Nothing says summer quite like a backyard BBQ. Classic picnic meets vintage Americana in this charming party by Christina Nease of Celebrations at Home.
Design & Styling by Celebrations at Home
Printables by Paper & Pigtails
“I wanted to create a party that would inspire you all summer long, including 4th of July ideas, so naturally I went with red, white, and blue,” Nease says. “I believe in having a ‘welcome’ table at a party, especially when you’re outside and have wide open space. Bring an indoor table outside, and set up a sign and snack cones filled with chips.”
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Nease suggests using outdoor game paraphernalia as part of the décor. Above, she places coordinating croquet balls in a wire basket. Arranged flowers peek out from a bureau drawer – a clever and lovely detail.
Place settings in coordinating fabrics of red, white, and blue are offset by simple floral arrangements. “Wooden planter boxes turned upside down act as a great base for recycled cans-turned-vases,” Nease says. “A quick tie of coordinating fabric and you instantly dress up the cans for any occasion.”
“I found a couple of fun accessories at Cracker Barrel Restaurant and knew I had to find a way to incorporate them. The wooden triangle & peg puzzle definitely takes me back to my own childhood, and the ‘faucet’ dish is just so unique, I fell in love. It’s actually a soap dish but I put retro-style bubble gum in it and it looks great!” Nease says.
Sliders are a great alternative to full-sized burgers. They’re the perfect size for kids, and guests who wish to have more than one can experiment with different toppings and condiments. Slider sized buns can be now be found at many grocery stores and markets, or try them on sweet Hawaiian rolls.
Baked beans are served in small canning jars that Nease purchased from Wal-Mart. “They are a perfect serving size, holding a little more than ¼ cup each, and guests can just grab and go – no messy drips from bowl to plate,” Nease says. “I also transferred condiments into pretty containers. I love doing this and if there’s one thing you can do to elevate the design of a party, it’s serving your condiments in a lovely container.”
Inexpensive canning jars make cute drink containers, and can double as a take-home gift. Nease suggests attaching a tag to each jar that guest’s can write their name on and keep as a memento.
Find other summer entertaining ideas and Christina Nease's favorite "juicy burger" recipe at Celebrations at Home.
