When the Walnut Creek Citylifestyle editorial team began brainstorming ideas for November’s cover, one vision stood out—a fall picnic that would capture the season's warmth and abundance.
To bring that vision to life, we turned to Carlota Lock, the owner of Blooms ’N Bliss, who does floral design, event styling, and her signature “all-inclusive luxury picnics.”
Drawing on the relationships built through years of collaboration, Lock reached out to three talented women she knew would complement the vision: Basma Totah of Petal & Platter Design, Lasondra Wilson of Yellowcake Desserts, and Kay-Kay Hines of Elegance Party Rentals.
Together, the four women transformed an autumn-inspired concept into an elegant tablescape designed to invite guests to linger. Each brought their own artistry to create a cohesive experience.
“I used beautiful, rich autumn colors, seasonal florals, different textures, linens, and tableware to create that warm and cozy feeling,” Lock explained about her vision for the picnic tablescape. “I also wanted the charcuterie and desserts to be part of the design, not just something placed on the table.”
Totah complemented the tablescape with an abundant grazing display, while Wilson carried the fall theme into the desserts, creating cupcakes and spice cake with fruits such as figs, citrus and grapes.
Hines added layers of texture with a crushed-velvet mossy olive linen, lanterns, vintage goblets and carefully selected tableware.
Every little detail matters, said Lock.
When asked about her creative journey and inspiration, Lock said it all starts with the clients.
For Lock, understanding what the clients are celebrating, what they love, what matters to them and, most importantly, how they want their guests to feel.
Her favorite moment comes at the end, when everything is in place and Lock takes a step back to see the concept become a reality.
“Even better is seeing my client’s face when they walk in for the first time; that’s the part I love,” said Lock.
For Totah, attention to detail in setting up a grazing table is more than arranging food beautifully.
With years of experience creating different styles of grazing tables, Totah emphasizes organization, preparation, and precision.
Each item is placed with intention and purpose to create an unforgettable display and luxurious experience for her clients, said Totah.
Totah’s approach combines her love of food with her eye for design.
“We offer a variety of flavors and textures with seasonal produce sourced from San Francisco Bay Area local farmers' markets that adds beautiful pops of color,” Totah noted.
For Wilson, the artistry continues through her desserts. Her talent was recognized at the California State Fair, where her chocolate chip cookies with four types of chocolate won third prize, her peach cobbler blondie earned second prize, and her banana toffee cupcakes took first.
“I love using brown butter and brown sugar together and thought those flavors would pair well with the banana. I also thought the banana would be delicious with caramel,” said Wilson. “Once I created and tested the recipe, we loved it! It's been some years since then, and it remains a favorite for clients who enjoy rich and decadent flavors.”
But for Wilson, creating desserts is not simply about flavor or appearance—it is about telling a story. She begins each custom order with a conversation, asking clients about their relationship, favorite colors, interests, and the details that make their celebration personal.
With that information, Wilson brainstorms ideas to fit the client’s request and suggests small details that make the cake and desserts uniquely theirs.
For Hines, an event's beauty also depends on what happens behind the scenes.
She knows that successful events require a strong, experienced “A team” and plenty of preparation.
Sometimes, one of those seemingly small details can also make the biggest difference. Hines believes chairs are one of the most underestimated elements of event design.
“You can have the prettiest linens, the prettiest centerpieces, and the best photographer and event planned out, but if the chairs are unfavorable, that is all people will see, and it's also the most seen item in a photo of an event,” said Hines.