What Happens When You Bring 22 Birmingham Strangers Together and Say “Trust Me”?
StyleBlueprint Birmingham and Hattie O'Hara came together to invite Birmingham to trust them for one night. Three stops and 22 new friends later, a new Magic City tradition was born. Image: Mullen Photo Co.
On a recent October night, Hattie O’Hara and StyleBlueprint teamed up to bring the first-ever “Trust Me Night” to life in Birmingham. The idea was simple: guests signed up for an evening of fun but were given no details about what the night would entail. Their only instructions? Show up, bring walking shoes, and be willing to say “yes” to spontaneity. All 22 spots sold out within 48 hours!
Stop One: Golden Age Wine Garden
The evening kicked off at Golden Age Wine Garden, where excited, curious guests mingled on the patio, enjoying wine and charcuterie.
As a conversation starter, each attendee was given a name tag and badge featuring the prompt, “What is something you could talk about all day?” That question gave everyone a chance to share something about themselves, whether it was a favorite hobby, an interest, or an unexpected story.
Nicole Klein, for example, an attendee whose badge read “travel,” told stories about hiking Machu Picchu in Peru and spending three weeks in the Sahara Desert. These types of exchanges became commonplace as the fun icebreaker helped people of all ages and backgrounds remove any barriers and learn more about one another. As the guests headed to the second stop, friendships were beginning to form.
Stop Two: Small Batch Birmingham
The next stop was just a short walk down the block to a pop-up tasting event from Small Batch Birmingham. The private dinner took place in a residential apartment, where guests were greeted with cocktails before enjoying a seasonal menu thoughtfully curated by local chefs Brian Dyer and Sam Adams, especially for the event.
The first course featured an Asian-inspired salad, followed by pumpkin ravioli. The main course was braised beef short ribs with roasted carrot purée and confit potatoes. Each course was paired with a wine that further enhanced the flavors — and the experience.
The wine wasn’t the only thing flowing. With guests from all walks of life gathered for dinner, there was never a shortage of exciting conversations. To add to the fun, prompt cards encouraged each guest to find something in common with the person sitting next to them.
By the end of the meal, the cards were full of common-ground topics like “we both have children” and “we both grew up in Birmingham,” but they also revealed quirky connections like “cats and houseplants.”
With hearts and bellies full, many guests assumed it was time for the evening to come to an end — little did they know there was more to come!
Stop Three: Armour & Co. Rooftop
For the last stop, the group walked one street over to the rooftop of Armor & Co., where espresso martinis, a spread of desserts, and a spectacular view of Birmingham awaited. But even sweeter than the desserts and views were the connections that had been made.
By now, guests were more than just fellow attendees — they were friends exchanging phone numbers and social media handles, and even making plans for the future as they savored the last moments of what everyone agreed was a magical evening.
Upon leaving, guests received a special “thank you” for trusting complete strangers to plan their entire evening — in the form of beautiful bouquets from Hattie and StyleBlueprint, provided by Vernal Florals.
As a fly on the wall at this first-of-its-kind gathering, what stood out to me the most was how willingly everyone embraced the experience from start to finish. People showed up without knowing the itinerary, struck up conversations with total strangers, and left wanting to do it all over again.
Much to everyone’s delight, Hattie shared that while this was the first “Trust Me Night,” it will certainly not be the last. Sometimes all we need to do is let go and be open to whatever happens next.
A special thanks to each of our partners: Golden Age Wine Garden, Small Batch Birmingham, Armour & Co., Vernal Florals, and Mullen Photo Co.
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Katie Healey
Originally from Minnesota, Katie is a senior at Samford University and an intern with StyleBlueprint Birmingham. She loves exploring her adopted city, whether she's checking out new restaurants, spending time with friends, or keeping up with the latest fashion trends.
