Terri Summer is synonymous with warm evenings, and what better way to celebrate the nice temperatures than by a joyful gathering with friends and family. Unlike Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner parties that have a set theme, summer celebrations offer you all the freedom you need to host a creative event full of delightful flavors. However, organizing such a dinner comes with its fair share of unique challenges, and here is how you can overcome them to ensure that your summer dinner party is memorable for all the right reasons.
Create a Relaxing Atmosphere
The key to a successful dinner is a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, and summer is the perfect season to set up a dining area outdoors, if possible. The sunset is the best time to host your event, as the beautiful lighting and romantic atmosphere won’t go unnoticed, but you can make the setting even more magical with a few string lights and lanterns. Comfortable seating is also a must, so make sure that everyone has a chair and consider adding outdoor cushions or a few hammocks for a relaxed vibe. Last but not least, music is a crucial element of a summer dinner, with soft jazz and acoustic tunes being the best for this type of event.
Elevate the Decor and Tableware
To truly elevate your summer dinner party, pay attention to your tableware and decor elements. Using fancy plates, bowls, and utensils can transform an ordinary meal into a sophisticated dining experience no matter the food you serve. Celtic pottery pieces like colorful salad bowls and individual plates will set the tone for the whole dinner, and their deep earthy colors will create an overall aesthetic setting. The decor is also highly important, so use fresh flowers strategically placed in small Celtic vases, scatter petals across the table, and incorporate decorative placemats to tie the look together. Celtic decor pieces such as aesthetic pottery, glassware, textiles, and even candles will help you impress the guests and show that you’ve gone the extra mile to make the dinner special.
Use Seasonal Ingredients
While the atmosphere and the beautiful setting are all important, let’s not forget the main star of the show – the food. Nothing screams summer like fresh, seasonal ingredients and it would be a shame to not utilize the abundance of fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are at their peak during the summer months. Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, fragrant basil – all these ingredients will make your dishes have more color and taste as fresh as possible. For your main dishes, grilled marinated chicken, succulent seafood, and perfectly seasoned vegetables are all wonderful options, but keep in mind anyone’s allergies and preferences.
Get Guests Involved
One of the best ways to make sure that everyone has a good time is to get your guests involved, and we’re obviously not speaking of making them wash the dishes and clean the area after dinner. Involving your guests can be as simple as a build-your-own taco or burger bar, where they can customize their meals to their liking so everyone gets exactly what they want. Another idea is to set up a DIY cocktail station with a variety of mixers, fruits, and herbs for personalized drinks.