* To bring you this publication, we’ve partnered with McDonald Paper, an online destination where you can order restaurant-quality supplies for less right to your own home! The opinions and information presented herein are all our own.
One of the best parts of summer is all the wonderful opportunities for entertainment. Whether it’s for an official holiday like the 4th of July or Labor Day, or family events like graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, or weddings, there’s no denying that the warmer months are the perfect time to have fun. Even if you don’t have a specific reason to be entertained, it can be a lot of fun to gather some of your closest friends and family for some quality time outdoors, share a great meal and toast with some delicious drinks.
While entertaining and party planning comes naturally to some, for others, just the thought can set off a panic. Entertaining doesn’t have to be overly complicated. In fact, it can be very easy.
Here are some tips to make this fun. summer an absolute breeze!
1. Choose a theme
To start planning your summer party, you can help keep things simple by choosing a theme. Want to have a backyard BBQ pool party, Hawaiian luau, summer seafood extravaganza, vegetarian potluck, taco and tequila tasting or maybe a sangria and tapas party? Choosing a theme will help you narrow down your decorating options, menu items, and drinks you’d like to serve. Whatever you choose, be sure to keep things light, fun, and casual. It is summer after all.
2. Manage the decoration
There is nothing that can set the mood of a party like a small decoration. But just because you want to set the mood doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money. Sometimes all you need is a few flowers or a few clippings from your garden. If you don’t have a garden, you might be surprised at what your local grocery store has to offer. I found beautiful mix and match bunches of flowers and plants at my local grocery store for between $4 and $10. Trader Joe’s is another great place to find a wide selection of flowers on the cheap. And there’s no need to go crazy. Sometimes just a cocoon with a little greenery here and there is all you need.
If floral arrangements aren’t your thing, simply set out bowls filled with limes, oranges, lemons, or seasonal fruits. Pineapples would make great centerpieces in the summer, as would little lanterns or scattered seashells. Put some strings of outdoor lights around the party area and scatter a few candles here and there can finish your look and create a magical atmosphere for the night ahead.
Products shown: Wilmax Crystal Clear Wine Glasses | Winco Acrylic Wine Cooler | Winco Hammered Wine Coasters
3. Create a drink bar
What is a party without soft drinks and cocktails? Easily keep your guests happy and refreshed by setting up a designated beverage station. This way, your guests can easily fill up while staying cool, hydrated, and happy.
For a beautiful presentation, purchase decorative buckets or coolers and fill them with plenty of ice. Then fill them with cans of sparkling water, soda, spiked seltzers, or local brews for guests to grab and go. Don’t forget to keep a batch of ice in a cooler on the side
The summer months are also the perfect time to fill glass beverage dispensers with batches of homemade lemonade, iced tea, or water lightly flavored with slices of seasonal fruit like watermelon, peaches, lemons, limes, berries, and/or mint. A super nice touch to a drinks bar in the summer months would include a signature cocktail or drink for your party. Party favorites are sangria, margaritas, mojitos or daiquiris.
Want to up your wine serving game a bit? Place the wine bottles on the beautiful wine coasters pictured above to prevent them from dripping on the table. Keep white and rosé wines chilled on ice or in wine coolers displayed on the table.
Products shown: Winco Marble and Wood Serving Board | Winco tablecloth
4. Plan a hassle-free menu
The nice thing about entertaining in the summer months is that the menu doesn’t have to be complicated. We all enjoy lighter food options in the summer, so consider serving seasonal salads, fresh vegetable dips, and light appetizers to choose from to keep your guests satiated. In the summer you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and besides firing up the grill, one of my favorite things to serve is a board with a selection of cheeses, meats, olives, nuts, fruit, and jams. . Opt to only serve selections from a specific country like Italy, Spain or France for the theme board and pair it with wines from the same region. You can even use this approach and serve locally made cheeses and foods from farms in your area or state. If you don’t have access to farms or farmers markets, be sure to check your local grocery store as they increasingly support local produce.
For an impressive presentation, I love to serve my appetizers on these gorgeous wood and marble boards that can be found at McDonald Paper. They look expensive, but they’re only $12-15. Plus, they make anything you serve them look beautiful.
5. Mason jars make summer party fun instantly
There really isn’t anything you can serve up in a mason jar that doesn’t instantly make it better in some way. They are charming, adorable and super functional. Not only can you serve a refreshing summer drink in them, but they also make a great vase for flowers or a unique way to store your utensils and napkins at a buffet table. We love these 38-Ounce Mason Jar Mugs from Circleware. They even have a decorative chalkboard label that’s perfect for writing your guests’ names or other fun party messages. They even make a great party favor. You can find them linked here.
Products shown: Circleware Yorkshire Slate Mason Jar Mug
6. Keep your guests comfortable and make sure they have a good time
This advice may differ depending on which region of the country you live in, but it’s important that your guests feel comfortable if you want everyone to have a good time. It’s kind of the point, right? This means doing things like stocking up on citronella candles and bug spray if you live in a buggy area, having blankets available if it gets chilly at night, and making sure there are plenty of umbrellas or covered areas if there’s a lot of sun or rain. . Of course, always make sure there are plenty of seats and comfortable eating areas. To keep your guests busy while you mingle, set up lawn games like croquet, badminton, horseshoes, or corn hole for a super fun time.
Products shown: winco cutlery | Winco Marble and Wood Serving Board | Wilmax Stella 9″ Porcelain Dinner Plate
7. Get restaurant-quality supplies for a lot less
While parties are a lot of fun, they can be expensive. Here’s a little secret: If you like to entertain often, we recommend getting food and drink serving supplies for your party from McDonald Paper. McDonald Paper, a restaurant supply company by trade, has everything you need for your kitchen prep and entertaining needs at incredibly low prices compared to your local retailers.
Whether you’re having a casual get together or planning something a little more extravagant like a backyard wedding, mcdonald paper got you covered
With more than 20,000 items in stock, They have everything you could need for summer entertaining, including:
- Cookware
- Barware: bar tools, shakers, beer, cocktail, martini, champagne and wine glasses.
- bakeware
- pizza making tools
- Plates, platters and trays
- beverage dispensers
- Serving and mixing bowls
- Serving and table utensils: forks, knives, spoons, tongs, spatulas, etc.
- serving boards
- wine coolers
- ice cubes
- Glass jars
- tablecloths
- And more!!!
They even have regular and eco-friendly takeout packaging so your guests can go home with leftovers in style.
Shopping at McDonald Paper for all your summer entertainment needs can save you a lot of money and take the stress out of shopping for your party. Plus, most orders in the New York metropolitan area qualify for free shipping over $49.99.
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Visit Mcdonaldpaper.com for discounted restaurant-quality entertaining supplies!
