1. Appoint an Unconventional Theme
While it's fun and totally acceptable to have a summer garden party for absolutely no reason, you can't go wrong with a fun and unique theme to get your guests excited! Imagine a Hot Havana Nights dinner party where your guests arrive in billowy floral dresses, panama hats and laid back linen only to be greeted by an ice cold Mint Mojito Bar and Cuban Cigar Lounge. Or maybe you keep it simple and ask your guests to a Soiree en Blanc where everyone dresses in white, sipping on white wine spritzers and enjoying an interactive oyster raw bar. Whether you choose to host an Alice in Wonderland Tea, or a Backyard Low Country Boil, appointing a unique theme will make it easier to decide what food, drink and entertainment to serve up at your next backyard party.
2. Greet with a Simple Batch Cocktail
Stocking a full bar can be time consuming, expensive, and almost always unnecessary. Keep it simple for your next outdoor party with a refreshing signature cocktail offered to your guests as they arrive. Our favorite signature cocktails are ones we can muddle, prep, store and serve in a big pitcher. Keep the ingredient list simple and splurge on anything you can get fresh. Squeezing your own citrus juices and muddling fresh herbs makes a huge impact on flavor, so you without having to track down any obscure ingredients. You can plan for most guests to imbibe with 1-2 signature cocktails at the beginning of the party, then switch to wine or beer for the rest of the evening. Check out this recipe for a Summer Sangria that is impossible to mess up:
Serves 8 glasses, multiply as needed
Ingredients:
1 bottle dry, crisp Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or Vinho Verde
2 tablespoons fine sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 banana, peeled and cut into chunks
1 orange, sliced
2 peaches, cut into 6 wedges each
1 red apple, cored and sliced into wedges
Directions:
Combine wine and sugar in a pitcher, stir until combined. Add juices and fruit, refrigerate for at least one hour before serving and up to 1 day.
5. Luxe Chilled Towels
A little bit of luxury goes a long way when entertaining at home. One of our favorite luxe touches for outdoor parties is to offer a chilled lavender towel to guests just before dinner to wipe their hands or brow. This is a hostess with the mostess level service and so easy to prepare ahead! Simply add a few drops of lavender essential oil to 2 gallons of water and soak white washcloths in the diluted mixture for 10 minutes. Remove the washcloths one by one, wring out excess liquid and roll. Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days on a platter until you’re ready to pass them out!
6. Plan for Rain AND Shine
Afternoon showers won’t get you down (or soaking wet) if you plan for them! Just make sure that any formal seating and the buffet are tucked away under a covered porch so that you don’t have to scramble to move tables around at the last minute. Outdoor seating and yard games can stay outside and will encourage your guests to enjoy the sunshine while the weather is nice! If you think the sun might be beating down a little too hard for an enjoyable afternoon, choose a corner of the yard with plenty of trees to block the rays. A little tree cover can drop the temperature up to 10 degrees!
7. Keep it Chill
Avoid needing to run out and pick up more ice midway through the party by stocking up in advance. Whether you purchase bags of ice, or fill up gallon sized plastic baggies over a couple of days, keep at least 2lbs of ice per guest stored in the freezer. When it comes time to ice down drinks in a tub or cooler, be sure to add a little bit of cold water. This will actually chill your drinks faster than ice alone! Water also stays cool longer than air and is a much better conductor, so keep the water as long as there is ice in it and avoid draining the cooler until necessary.
8. Hydrate with a Twist
On a warm summer day, you need to stay hydrated. Too much sun and too little water will make everyone feel sluggish as the party wares on. Entice your guests to hydrate in style with a bright and herbaceous infused water. Start by filling a glass dispenser halfway with ice, then add fresh wheels of citrus or sliced fruit, your favorite garden herbs like basil, lemon balm or mint, and fill to the top with cold water. A gorgeous infused water will rival any cocktail and keep the party energized!
9. Easy Grazing Boards
Our favorite, totally fail-proof summer entertaining tip is to throw cooking completely out the window and create an easy grazing board for guests to pick through all night. Start with a large wood board or several platters, then scatter (in no particular order) fresh berries, pickled vegetables, 3-4 hard and soft cheeses, 3-4 cured meats, toasted nuts, crackers and breads to create a perfectly rustic smorgeshboard. Pair with a fruit spread and artisanal mustard to up the anti and watch your guests devour! If this is the only food you plan to offer for the evening, we recommend purchasing 4oz of meat and 4oz of cheese per person. Make sure to have 8 crackers or slices of bread per person as well.
