Summer Dinner Party Ideas

Balloons courtesy of Ojai Confetti Company

Summer is a time for celebrating, outdoor parties, good friends and good food. We've thrown a few parties already this summer, and we love how simple it was to bring each party together, but look beautiful and vibrant! Today we're sharing our tips for making a shower, birthday party, or summer dinner al fresco an event to remember for you and your guests. Scroll through and take some notes before your next trip to the grocery store!

GO HARD WITH A COLOR SCHEME

For the birthday party in the hills of Santa Barbara pictured above, we went for bright corals, oranges, and yellows for the centerpieces. That included candlesticks and an array of mums and ranunculus, and even some fruit! Once you choose a color scheme, think about what other elements you could incorporate that would bring those colors into the overall look of the tablescape!

USE FRUITS AS PART OF YOUR CENTERPIECE

Speaking of that last tip, don't discount using food for your tablescape! Fruit is seasonal for all of your summer parties, and gives you such fun pops of color that you can eventually cut into later when you want some citrus in your water or a slice of grapefruit for dessert! It also adds great visual texture, both with the rind and the interior.

BE PLAYFUL WITH PLACE SETTINGS

What can you use to tie napkins rather than using traditional napkin rings? We used twine for both parties above, with neutral beads tied off at the ends. We also added a sprig of greenery in for nice pop, both on top of a blue napkin and a white and gold patterned napkin. We also love these braided straw chargers for more texture on the table!

Balloons courtesy of Ojai Confetti Company

USE VERTICAL SPACE IF YOU HAVE IT

Who doesn't want an Instagram-able moment at a party these days? We love using balloon arches in our party color scheme to build up an area for photos, or to force your eye up and around the room. It's typical to keep all of the drama on the table at a party, but using elements like this keeps the eye moving, and no one has an excuse to skip photos during the celebration!

What party will you be throwing next? If you end up using any of our tips, please tag us on Instagram @madisonnicoledesign - we love seeing what you come up with! Cheers to all of your summer shindigs!