During the summer, days are filled with vacations, day trips, beach hangouts, and spontaneous get togethers that last into the wee hours of the night. With holidays and warm weather, there are sure to be planned soirees, but there are also many opportunities to throw together a last minute affair and spend a Saturday catching up with friends over a gorgeous table scape in the afternoon breeze.

If you’re not usually the party host, darling glassware, adorable straws and centerpieces may not currently be in your possession, but with a few creative ideas you can whip together the perfect setting to cross one of your summer bucket list items off immediately.  Below are a few tips on how to set the stage for an afternoon BBQ or luncheon with some of your besties on a whim.

Mix and Match – We all wish our lives looked like a Pinterestboard, but sometimes that’s not always doable. Luckily, some of the most beautiful settings are an eclectic mix of styles. So when gathering the necessary items for your party–dishes, napkins, glasses and place matts– think of what you already own and how you can mix patterns and textures to make an inviting and fun tablescape.

Make the Centerpiece Count – Even if you’re using small white plates from your kitchen (great for portion control thanks to the small red plate illusion), your table doesn’t need to look boring. Lining the center with candles and decorative glass will not only give the table a bohemian feel, the candles will also be functional for when the sun begins to set. The trick that changes everything–invest in a pretty floral garland to line down the center of the table instead of a runner. It will fill any bare space, scream summer and add feminine flair to any setting. No matter the style, bold stripes, subtle pinks or an earthy boho mix the flowers will tie everything together. Plus, a floral garland can be saved and used for many DIY projects in the future.

It’s All About Accents – Sure you could just pull out your cutlery, place some dishes around and say let’s party, but your guests will love it if you go the extra mile and add subtle accents to the place settings. Little twine bows around the silverware don’t draw a lot of attention, but give them a polished girly finish that contrasts nicely against a vibrant rolled napkin. Adding fun colored strays also ties more colors from the table together. And there you have it, you’ll be the hottest host around within no time!

Sara Dal Monte

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