One muggy night at The Roost in London, we threw a party. As the sun set, we mingled with friends old and new, sipped cocktails, took turns posing in themed rooms and tried on our best disguises in the photo booth.

It went a little something like this.

Drinks were clanked, questions and answers flew back and forth at a rapid-fire pace and sparkly ears were worn.

Everything went off without a hitch…except for one smoke bomb mishap which shall not be mentioned ever again. *cough*choke*cough*

The night was full of of chit-chat, macaron munching, photo snapping and canapé tasting…all while dancing to Rebbie Jackson and other long-lost 80s tunes. The three three hours went by much too fast.

The real action happened in the photo booth, though. Emily of Fishee Designs pulled out all the stops with custom props and my friend Amelia Arsenic stopped by to join in the fun.

Halfway through the event, we held an open Q&A. Nothing was off-limits — we discussed everything from blogging to personal relationships to our biggest learning experiences and I felt like the candor of us collectively sharing our triumphs and struggles across that room brought us all closer together.

It’s hard to have a bad night when you’re in the midst of talented videographers, beautiful decor and old friends (hi, Loulou!)

Presents were exchanged (thanks, Grace!) and many drinks were had….they were so good that I’m guilty of trying two of each.

As the night went on, we made our way out to a picnic table on the back patio, chatting until the sun went down. I met so many inspiring, open, thoughtful, caring women in that short window of time.

As we said our goodbyes, I was reminded of the power of community. In our daily lives, we’re busy with family, careers, chores and making our dreams a reality. It’s hard to hit the brakes and make time for other things. This night allowed us to put everything else on hold and bond with like-minded women.

It’s always a gamble to put on an event in a new format for the first time…but I walked away feeling full. To the ladies who came out, thank you for being you and sharing your night with us.

Event: The Blogcademy Mixer.
Venue: The Roost.
Photographer: Lisa Jane Photography.
Videographers: Costa Sister Productions.
Photo Booth: Fishee Designs.
Music: Wedding Smashers.
Drinks: Pig’s Bladder and Petticoat and London Velvet.
Treats: Plumb and Rabbitts.
Tissue Balls: Peach Blossom.
Goodie Bags: Cheap Frills jewels, Crown and Glory ears, Abigail Warner cards, Vita Coco, Berlin Made prints and Arnis Purple canvas bags.