It’s been since pre-covid times that we threw a party, so we were a little nervous we might not remember how to do it. But, with Bev turning 50 and Unlocking CT turning 8, we had a lot to celebrate.

So, we brought some of our favorite businesses & people together under one fabulous roof…and this is how it all turned out. Spoiler: AWESOME! Oh, what a night!

The Bev is 50/ Unlocking CT is 8 Party!

This called for a joint celebration!

Our cake from Sweet Maria’s was every bit as good as it looks!

The following local businesses helped make it a night to remember!

Location – Buck’s Rock Camp

Why Buck’s Rock? I (Bev here) came to work at Buck’s Rock waaaay back in the early 90s, when I traveled over to New Milford from Scotland, just a young lass (19!!). I worked in the kitchen while my friend Caroline cleaned toilets and we had the very best summer of our lives.

Really short version; I met my husband at Buck’s Rock, we got married, and we worked for Buck’s Rock happily ever after!

Buck’s Rock Camp is a performing & creative arts camp that has recently become a non-profit! The magic of BR is now more affordable & accessible to a wide & diverse group of campers.

So, in a nutshell, BR is a special place to me and I loved bringing all of my worlds together under the disco ball in our pavilion!

It was a ridiculously rainy day that we’ll probably never forget…which ended the moment the hour struck 7 PM – party start time! Thanks to the Buck’s Rock team for all the help in getting the space ready, complete with disco ball, string lights, and luminaries!

Incredible catering by Noujaim’s Bistro

The spanakopita, chicken satay, baklava, and hummus cups were by one of our absolute faves, Noujaim’s Bistro in Winsted; worth every mile it will take you to visit! Fact: The owner and our friend, George Noujaim, can do 100 things at once and stay as cool as a cucumber. Everything was delicious as ever!

❤️ Sweet Maria’s

We love, love, love Sweet Maria’s in Waterbury and were so happy to have her cupcakes at our party. They have a ton of cake/icing combos to choose from but we settled on Lemon/Coconut, Chocolate Mousse, and Pink Champagne. And gluten-free cupcakes for our GF friends because EVERYONE needs cupcakes! Yummm!

Maria suggested a white cake with a summery raspberry & lime mousse, adorned with summer colors and a touch of sparkle. “Yes, pleassssse”!! 💯

And for all the beautiful flower arrangements, thank you, Rebecca Gerlin! ❤️

Charcuterie goodness thanks to Local Gourmet

Between the two of us, we probably visit Local Gourmet in Southbury about 5x/a week…we LOVE their huge selection of mouth-watering ready-to-go meals, salads, and fresh goodies! They have an awesome catering menu too, hence this amazing charcuterie at our party. YUM!

The Mobile Pub brought the bartending awesomeness!

If any of you out there in CT and beyond are looking to pep up your next event and treat your guests to a special night..call these guys! The Mobile Pub crew is so awesome to work with! We wanted to adopt this little vintage Shasta Caravan. Morgan & Melanie served up our beverages for the evening and brought the party!

We were honored to sign The Mobile Pub’s ceiling…

And pretend we knew what we were doing behind the bar for one second!

Our Litchfield Distillery signature cocktail

A party isn’t a party without Litchfield Distillery, so a big high five to them for providing their delicious Agave and vodka for our signature cocktails.

We loved the recipe Litchfield Distillery came up with for our 4-year party so much that we decided to bring it back!

The Elderflower Unlocktail

2 oz. Litchfield Distillery vodka
.5 oz. Elderflower liqueur
.5 oz. fresh lime juice
.5 oz. cranberry juice
Ice

360 Camera fun thanks to PowerStation Events

The 360 Camera was a HIT! When we learned that PowerStation Events offered them, we quickly gave them a call. We also got a tour of their Cheshire facility and we’ll be sharing a Reel soon. Basically, ANYTHING you could ever need to pull off ANY size event, they have it and offer it.

Red, red wine courtesy of Aquila’s Nest Vineyard

Red wine is one of our faves – and so were so thankful to Aquila’s Nest Vineyard for providing their Red Blend for us to enjoy. Go visit their Newtown vineyard if you haven’t yet. It’s a magical experience!

Thanks to Adam Broderick Salon & Spa for getting our hair party ready!

Our hair was styled to party perfection thanks to Dani and Alessandra at Adam Broderick Salon & Spa in Southbury!

Event photography by Peter Oberc – Headshots Hero

If you were at the party you probably struck a pose for Peter! He’s the best to work with and always gets “the shot”! We had a headshot session with Peter a few months ago – check it out if you’re in the market for a refresh!