Summertime is our favorite time of the year to host a party. I mean, who doesn’t like sipping a cold beverage on a warm summer night with their favorite friends?! So now that Summer is officially here, we decided to kick things off by hosting a garden party inspired by one of our favorite cocktails, The Paloma.
To give our table a fiesta vibe, we used colorful paper products from the shop & some items we purchased from a local Mexican grocery store. Little touches, like potting plants into repurposed salsa cans, was an inexpensive way to tie our theme into our tablescape.
When we hosting a party, we like to to be able to mingle & enjoy our guests. To ensure that we weren’t playing caterer the entire time, we kept the food simple by serving homemade guac & chips in these cute little kraft paper containers. That way we could prep things in advance……and the packaging gives it a personalized touch (bonus!)
Decanting store bought beverages into pretty glass bottles is one of our favorite “cheats” to creating a party with a homemade feel.
Summertime Entertaining Tips
- Keep It Simple: Summertime is all about informal get togethers and laid back entertaining. If hosting a dinner party, opt for family style service. Serving a variety of appetizers instead of a full meal is another way to keep things uncomplicated. The best part of keeping things simple is it gives you a chance to enjoy both your guests and your party.
- Execute A Couple Details Really Well, And Try Not To Sweat The Rest: Don’t sweat every single little detail. Remember that summertime entertaining is supposed to be more casual & carefree. Figure out which things are the most important to you and execute those few things really well.
- Don’t Over Think It: It is an easy thing to do (especially for those of us that are perfectionists ** raises hand**) However, keep in mind that your guests aren’t going to notice (or even **gasp** care) if the napkins look better fanned out or stacked. Obsessing over things like this will drive you crazy and WILL stress you out (trust us, we have been there). And one thing we do know for sure is, a stressed out hostess is not a very fun one. You don’t want to be a party pooper now, do you?! Plus, some of the best parties we have ever thrown were the ones done with little to no time to plan. Just go with you gut and move on.
- Be Inspired By The Season: With all the great produce & flowers available in the summer months, now is the perfect time to try a new drink recipe or floral arrangement. Get creative!
Cheers To Summer!
Styling, Concept & Photography: Jessie Senese
Juicy Orange Products: Table Runner, Wooden Candy Sticks, Square Paper Plates (available in Carnation, Grass Green, Juicy Orange & Hot Pink), Napkins (available in Carnation, Grass Green, Juicy Orange & Hot Pink), Bistro Glasses, Gold Forks, Tissue Streamers, Geometric Box With Lid & Swing Top Bottles: Available at Shop Sweet Lulu