This post has been sponsored by Wayfair, but all opinions are my own.
Since we’ve been at home a lot more this summer, we’ve spent more time enjoying the beautiful weather outdoors. Whether it’s an afternoon relaxing on the hammock or enjoying a delicious dinner on our back porch, we’ve been soaking up this extra time as a family. While summer entertaining for a large group may not happen in the immediate future, we look forward to hosting family for upcoming birthdays and holidays. With that said, I️ thought I️’d share some of my favorite summer entertaining ideas with you!
Get Grill Ready
We decided to invest a bit more into our outdoor spaces since we’ve been utilizing them more frequently this year, and one thing we decided to upgrade was our grill. My husband loves cooking burgers and chicken on a charcoal grill and our old one was worn out from how much we used it! He loves this new Weber Kettle Grill and said that the shape allows for a more even cooking temperature. I️ personally loved the bronze color and it even looks nice sitting on our back porch. It’s a nice sized grill and it’s perfect for summer entertaining since you can cook 10-15 burgers at one time. Also, grilling fresh veggies is the way to go when cooking for a crowd – whether it’s corn on the cob, summer squash or peppers and onions. We also got this Weber grill brush to clean the grate between grilling sessions.
Upgrade Your Summer Place Settings
I️ know a lot of people love using paper plates when hosting friends and family, but I️ find that they can be too flimsy, especially for kids. I️ finally decided to pick up some pretty melamine plates for us to use when grilling out, and I️ love that I don’t have to worry about them breaking and they’re dishwasher safe, too! These blue and white pattern plates are perfect for summer entertaining and take you from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The kids love them and think it’s cool that we’re all using the same plates at dinner (instead of their usual kid plates).
Pick a Platter (or Two)
One of my favorite things to have on hand for summer entertaining is a charcuterie tray or snack tray. It’s nice to have some light bites on hand for everyone to enjoy while dinner is on the grill. I️ picked up this pretty off-white platter, and love its versatility. I️ used it for our burgers and rolls recently, but also love using it to arrange a pretty charcuterie board. In my opinion, you can never have enough serving trays or platters. They come in handy for so many reasons!
Serve a Salad
Let’s be real, some of the best summer cookout foods are the burgers and hot dogs. But, if you’re like me, it’s nice to balance out the unhealthy with a few things on the lighter side. I️ like to serve some type of salad when summer entertaining at home just to give everyone a healthier option! Here are a few of my personal favorites:
Set the Summer Entertaining Mood
Whether it’s a daytime cookout or an evening soiree, there are some things you can do to set the tone for your summer entertaining. We like to bring our speaker outdoors and play some of our favorite easy-listening tunes. We also hung these cute string lights on our enclosed porch and they give off a beautiful glow when dusk arrives. I️ also love lighting a summery candle – bonus if it’s citronella scented to keep the bugs away!
What are some of your favorite summer entertaining ideas?
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Your bronze grill is everything! We bought a Weber grill in blue because I thought it looked pretty with our decor 🤦🏽♀️ I’m crazy like that! Love your margarita glasses too, btw! Here’s to summer entertaining.
Ooh blue sounds so pretty, too! Love it! Cheers to summer fun!