Summer FUN, Picnic Style
Summertime brings the sun and FUN…and time for picnics at home…the park…or at the beach! Such a wholesome theme, I thought I’d bring this one out to show how you could use it for your summer celebrations OR for a slice of Americana for your 4th of July gathering too.
We were celebrating my father-in-laws 85th and my sister-in-laws 50th. We threw in the June and July birthdays and had ourselves a great Picnic-Themed Birthday Bash. I’ll take you through what I did to pull off this FUN event.
Our party was strictly a family event, so I didn’t go overboard on the decorations, but also wanted to make sure our Birthday Babes were feeling the love.
Somehow I picked the hottest day to host this event (At least in So. Cal beachside town terms, it was a scorcher!). So I focused most of my birthday decor inside where they could see it, take pictures and all while enjoying the A/C.
INSIDE DECOR:
Mantel – Birthday Decor:
For my “Birthday Vibe” I pulled out some previously used decor and then added to it. I used two banners found on Amazon: “50 & Fabulous” and “85 Years Loved” and in between used a burlap banner I had from the Dollar Tree. Also at the Dollar Tree I purchased red and white star helium balloons and star weights to anchor the balloons.
On Amazon I found “Back in 1974” & “Back in 1939” signs with stands to put on either side of the mantel. [HOT TIP: Be sure and double check dimensions when ordering. My first go-around, the sign I ordered for my father-in-law ended up being “fun-size” and had to be returned. So I caution you to read the fine print to not make my mistake! LOL]
Flowers:
With my Picnic-Theme in mind, I wanted flowers that looked like I’d gone to the field and picked them and casually thrown them in the vase. While it took much longer than that to get the look, I think it came out as I’d envisioned.
[To see my Easy Peezy way of making floral arrangements, check out my post HERE!]
From my local Trader Joe’s, I grabbed gerber daisies, ornamental St. John’s wort, mums, chamomile (they look like miniature daisies), green dragon/aster (yellow filler), dahlias, dianthus mini and eucalyptus. I like the idea of focusing on the color yellow for contrast. Sunflowers would have worked well too, but I’m more of a daisy girl myself.
I used the larger arrangement inside for the buffet and used large mason jars I typically have on hand to put together the individual bouquets for the table and to use throughout for decor. To have the bouquets look a little more finished, I added ⅞” red grosgrain ribbon and red and white bakers twine and tied them with a bow. Not necessary, but I liked the simple addition.
HOT TIP:
For a 4th of July flair, add an American flag to the bouquet and voila…you’re set!
OUTDOOR DECOR:
Linens:
Love the red and white gingham check cotton tablecloths that scream summertime picnic. Yes, you can purchase the look in plastic or even in a plastic roll that could work very well depending on your function or where you’ll be hosting. For me, I have these linens as a staple because the look is timeless. One of my tablecloths I’ve had for 15+ years! They hold up well and have been used over and over again for many occasions. I do feel they look best with a light iron, so keep that in mind.
I also have the linen napkins in the red and white gingham check and use them separately like with rattan placemats or in conjunction with my table linens. (You’ll see how I use them when I jeuge for the buffet.)
I used the same linens for dining and in seating areas for continuity.
While certainly not necessary, I really like the look of layering your linens. For the dining table, I first used a large white linen that draped to the ground and then used the red and white gingham check tablecloth as the top layer. I then tied the corners with a red bow for some extra jeuging. I actually liked it without the bow as well, so it’s a matter of personal preference or what vibe you are going for your soiree.
**We also ended up adding one more 8’ table once swimming was over and the food had arrived.
FOOD: Summertime Picnic = BBQ!
We catered the event with our favorite local barbecue spot Naples Ribs Co. purchasing a couple of their “Hog Packs” that includes everything from ribs, sausage and brisket to yummy sides of your choice and cornbread. We added their delicious bricks of onion rings…a must! I also asked some people to bring different salads (fruit, pasta, green & Pretzel Jello, a family tradition and favorite). For appetizers I made a charcuterie board and had others bring a few as well.
HOT TIP:
Add some American Flag toothpicks to jeuge it up and make it 4th of July festive!
Food Prep:
Silverware:
When I’m able, I like to have utensils ready to go for my guests. I pre-rolled all the silverware and tied them with twine to go with a little rustic look. Honestly, I usually use raffia but was out and used what I had on hand. I would probably have preferred the raffia, but that’s just my preference and the perfectionist in me rearing its ugly head. LOL
Aluminum Trays:
For FUN and to mix things up a bit, I used these aluminum trays I’d found at Costco a year or two back. I’d been at a local restaurant and they’d used them for their entrees and it made for a fun rustic dining experience which was perfect with our picnic theme.
I checked and they are currently out of stock at Costco, but a little smaller and a little bigger sizes are available on Amazon. Nordic Ware is the brand I purchased and the Nordic Ware ⅛ Aluminum Sheet are pretty close to what I have. There are more size options if you hop on Nordic Ware’s website.
BUFFET:
I set up the food area inside, especially with it being so hot. I used white linens and added a piece of red cotton material as a runner for a pop of color to tie in with the theme. I rolled some of my checkered napkins and used them to jeuge a bit for some added tie-in of the theme.
We had lots of great “sides” options so I used mini chalkboard stands I found at Dollar Tree and using a chalk pen made a FUN display for the food buffet.
Guests loved the aluminum trays as something different than your typical plates…and were nice and sturdy to pile on the BBQ!
DESSERT:
Of course it had to be Birthday Cake and cupcakes as there were so many birthdays to celebrate.
It was so great gathering the family together…heat and all! I love that you can use this theme throughout the summer and well into fall. Hope it gave you some inspiration to bring to your own celebrations. Let me know how you incorporated it into your next get-together in the comments below!
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Very cute party! Say hi to Tony and sending love to both of you. xo
Thank you!!! 🙂
Love the floral centerpiece. Basic TJ flowers made into gorgeous arrangements.
🌼
Thank you so much! Love Trader Joe’s…best floral options available at great prices. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
A wonderful and special day to have the family all together to celebrate. Your decorations and added touches made it extra special. ❤️💙
All the little touches were done with love. XO