How to plan the perfect backyard party

Being surrounded by amazing women that I can create, grow, laugh, and even cry with is so important to me. There is nothing like being surrounded by all of that magic.

Before the summer ended, I wanted to get at least one fun gathering in with some old and new girlfriends. So I called up a few girlfriends and business buddies for a day of laughter and fun. It was a gorgeous day, the sun was the perfect backdrop and we decorated our table in light linen, adding floral centerpieces and colorful accents. Everyone raved about the how cute everything looked, how amazing the food tasted, and of course the wine (Two Oceans Moscato) was a hit.

With my schedule, I don’t always get a chance to host parties. But when I do, I try to make sure they are cute and memorable. Want to host a party of your own? Here are my 5 tips for throwing a great backyard dinner party:

1.       Choose a theme. An interesting, fun, elegant, or creative theme always takes the party up a notch.  No need to stress over this tip. Sometimes keeping it simple is the best option. We went for a light and airy summertime theme.

2.       Transform the space. This sounds like a big task but it’s not… Linen, lighting, color accents, or flowers are simple, inexpensive ways to change the look of any space. This little tip goes a long way!

3.       Mix-up the guest list. Spice up the convo and the dynamic.  Invite some old friends and some new ones, business associates, and maybe even a few family members. This is sure to inspire a fun night.

4.       Choose a great wine. This really should be first on the list. Two Oceans Moscato was the perfect choice for us. It’s light, crisp, and the fruity, aromatic notes are perfect for summer.

5.       Choose a delicious food theme and have it catered to make life easy. We chose South African chef Dan from Jack and Lils and let me tell you, the food tasted even better than it looked. Dan did not disappoint. You can find more info on him here: http://www.jackandlils.com/our-story/

Now that you have my tips, set a date and send out the invites. Be sure to take a ton of pictures and come back to share the details!

Backyard party guests from Left to right in the main photo (Shantel Rousseau, Killa Kels, Amanda Rach Lee, Sasha Exeter, Lily Yange, Shaneice Parkin).

All photos were taken by Jess Baumung.

This blog post was created in partnership with Two Oceans Moscato, however all ideas are my own.