Inspiration For An Elevated Camping Experience

Camping is the quintessential summer activity, especially for those of us living in mountainous, outdoorsy areas. Here in Montana, camping is just a normal part of life. I grew up camping and just love continuing the tradition with my kids. 

For me, there is nothing more relaxing than a camping trip. Surrounded by nature, away from technology, and focused entirely on my favorite people, I feel more connected to nature and my family when we are in the woods. 

But, in true Brit-fashion, I can’t just go camping and rough it. 

I have to camp with a little style, a lot of beauty, and a definite hostess vibe. Let’s just call it chic camping.

This shoot was inspired by a comfortable camping soiree, cuddled under the stars with some classic camping snacks that are prepared with a twist.

Decor

To start with, let’s talk decor. While you’ll have either a tent or a camper to sleep in, the whole point of camping is to get into nature, so let’s look at my favorite way to experience nature – a picnic.

You’ll want to bring a rugged, yet comfortable blanket, some pillows for lounging, flowers (of course), and some thoughtful, outdoorsy decor. Mine is from Pendleton and just love the earthy tones with the pop of orange and blue.

And you don’t just have to use the blanket for a picnic either. You’ll need it to cuddle under for those cool fall evenings coming up. The pillows are from Target.

Because, in my mind, no dinner is complete without a decadent flower arrangement, I just had to source a rustic, yet elegant, bouquet for our picnic. This arrangement, from Habitat Floral Studio, is simple and refined with a lot of greenery and dried grasses. The poppies and impatiens make the florals pop.

Now let’s talk about the plates and mugs

First off, in lieu of tables—because let’s be honest, your typical camping tables are anything BUT chic—I went with some simply cut tree stumps. The dinnerware is from Forty-Four Rental and Design and I just how the pattern makes the design a little more modern and a little less rustic. It’s a great example of how you can combine decor styles and still make it work.

The Snacks

One of the best parts of camping? The food.

Whether you are preparing fire-cooked meals or just snacking, camp food is the best food.

We decided to stick with snacks, but, of course, prepared with a twist.

First off, let’s look at our snack basket. Bagged snacks (in our case, Smart Foods popcorn which is my absolute favorite) and root beer (or you can always go for some our famous locally-brewed craft beers). It’s always nice to have some easy snacks on hand and storing them in a nice woven basket just makes it all the more attractive.

And, of course, don’t forget the playing cards for a bit of competitive fun.

I had Cakes in the Zoo create these gorgeous campfire-themed cupcakes for our shoot.

And finally, what would camping be without s’mores? Well, in our case, we created a s’mores mix – it’s easier and much cleaner to eat…and just as delicious. For ours, we added pretzels, mini-marshmallows and mini-Hershey bars, and some caramel popcorn. You can, of course, make this whatever you desire.

So there you have it—some chic camping inspiration to make your next outdoor adventure not only fun, but stylish as well.

Let me know – what are you favorite little tricks and tips about camping?

Sources for Chic Camping Inspiration:

Design: Brittnay Newman, Soiree 99 Events

Photos: Stella K Photography

Rentals: Forty-Four Rental and Design

Pillows: Target

Blanket: Pendleton

Cupcake: Cakes in the Zoo

Florals: Habitat Floral Studio

Brittany Newman is a highly-regarded wedding and event planner. Located in Missoula, Montana but available for travel worldwide, Brittany lives for planning one-of-a-kind, heart-centered events. Make sure you sign up for her newsletter for more hosting inspiration.