In the summer season, there is nothing more fun that wrangling a group together (never an easy task in summer), for a night of fun, food and friends. As an avid party host, I am always on the lookout for reasons to throw a little gathering, and I couldn’t think of a better one then to celebrate the start of the season with a summer picnic party! Especially after this insane, never ending winter that refused to let go of us like an old boyfriend. When I was asked to put together my perfect summer picnic with Evite and Sandra Lee, obviously I couldn’t refuse! Not only did it make everything that much more fun to plan and put together, it took a lot of the pressure off. Hosting, while an awesome gig can be a stressful one. Did I make enough food? Will everyone have a good time? When should I do it? It can alleviate a lot to have a plan in motion, right from the beginning when sending out your invitation. Mix the right amount of Sandra Lee recipes with your own ideas, add some of your personal decor, find the perfect location, and gather your friends. Sounds like a recipe for success to me! Follow these easy rules, and host your perfect picnic summer party!
1) Send out an invite a few weeks ahead of time. Summer is a busy season for most. In New York City, reserving nights for picnics, movies, or parties is like trying to book a table at the popular restaurant. It’s never easy, so alleviate any stress or absences by using Evite to send your invitations early and on schedule. Not only are they simple and convenient to use, I found a theme that matched my needs perfectly! You don’t need a save the date, and an invite (this isn’t a wedding!), so pick a theme, or upload your own pictures, tell everyone the W’s; where, when, why, what, and make sure the picnic snags a seat on everyone’s calendars. For more ideas on picnic or party invites click here.
2) Choose a theme or look. I used to be all scattered, much like my brain, but as I’ve grown, learned, and hosted lots of parties, I’ve realized that uniformity is always best. An overall pattern or theme not only creates a beautiful scene but sets the stage for a better party. Because we were celebrating summer I went with a watermelon theme; matching plates and napkins to one of my main entrees. Explore further how you can create a cohesive look to your picnic with Celebrate Express. The website can supply, not only your every party need, but makes it easy to search for what you need by filtering by theme, occasion, color and more. I love this set of bubbly pink for a party of 8, that includes dinner and dessert plates, napkins and a tablecloth.
click to buy for $10 at CelebrateExpress.com
3) Decorate affordably. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to host a fun party, especially a picnic. Although there are hundreds of amazing, and expensive picnic sets out there featuring a smorgasbord of compartments, cup holders, and items, in many cases less is more. Even more reason to shop for your picnic at Celebrate Express, where not only are the decor items well priced, but you can fulfill additional needs for a terrific price, like a 60 ounce pitcher for only $6! Another terrific option? Mason Jars. Peruse your local 99 cent store for jars, or check out sites like One Kings Lane or the Mason Bar company.
Some other cute ideas to add in, that I used are a cool tray, a picnic basket to carry everything, and some amazing linen napkins my friend just brought back from France for me. They are literally the perfect look to any summer picnic and although one of a kind, have a look that you can easily replicate.
3) Bring a game. No big celebration hosted at your home is without a game or two, so why should your picnic be! We brought the ever popular and crazy Cards Against Humanity and laughed, giggled and gasped while stuffing our faces.
4) Make easy, summer recipes. I was inspired by Sandra Lee’s feta and watermelon skewers, and decided to make my own version, along with a boozy fruit salad which I basically made up. It was a huge hit, and couldn’t be easier. Make sure you have at least one alcoholic option, either in food or a drink, but also have options for those not drinking. Since my friends practice the former mostly, I had the boozy fruit salad, as well as mimosa popsicles.
5) Always make sure your guests have what they need. Then, sit back, relax, and enjoy the company!
Now that you have all these ideas, it’s time to go host your own summer picnic party! Find a few friends, pick your spot, and before you do anything else, head over to enter the AMAZING great party giveaway with Sandra Lee. You could win up to $2500 to plan your perfect party!
And for more ideas on how to perfect and plan your picnic, check out my Pinterest Board here
Follow Style’s board Host the Perfect Summer Picnic #EviteParty on Pinterest.
“This post is sponsored by Savings.com.All ideas expressed and written are my own.”
Views – 751
4 responses