8 Tips for Hosting the Perfect Picnic or Backyard Get Together

Summer is finally here and there is no better way to celebrate safely than with a picnic or backyard get together. So we are giving some of our tips and highlighting our favourite products for hosting the perfect outdoor festivities this year.

1) Find a spot of shade

As they say – location, location, location. We all love the summer sun, but shade can also be your best friend. Make use of your awning, umbrella, or a perfectly positioned tree so your party has a bit of cover from the heat. Not only will it give your skin a reprieve from the strong rays, but it will also make sure your food and drinks don’t bid an untimely farewell in the heat.

2) Cover your food to keep bugs from partaking in your feast

While you’re unlikely to avoid ants or beetles coming over to say hello, you can help to keep Mother Nature out of your goat cheese salad with an adorable, reusable bowl cover. Keep the chips contained with fun bag clips and wrap up your half-used lemons or limes from your cocktails with a beeswax wrap. Not only will you deprive any four to eight-legged friend from your tasty treats, but you’ll keep all your food fresh for your actual guests.

3) Go green with eco-friendly disposable dinnerware

If you are walking all the way to the park or headed to the lake for a quick day trip, carefully wrapping up your plates and transporting the dirty dishes home isn’t ideal for travelling. But don’t worry, we have eco-friendly cups and plates that biodegrade. Plus, don’t worry about sacrificing style with these gorgeous floral designs and stunning gold fold details to transport you to an English country cottage. Chic and green? Yes, please.  

4) Stay hydrated

This is really the golden rule for summer in general – drink lots of water. Make sure you pack extra bottles or that you have access to a fountain or tap. You should also remind your guests to sip some water between their sparkling cocktails or glasses of wine. When you are dehydrated, your body doesn’t have enough fluids and electrolytes to work properly, which is the opposite of a good time.

You can also help by packing ‘water-rich’ fruits like watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, and cantaloupe or try creating a delicious gazpacho to encourage mineral and fluid intake. Who doesn’t love a cold soup on a hot day?

5) Make it pretty and cozy

Nothing completely transforms an outdoor space like a Le Cluny tablecloth. These Teflon-coated cotton tablecloths are stain resistant, but still feel soft to the touch. Perfect for an easy clean with a eye-catching, classic Provencal design that your guests can admire.

Don’t underestimate the power of comfort either. You may be out in nature, but a pillow never hurt anybody. Pack a couple of pretty cushions to place out on your blankets so your family and friends can lay back and relax throughout the day.

6) Keep your food simple

When we are at the grocery store or standing in line at the local bakery, we all have the same thought racing through our minds - ‘is this going to be enough?’ But even with a heavy-weight jute canvas bag, transporting huge quantities of eight different flavours of muffins doesn’t feel essential anymore.

Make a list and keep it basic. Stick to a few staple appetizers, self-serve dishes, and easy finger foods. For snacks like chips or even fruits and veggies, adopt a ‘open as needed’ policy versus laying out everything all at once and overwhelming guests with options. Start with one bag of chips in a cute serving bowl, and only dig out another bag to refill. This will save you from having to pack away four of five half -eaten bags of chips at the end of day and make your clean up so much easier.

7) Bring your own tunes

Don’t forget to pack your Bluetooth speaker to play your curated playlist of summer beats. It’s an easy way to set the tone for the day and keep the energy upbeat. Keep the volume low to encourage conversation. You should also aim to have aleast three hours worth of songs so you don’t have to worry about the music cutting off or having the playlist repeat without you noticing.

8) Don’t be afraid to go for that touch of special

After the past 15 months, we all deserve to indulge in a little ‘extra’. Do you really need a gold-trimmed cake plate to serve your cupcakes and cookies in the park? Probably not. Will it look amazing and add a fun pop of elegeance to your get together? One hundred percent.

Buy some new floral napkins to match your lavender Le Cluny tablecloth. Put out these insanely perfect sugar cubes in the shape of a teapot when you serve your own tea. 

Want to go that extra mile? Set a party theme. Fascinator required. Have some fun! We all truly deserve it.

Tell us about your plans for the summer in the comments below.