Hosting a Summer Dinner Party

Summer is a wonderful season that creates some of the best memories. It goes by so fast so making time to enjoy it is a must.  A summer party is a perfect way to enjoy the warm weather and make memories with friends and of course, be the perfect host.

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Summer goes by fast and by this time of year, I am doing anything to be in the sun. While sitting on my porch watching the sun go down I thought what a good place to have a summer dinner party. If you are like me and love to host you understand the excitement that arose in me once I decided this…and the planning began.
Those creative thoughts came to a halt once I realized how much it would cost and Ya know, that electric bill should probably be paid soon. Ugh adulting am I, right? Today I am sharing a recent summer dinner party I hosted and how I did it on a dime.

The table setting started with this DIY tablecloth, a super easy project that won’t break the bank. It’s nice to have a personalized touch to your decor that none of your guests will have seen before.

The white plates gave a clean, refreshing feeling, and wait for it…they were 1 dollar each! Utilizing places like The Dollar Tree and Amazon can save money because they have inexpensive options that still look great.

Tucked in the greens of the centerpiece were the candle holders which provided an extra pop of gold. These were originally black pencil holders (also 1 dollar each) that I spray-painted gold. They created a beautiful glow that slowly faded through the night as the candles burned down.

Rose gold plastic flatware was wrapped in white paper napkins with a small rose tied on with raffia. It was the sweetest pop of color against the white plates. The rose gold flatware was something I really wanted but couldn’t justify buying a new set.

I choose the less expensive plastic set, they may have been inexpensive but they didn’t look it. I did keep the plastic flatware in mind when planning my menu and chose softer foods so the flatware wouldn’t break with the first bite.

The centerpiece was made from small roses and baby’s breath set in a mason jar.  The greens were placed around the mason jar bouquet slightly fanning out with battery operated lights peaking through – you can get these lights for a dollar also.  As my guests arrived the sun was dipping in the sky and the decor was glowing. Party time!

My guests walked in to see the menu hung on the side of the house. I made this chalkboard from an old framed piece of art I found at a thrift store.

We started with crab stuffed mushrooms that were flavorful and finger food was an easy way to start; this recipe is from a sweet blog Peas & Crayons.

Dinner was cold zucchini noodles with pork meat sauce. A hot sauce in the summer may seem crazy, but the cold noodles provided a refreshing crunch.

We had the choice of two desserts, honey lime rhubarb pie topped with vanilla ice cream, you can get rhubarb until late August and this pie is easy to make the night before and peanut butter pie my friend Jess brought which was absolutely delicious.

We spent the night laughing, sharing stories and making memories as the sun went down.  I think I may have started a tradition because this was too fun to only do once.

Cheers!