6 Stylish Ideas for Summertime Entertaining Memories

How many brunches and dinners have you been dreaming up in the past year or two? Gatherings with friends and family are, thankfully, an option again, and I have some super fun tips for creating warm-weather memories with the ones you love! I hope these ideas inspire your events, both big and small, by helping you personalize your parties.

Photo by Hector Sanchez

In the summer of 2020, we invited family and friend pods over for a socially distanced Orchard Dinner at our Johnston family farm pecan orchard in Thomaston, Georgia. The goal of the evening was to support local chefs and growers who were really struggling during the pandemic, while also helping our guests connect in a safe environment.

 We enjoyed a really special evening, and I pulled out a few of my favorite tricks to make the night stand out. These beautiful photos were captured by a friend from my Southern Living days, talented photographer Hector Sanchez.

Photo by Hector Sanchez

1. Send Out Invitations – Paper invitations are still so distinctive, and they make an event feel extra-special. While you can find great choices at your local paper goods store, I’d also suggest checking out my friend Kat McCall Papers, who can help you really honor a moment. She’s so talented! And, if all else fails, create something on Canva to email your friends.  No matter the format, I think a thoughtful invitation really makes an event feel planned and important, whether it’s a family reunion, birth celebration, or a casual backyard dinner with friends.

Photos by Hector Sanchez

2. Set a Pretty Table – Don’t let your family pieces languish in a china cabinet or linen closet. For our Orchard Dinner, I brought out my vintage linens, heirloom silver, and Italian terra-cotta. Weave together pieces that mean something to you or that tell a part of your story. (Maybe you collected special place settings from a trip abroad!) Don’t worry about being matchy-matchy; a table set with special family mementos will mean so much more to your guests!
3. Snip and Clip Your Centerpieces – You know I have a lot of gardening philosophies, and “snip and clip” is one of my favorites for table centerpieces. Head outside to gather greenery and seasonal blooms from your yard like hydrangea, iris, or fresh and fragrant herbs. Just survey your yard to see what’s flowering, and then use it! You might want to supplement with flowers from your local garden shop. If so, consider using small plants or a miniature container garden.  Your guests will enjoy the flowers for the evening, and you can enjoy them for days after. For this event, I set multiple tables with a unique theme, so guests had fun exploring each one!

Photos by Hector Sanchez

4. Personalize the Menu – Head to your local produce stand before you plan the menu, and work with what’s fresh and in season. I collaborated with my friend Chef Jamie Keating, owner of the four diamond, Triple AAA award-winning restaurant Epic in Columbus, Georgia. Jamie curated the menu by combining seasonal selections based on elements that mean something to our family, then he named the menu items to reflect our family and region’s history. Take a look at the fun menu he planned here!
5. Curate a Playlist – Music adds a great layer to entertaining. For bigger events, consider checking with the local symphony to see if a musician hires out for private events. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to support local talent! You can also check your neighborhood Facebook group to see if a young piano, guitar, or fiddle player is available. Or, simply create a background music playlist on your favorite streaming platform.

Photo by Hector Sanchez

6. Gift a Serci – In addition to providing attendees with a list of my favorite tunes, Jamie create a special serci for me to gift our guests: homemade pralines made with Johnston farm pecans. Wow, was this a sweet treat! We also placed a basket of fresh produce on each table and included recipes for guests to take home as well.

Personalizing Entertaining Makes Memories

My main goal is to help you honor your family history and collections by weaving your experiences into your entertaining. This charm will personalize your event for guests and help you relive those moments with new friends. It will also help you remember the special people in your life who passed on those keepsakes, and I find that it’s a great conversation starter!