20 WAYS TO ACE YOUR summer entertaining
Here are some geniu s way s to celebrate in sty le!
1Throw some shade
Deck out your yard with colourful beach umbrellas! You’ll help keep yourself sun-safe, and add instant colour and decoration to your outdoor living space
Funfetti stripe too. beach umbrella, $15, from The Warehouse.
2 Fruity floral arrangements
If you plan on using a pineapple for your fruit salad, scoop it out instead of cutting it. You can then use the shell as a vase. Perfect for tropical-themed parties.
3 Mess-free plates
Parties are the best. Cleaning up? Not so much! Avoid an epic washing-up with paper plates. The good news is they’re really flash these days. Gold foil paper plates, $8 for set of eight, from The Warehouse.
4 Citronella candles
Mosquitoes can bring down the party mood. Instead of the classic stinky scent, Ecoya’s Citronella & look for Lemongrass outdoor candle, $52.95. It has two wicks and a burn time of up to 40 hours.
6 Music
It’s all about that atmosphere . Have your music planned out and whatever you do, make sure your devices are fully charged!
7 Mimosa bar
If there’s one thing summer makes us, it’s thirsty! Make sure guests are well-hydrated with a mimosa bar set up inside. Fill carafes with juices, and have a few champagne buckets full of bubbles and mineral water too. Also, have plenty of glasses on hand, such as this 20-piece basic tumbler set,$ 16, from The Warehouse.
9Throw a snag on the barbie
You’ve planned the event, but do you have the equipment? If you only want something small and simple, look for lightweight portable gas options like this barbecue with trolley, $199, from The Warehouse.
8 Recyling tubs
If you find you’re always looking for a place to store empty bottles at a party, make things simple for guests by labelling a Flexi tub, tub “recycling”. $6, from The Warehouse.
11 Nothing screams party like balloons
Decorate your décor like you mean it! Balloons, streamers and party poppers are all super props to encourage the festivities to get into full swing!
12 Floral forage
Pretty flowers can take a celebration from simple to spectacular. But before you spend lots of money, check your own garden! Whether it’s blooms or lots of greenery, grab what you can, then fill in the gaps with store-bought statement flowers.
13 Outdoor rug
Floor coverings aren’t just for inside. Protect your deck or patio and add a touch of chic with an outdoor
Water-resistant picnic rug. rugs, from $390, from Intrepid Home.
14 Spread out the snacks
The only thing more refreshing than a glass of bubbles on a hot day? A glass of bubbles being cooled by an ice block! Either buy some from the supermarket or make your own sugar-free mint and lemon ice blocks, then dunk them into wine glasses upside-down. Refreshing!
15 Crafty desserts
Scoop out the contents of lemons or a watermelon and mix it into a sorbet with sugar syrup, freezing until soft. Then scoop back into the empty shells. Garnish lemon with a mint leaf and hide chocolate chips under the surface of the watermelon sorbet to act as “seeds”.
16 Wet weather back-up plan
If the weather is threatening rain, make a back-up plan right away. Look for a simple marquee or find ways to space things out inside – and make sure you have extra rugs to protect your floors from wet shoes.
17Make it brunch
If you’re brunching, why not create a bagel wall? Using a simple pegboard, hang your bagels, plug in the toaster and have all the condiments spread out on the table. Delish!
18 Looking the part
Enough about the party – what about you?! Plan your outfit well in advance and hang it up ready the night before the party. Things can get hectic as you set up, so you’ll want to throw it on at the last minute. And protect your outfit with a Maritius apron, $29.95, from Wallace Cotton. cute apron.
20 Spread out the snacks
Ever got caught up in a conversation at the opposite end of the snack station, only to find you missed all the good stuff? Instead, make sure you have a few small food stations around your home, like one inside for older guests and another outside for those with kids running around.
19 Dessert goals
If you need a jazzy dessert but don’t want to spend your whole party in the kitchen, pre-prepare ice-cream sandwiches. Simply scoop storebought ice cream between cookies and smooth around the edges. Pop them back in the freezer to chill and whip them out after dinner. They’ll be gone before a single one has time to melt!