Savvy Entertaining

Any of you lucky enough to be living on or close to the beach are just plain lucky enough!

The month of August always conjures up thoughts of the beach for me. The warm sand, the sound of the ocean, the sunsets that play across the water. I could totally go without the seagulls and weird fish smells, but it is all part of that unique beach package.

If you are like me and have no hopes of seeing the beach anytime soon, host a beach-themed party and create your own beach magic.

Start with some fun invitations. Reuse empty glass bottles or jars as a clever vessel for your invite. Print your invitation information on using a fun, flowy font on crisp white or cream parchment paper. Use about 1/4 of a sheet per invitation. Cut out and roll paper around a pencil until it curls into a scroll. Fill cleaned out empty bottles with about an inch of sand in the bottom, add a few seashells and then drop in the scrolled invitation. Make a simple tag out of card stock that says “To: (insert guest name) From: (insert your name)” and tie to the neck of the bottle with raffia string. If you have bottles with corks or stoppers, that is even better. You may want to hand-deliver the invitations.

Plan your menu. What foods make you think of the beach? You could serve a simple meal of some great seafood (fish, crab, lobster  – whatever you like), fresh fruit (think mango or something a little different), rice, fresh veggies (an easy tomato and cucumber salad), gingerale or gingerbeer . Finish the evening with s’mores, or if you are feeling a bit more adventurous, whip up a dessert like a coconut cake or berry pie.

Create the atmosphere. Use whites, watery blues and bottle greens to get started with your decorating. Set up a buffet table using crisp white sheets as the covering and add accents of blue and greens. Bowls or jars filled with sand and seashells make the perfect decorations. Make sure you have plenty of candlelight scattered throughout your serving and seating area. It creates just the right warm glow for the evening. Hang paper lanterns around the perimeter, play some “ocean” background music. If you have time and your budget allows, think about creating a big sand box where kids and adults alike can create sand castles or wiggle their toes in the sand. Netting, burlap and jute are also great texture pieces to look to for highlighting your beach theme.

Use your imagination and see how fun a beach-themed party can be!

Happy Entertaining!

Shanna