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Something about the sun shining longer makes socializing a bit more bearable. Am I right or am I right? I’m no pro party planner, but do love any type of gathering that doesn’t involve physically leaving the comfort of my home. If you can relate, keep reading to see what do’s and don’ts I learned from hosting my first successful Summer dinner party.

*This blog post is sponsored by IKEA USA. All thoughts are completely my own.

STEP 1 - The Menu

Make your life easy and choose dishes that can be prepped earlier in the day or the day before. This will save you time before the actual event and eliminate the stress of cooking everything a few hours before guests arrive!
Unless you have a personal chef or hired a caterer, focus on dishes that are good at room temperature or chilled (salads, seafood, veggies, focaccia, flatbreads, etc) and one warm dish. Trust me, worrying about getting multiple items in and out of the oven at the perfect time is unnecessary.
Pinterest is your best friend! Utilizing Pinterest for major inspo and to organize recipes was super seamless and extremely helpful.

STEP 2 - THE TABLESCAPE

There is no need to break the bank, when styling your table top. Mixing pieces you already have in the house with a few added touches will be magical enough! Start with what you already own and build out from there.
IKEA is a great affordable option for event accessories that can easily be incorporated in your everyday use, beyond the party.
Florals are your friend! Swing by your local grocer or market to pick up a few bundles of greenery and fresh flowers to bring pops of color to your tablescape. Cups are a great option for pops of color as well!

STEP 3 - THE GUEST LIST

Heavily consider your budget and your location when planning the guest list.
If money is tight, remember the POWER in a potluck! This saves you coin, time and if you still want some sort of control…just give your dinner party a theme. The people love themes!
If you don’t have much space to entertain, less is more and much more affordable.
As long as you have your favorite people, good eats and that Summer sun…you will have a blast. So remember to ENJOY YOURSELF!

LAST MINUTE TIPS

Start your shopping early in advance. You do not want to be running around town the day before your event.
Remember to eat the day of. I made the mistake of focusing on cooking and forgot to eat, which lead to a super fun headache.
Lastly, ask for help. Most likely, your friends are just happy to gather together for some free food and good laughs. Don’t be afraid to ask Shelby to pick up some extra cream cheese (guilty) or to ask the whole gang to help carry all of the food outside. Lol. I guess I put my guests to work. Oops!

Cheers to Summer and I hope this Was helpful! Thanks so much for reading.