School is back in session, but that doesn’t mean that summer fun can’t continue! How about an effortless outdoor late summer party? Late summer is the perfect time to have an outdoor party, and I have a bunch of tips to make it easy and enjoyable!

I’ve often been told that I have a certain touch when it comes to entertaining, which always makes me smile.  My goal is for people to feel loved and have a great time when they come over, and I accomplish this by being the queen of shortcuts! I’ve been known to sweep piles of dirt under the rug, order takeout and put it in a pretty dish (always being honest about it, of course), and just close the doors of rooms I don’t want seen, telling people if they enter, to enter at their own risk!

I’ve learned that in order for my guests to have fun, I have got to be present and willing to just– be. To let go of perfect and show up, creating lasting memories full of laughter and fun.

Thankfully I have learned some great shortcuts, tricks and tips to plan an effortless party, which really help me enjoy the party just as much as my guests do!

13 Tips For An Effortless Outdoor

Late Summer Party

USE DISPOSABLES

It is ok to take a break from doing dreaded dishes and instead use utensils, plates and napkins that you can toss. If being green is a goal of yours, there are awesome disposable products out there that are kind to the environment. The key to keeping things fun and pretty is to display them in containers that have some personality, like the above polka dot mug.

Choose disposables that match the vibe of your party. There are so many cute disposable plates and napkins out there! I especially love bringing in some color with napkins, as there are so many great prints out there.

EFFORTLESS GREEN

Cut plants and flowers are a great way to add beauty in an effortless way when entertaining. Don’t want to buy cut flowers? Grab a few cuttings from a fern or houseplant! That is what I did! Look closely at the photos and you will see that I trimmed my fern and stuck the trimmings in little jar vases. I also cut palms off of a palm plant and used them laying flat on the serving table. So simple & FREE!

CASUAL DELICIOUS BEVERAGES

If you read this blog, you know I’m all about my lemon water, but when it comes to a fun, effortless, causal party, I want my drinks to match the vibe. Enter JaM Cabernet. It is an easy-to-love, berry-licious, velvety-rich & bold wine. This wine is a luscious Cab that doesn’t need a gourmet meal…it’s right at home in a casual backyard setting and is totally my kinda JaM! I’m a wine lover, specifically red wine. JaM Cellars makes three everyday California wines with names that make me smile; Butter Chardonnay, JaM Cabernet and Toast Sparkling. JaM Cab is my favorite to chill out with. Bursting with the flavor of juicy berries, it is the best cab $20 & under, and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Want this JaM to be your JaM too? Check the JaM Cellars Wine Finder page to find where to buy it near you.

USE FRUIT TO ADD COLOR

A favorite trick of mine to brighten up any room or table is to grab whatever fruit I have and display it in a great dish, or, like the lemons in the photo above; a great pot! It adds instant color, and often I will use fruit that can be eaten straight from the dish, like whole strawberries, grapes, peaches, plums, cherries, clementines, apples or pears. No need to do a bunch of chopping to make a fruit salad! Just set pretty dishes or jars of whole fruit out. I recently had a party and set out small, wide-mouthed mason jars filled to the brim with blueberries, and they received so many comments about how cute they looked from my guests.

BUY A VEGGIE TRAY

The veggie tray you see in the photo is under $10 from our local big box store, and comes with the yogurt ranch dip. This allows me to skip making a green leafy salad or pasta salad and the work of all that chopping, but I can still offer guests some healthy self-serve vegetables which compliment and round out any casual meal.

MAKE SELF-SERVE FOOD

By late summer, I’m ready to put the grill away but not ready to turn the oven on. This is when I pull out the slow-cooker. My 30 Minute Sloppy Joes are self-serve and can be made and kept in the slow-cooker. I even start early in the day and let the ground beef cook right in the slow cooker, then drain it and add the sloppy joe sauce ingredients. I’ve also bought a frozen foil pan of BBQ Pork from my big box store, threw it in the slow-cooker and it was ready when guests came to help themselves. Can’t get much easier than that!

BUILD A FIRE

Late summer into fall is our favorite time of year to build a small pit fire. Some evenings are starting to cool down around here, so a fire is a great way to stay warm and gather people around in one place with JaM Cab in hand, of course!

MUSIC IS A MUST

There is an article called “Summer’s not done, chill with JaM!” on the Scoop! if you are looking for a fun party playlist. Music can add instant fun to a party, and can really control the mood of a party. The above linked playlist has everything from Coldplay to Billy Joel, and one of my favorites to chill the night out with: “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.

BLANKETS ON HAND

If the evening is expected to be cooler, take a wicker basket of rolled-up blankets outside with a chalkboard sign that says “help yourself.” Another way to use blankets while entertaining outside is to spread them out on the lawn for a casual, picnic feel.

MAKE S’MORES

Might as well take advantage of that fire and make some s’mores! We get creative around here with our s’mores and use nice thick cored apple slices in place of graham crackers and offer peanut butter cups along with the typical chocolate bar. One thing that we don’t change is the marshmallow! There is something about putting a big white marshmallow on a stick, watching it puff up and nursing it to the perfect gooey golden brown, that brings out the inner child in all of us. S’mores are another fun way to have your guests make their own and serve themselves, and are so sweet that you don’t really need much more for dessert.

CUPCAKES FOR DESSERT

If you DO want more for dessert, make cupcakes! Everybody loves a cupcake, and they are a great dessert to make ahead of time. I love how they look on a white platter, and often I will take the platter around to guests and let them grab the one they want. No need for dessert plates, just pass out a napkin with each cupcake.  Use a cake mix, find some fun sprinkles & use gold or silver cupcake liners for a bit of sparkle.

Use Glass Jars

Fill them with nuts for guests to munch on before and after dinner. Put a candle or starry lights in them. Use them as casual water glasses, as containers to send leftovers home with your guests, and as vases to hold flowers or greenery.  Put slices of lemon in one for guests to help themselves to for their water. Put butter or condiments in them–they will be so much prettier on a table than the bottles that most condiments come in. Yes, even ketchup and mustard can add color and beauty to a table if in a glass jar!

Lighting

Lighting is a must. Keep it simple. A few candles, some string lights or a jar of battery operated starry lights are all it takes to set a mood. When we are going to have a get-together in our backyard, I love plugging in our string lights over a sitting area, and I make sure the lightbulbs work in our spot light to light up the basket ball area. Use citronella candles to keep the bugs away and add ambient lighting at the same time. Light is important!

So there you have it. My 13 Tips To an Effortless Late Summer Party. Keep it simple! Use what you have! Good drinks, lighting and music make all the difference. Add some cut greens in jars & easy, self-serve food, and you will have a party that all will enjoy…including the hostess!

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Want to know more about JaM Cellars?

Second-Generation Napa Valley vintners John and Michele are the “J” and the “M” in JaM Cellars, and I want to meet them just to tell them how much I love the clever names for their wines. They make their wines in the tradition of great California winemaking, rich bold and luscious, and in a style to enjoy with friends any day of the week.

“We take our wines seriously; we just don’t take ourselves seriously!” – JaM Cellars

Yep, I’d love to meet them…we could hang for sure!

Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for daily wine-aspiration #JaMCellars @JamCellars.

Want to know where to find JaM Cellars near you? You can purchase JaM Cellars wine at leading grocery stores. Enter your zip code to identify local stores at JaMCellars.com/WineFinder {<–click}

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.