
It’s a light summertime breeze dancing with the scent of vibrant flowers. It’s the tingling warmth of the sun’s rays on your shoulders. It’s that glow of fond memories from great food and enthusiastic laughter. There are so many reasons to love backyard parties.
To keep those unforgettable memories coming, we’re letting you in on a few of our favorite tips for styling summer parties. They’ll work well for celebrations of all kinds - anything from the 4th of July to family reunions. Or even just for fun. Because you don’t reeeally need a reason to throw a bang-up backyard bash.
Let’s start with table set up. If you have access to a long table, you can go buffet style. To make the most efficient use of your space, incorporate serving pieces of varying heights. So along with your traditional platters, set a few food items in out-of-the-box tableware like baskets and on cake stands. This will help add some dimension and visual interest.
No long table? No problem. Scatter food items among a few smaller tables. This will encourage guests to float from table to table and mingle. With this type of set up, you can easily make the food an eye-catching centerpiece by placing it on a white platter in the middle of the table - the appetizing colors and textures will pop in contrast.
Consider some unconventional seating ideas. There never seem to be quite enough chairs to go around. So bring out oversized pillows and blankets, and lay them in the grass for even more seating. If the grass is damp, place a tarp or plastic sheet under blankets to keep them dry. Don’t worry about matching patterns, colors or even styles. Let it be beautifully haphazard.
Lighting is both practical and beautiful. It can help extend your party into the evening, and add a soft, comforting glow. Try placing tea lights on tables or hanging string lights in trees. Lanterns – paper, glass, etc. – are also a decorative way to add glimmers of light here and there.