Great food, great music and great friends are must for a perfect party. Whether you’re planning on spending time with the family or catching up with some friends, summer dinner parties allow you to show off your creativity and party-planning skills at the same time.
If you’re getting ready to invite people, explore the tips below for impressing your guests and making your home the ultimate holiday party destination this summer.
Ambience
Creating an inviting ambience is one of the most important parts of hosting the perfect party. Ensure you have a high quality speaker to avoid any embarrassing technical difficulties and create a playlist that's upbeat and eclectic without being distracting or overpowering. A combination of old-school favourites, contemporary classics and more obscure tracks will ensure everyone is happy.
Let there be light
Make sure to dim the lights. You don’t need bright lights at a party. For a classic, homey feel, pick up some string lights to hang along. For an easier, do-it-yourself option, secure some tea lights to line your lawn or garden.
Decorate the house
Once the table is set and ready, have some fun with decorating the rest of the house. Try to stay on theme and feel free to go as subtle or as overstated as you like. Take the opportunity to get creative and have fun with crafting some themed DIY decorations to brighten up your home and make your guests feel welcome.
Do plenty of preparation in advance
Preparation is key for any event and should be the first place to start when planning a party. Choose a menu that can be prepped and cooked earlier in the day. Begin the process by brainstorming some ideas for how you want your dinner party to go. Decide on the guests, the date and the atmosphere that you hope to provide them. Consider what you’ll need to achieve this and go for a shop in the days leading up, try not to leave it to the last minute! Being well prepared will ensure that everything will go as smoothly as possible and you will spend the day having fun with your friends and family rather than being stressed.
Don't forget to refill
The best drinks for a party are ones that your guest can sip on all evening. Fruit juices are perfect for a party, it's easy to keep refills going, and help guests not get dehydrated. Forgo serving any carbonated drinks and stick to all-natural seasonal fruit jiuces.
Extra seating
Put some pillows and throw rugs on the ground with a bottles of cold water, a plate of finger food, and nuts. It creates a nook for people to sit down and sets a nice vibe, before or after dinner.
Give your party a theme
A theme is a fun way to make your dinner party memorable. Whether you want to go all out and have people dress up in crazy costumes, or simply decide on a certain colour scheme for your decorations, a theme is a great way to tie together all the elements of your dinner party and make it unforgettable!
Set the table
Now that you have your theme, it’s time to set the table accordingly. A good table set up is essential for setting the tone of the party and will also look great in your happy snaps. Simple decorations such as a fancy tablecloth, some nice serviettes or a centrepiece for your table can go a long way for making your dinner party seem more sophisticated and polished. You could even get crafty and try creating your own table decor from paper, other craft materials or bits and pieces from your garden that will really brighten things up.
Have games at the ready
Once your guests have eaten their fill of the delicious food you have cooked, it can be fun to engage them in some after-dinner entertainment. There are many options for games you can play, ranging from ones that you can play while you’re still at the table to ones that involve you getting outside for some more active friendly competition.
Serve the season
Simple serving ware turns even the most casual finger food into a party-ready spread—and you don't have to splurge on anything special to make your arrangement pop. Treat your guests to a seasonal party menu that is light and fresh. A seasonal menu is sure to impress your guests long after dessert is served.
Decorate with flowers
Seasonal and unfussy flowers are sure to make a party pop. Fresh-cut flowers can be used to decorate with centerpieces or as wall decor. Pick your flowers based on your summer dinner party color scheme. Big, bold blooms bring lots of life and color to a dinner party table. Small flowers in small vases provide tiny pops of color all around the table.
Cook up a storm
Once you have an idea of how you want your dinner party to be and the mood you hope to set, it’s time to start thinking about the most important element- the food! Start gathering potential dish ideas and deciding what menu is going to best suit your occasion. It’s a good idea to branch out and explore a range of recipes and cuisines to find the ones that are sure to impress your guests the most and have them unable to resist going back for seconds and thirds.
