I don’t know about you, but now that the season is officially here, I’m ready to throw a summer party!
I’m also looking for any excuse I can come up with to have people over to my house to have fun.
I’m always down for some good company!
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I’ve always loved entertaining outdoors. Maybe it’s the California girl in me, but when there’s a chance to sit outside, enjoy the warm air, gaze upon my blooming garden and savor delicious food (okay, and maybe a glass of wine), I’m all in.
And because we entertain a fair amount, I’ve learned that there are a few things I always rely on to make the get-together run smoothly…for the guests, and for me!
Create A Central Location
I always try to set up some kind of “party central” location, away from the kitchen, where my guests can grab their own drink, a simple appetizer or a little sweet treat.
It’s always fun to have a signature drink to serve your guests. For a summer party on a hot day, I love my pink lemonade iced tea. It’s always a crowd-pleaser!
A simple glass drink dispenser is one of my favorite entertaining items.
Whether you’re using it for cold water, a favorite cocktail or mocktail drink, or a holiday punch, it adds to your decor and functions well to keep your guests happy!
I’m also a fan of having a bright set of cocktail glasses to add to the summer fun. Like these ones from Neiman Marcus!
A festive or colorful serving tray is another summer party must-have.
What a fun way to add some pizazz to your festive setup!
No Bugs Allowed
You can’t enjoy your party if you’re worried about flies and mosquitos buzzing about.
I love it when I find citronella candles in decorative buckets.
These candles are super helpful and they’re the perfect size to scatter about.
I also make sure to keep my food covered outside. With that said, I keep it covered in a way that looks nice and still allows the food to be seen.
This woven basket has a retractable mesh cover that allows my guest to see what’s available while staying covered to keep the flies away!
Summer Food Fun
When I think about a summer party, I usually think about cooking out on the grill. My next thought? Usually about corn on the cob.
It’s such a delicious summertime treat, and it never tastes as good any other time of year.
But you need butter. And that’s a bit messy when you’re trying to serve up corn to lots of people. (Now’s when we cue the William Tell Overture…)
Enter, BUTTER BOY!
Butter boy is the cutest little butter holder ever! He holds 1/2 stick of butter and makes it easy to glide that melty goodness all over your summer corn.
You can see how to use him in the video below!
And speaking of summer vegetables, I’m a huge fan of these grilling mats that allow you to turn your grill grates into a cooktop, of sorts.
The mats are terrific for veggies, shrimp, or anything else that seems to slip through grill grates.
They’re reusable and easy to clean too.
Summer Party Pleasers
When your summer party goes into the evening, make sure to have some solar lights on hand to add to the ambiance!
I found these colorful ones above last year, and although they aren’t available anymore, you can use whatever solar lights you’d like!
Happy Summer!
I hope you all have the chance to throw a little summer party this season.
Whether it’s a large gathering or a small get-together, won’t it be nice to have some company?
Now, soak up the sun and every reunited moment.
From my summer home to yours,
Jill
