Long weekends were practically made for socializing! You get that golden, extra day that just gives you that much more time to plan social events, relax and hang out with family and friends! So we wanted to help you take advantage of that elusive extra day by sharing some of our fool proof tips for hosting a summer kick off dinner party with your friends! You’re NOT going to want to miss this one guys!
What You Need To Know About Hosting A Summer Themed Dinner Party! – Brit, Team Ambrosia
Themed dinner parties are my absolute favourite of all social gatherings! Hosting dinner parties can be a bit overwhelming to begin with – HOWEVER – I am of the firm belief that themed parties can help make things a WHOLE lot easier… in my oh, so humble opinion! Why? Themed parties have a much more cohesive, put together feel and it seriously cuts down on time spent pondering over tablescape, food, drinks etc. Themes essentially give the planning process a much easier flow and helps to narrow down your options when it comes to all of the above!
Now because we’re approaching the very first long weekend of “summer” – and yes, I do realize it’s not summer yet, however this is essentially the unofficial “summer kickoff” of the year, if you will – I thought that it might be a good idea to go with a theme that is quintessentially… well, SUMMER! So… Nautical themed it is!
Enjoy!
Here’s What You’ll Need…
The Décor
- Colour Scheme: Navies, Cobalt Blues, Whites, and perhaps a splash of red or yellow here and there are going to be your very best friend! I’m thinking that a white table cloth with a navy or cobalt blue table runner would work best for this particular tablescape, paired with either red, blue or white plates! Reds would be BEST if you happen to have them on hand – it would make for the most perfect pop of colour!
- Fresh Produce: I’m a big fan of using produce as a centerpiece on my table; it adds a fresh, vibrancy to the space and has summer written ALL over it! I like the idea of having perhaps a bowl of lemons or pineapple (something more yellow and “summery”) to the table! Not to mention, the yellows of these fruits will be a great contrast to the blues on your table.
- Nautical Pieces: Okay so this is where things start to get really fun! Add a couple of nautical pieces to your table to really hit it home with the theme – try not to go too overboard (pun intended), just a few pieces here and there to make it feel a bit more cohesive. Perhaps grab some rope from your closest crafting store and tie a sailors knot on each of your guests place settings with shells, add a light house or decorative anchor to the centre of your table or white lanterns! The options are endless, and this is where you get to be a bit more playful!
The Foods
Any combination of the below recipes would be absolutely PERFECT for a nautical themed dinner party! We’re thinking that a fish dish (obviously) would be an amazing complement to the linguini with fresh basil and pesto – a perfect, light, summery meal!
I also wanted to throw in a little something in there just in case you have a few guests that are not fish fans, so be sure to have options for all kinds of dietary restrictions! I added these summery coconut oil chicken wings, and grilled corn with the pasta for a plant based alternative!!! To Note: We have MANY plant based prepared or frozen foods to have on hand for guests that are vegan or vegetarian!
What are you up to this May Long Weekend?!