Host a pretty wine picnic
Spend a late-summer evening sipping wine with your nearest and dearest. With garden florals, simple snacks and budgetfriendly bottles, this picnic is easy on you, yet sure to impress!
Set the mood for fun
Greet guests with a sweet setup like this one created by event pro Seri Kertzner (Littlemisspartyplanner.com). To make, arrange wood pallets to form a table, then top with a burlap runner, lanterns and empty wine bottles filled with fresh-cut dahlias. Surround with pillows and cushions for casual-chic seating.
Boost the beauty with sunset-inspired bouquets
Add a burst of color to your table with handtied bouquets. For the easiest arrangement, choose an inexpensive in-season flower with lots of petals, like zinnias (the rows of fluffy petals provide a full look without requiring many blooms). Arrange flowers in your hand, twirling as you add blooms one at a time at an angle so the stems form a spiral. Secure stems with a rubber band, cover with twine, pop in a vase and tie a ribbon around it. Tip: Choose colors inspired by the sunset. The shades of pink, orange and yellow beautifully contrast each other without clashing!
Craft up wine cork IDS
It only takes a few minutes to turn wine corks into cute place cards! Simply cut a cork in half and insert a toothpick in it, then use a paint pen to write a name on a leaf; skewer onto picks.
Wow with a berry pie
Whip up an impressive, easy-on-you dessert using premade piecrust and canned filling. To do: Thaw a two-pack of refrigerated piecrust according to package instructions. Roll crusts out, then cut one circle to fit a greased 9" pie pan; press into pan. In a bowl, combine 2 (21 oz.) cans of cherry pie filling, 11⁄ cups of fresh blueberries, 1⁄ cup
2 4 of sugar, 1⁄ cup of cornstarch, 1⁄ cup of red
4 4 currant jelly, 1 tsp. of grated lemon zest and 1⁄ tsp. of salt. Pour into crust. Use a pizza
4 cutter to cut 8 strips from remaining dough; arrange over pie in a lattice pattern. Bake at 400°F for 50 minutes. Cool 3 hours.
Pair wine with sweet and savory snacks
For the perfect pairings, offer guests strong cheeses like Cheddar, Parmesan and blue cheese and sweet jams and fruits like grapes, apples and pears. Offering plates that cradle a glass (like Square Party Plates with Built-in Stemware Holder, $ 2 each, Winedevices.com) makes it easy to mingle while snacking. Tip: A caddy that fits over a bottle of wine (like Wine and Cheese Board with Removable Cheese Tray, $ 37, Amazon.com) can prevent spills.
Enhance ambiance with a flickering floral focal point
Keep your celebration going into the evening with a blooming candle centerpiece that creates a lovely glow. To do: Simply place a soaked floral foam wreath on a dinner plate, then nestle a pillar candle in the center of the wreath. Cut stems of seasonal flowers like asters to 1" and insert the stems into the foam until it’s covered. Light candle to finish. Tip: Fill out your wreath form with broken blooms from your garden or bouquets for a budget-friendly display. Bonus: The heat and smoke from the flame will keep pests from crashing your party!