets from Kelli’s favorite tea company, Tea Forte. Tea Forté’s new limited-edition Jardin Collection offers an assortment of organic teas in the prettiest packaging curated in collaboration with The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG).

Sugary snacks from Sundae Donuts were a guest favorite and left staff restocking the stands over and over again! Even the furry friends (like the one pictured above) wanted a bite.

The guests were fashionable, the bites & bevs were delicious and the event was FABULOUS! KDHamptons and team are now back to the drawing board for our next amazing summer event. To see more great images from the event, visit our exclusive photo album HERE.

Written by Nicole Vawter

Images by Eric Striffler