Make the most of the rest of the summer by spending it with your people. How? Host a last-minute summer gathering without a ton of stress!
If you’ve been following along with Sara in Season this summer, you know that summer get-togethers have been kind of a theme. I’ve given you lots of reasons to have a summer get-together and I’ve made hosting friends an item on my summer hope-to list. Unfortunately, our patio project has turned my home into a construction zone for most of the summer, so I’m woefully behind on my summer gathering goal. I’m still going to try to sneak at least one in after they finally finish the project, but, in the meantime, I’m living vicariously through you. In order to do that, though, I have to pass on my wisdom.
Today I want to talk about hosting a last-minute summer gathering. I’m sure some of you felt the hair on the back of your next stand up when you read last-minute. I get it. Hosting something at the last minute can be scary. But I’ll let you in on a little secret. It doesn’t have to be! If you keep it casual and follow my easy tips, you’ll be hosting a last-minute summer gathering and not even batting an eyelash!
Tips for Hosting a Last-Minute Summer Gathering
Outside
The huge benefit of hosting a last-minute summer gathering is that the weather is usually nice enough that you can focus your gathering outside. If you live in Florida, please disregard this advice. You need A/C in the summer.
Limited cleaning
My #1 hesitation when it comes to hosting is the cleaning that comes with it. When you host a last-minute summer gathering that’s going to happen outside, that hesitation mostly disappears. Of course you’ll want to do a wipe down inside and make sure your bathroom is clean when you’re throwing a backyard party, but you don’t need to worry about deep cleaning every nook and cranny of your home.
Even if the weather does push your party inside, please don’t let perfection keep you from hosting your village. I can promise you they don’t really care. And if they do, maybe it’s time to find new people.
Bugs
There is a special consideration when you’re hosting a last-minute summer gathering that will be mostly outside – bugs. You don’t want bugs ruining your shindig, but there are a few easy steps you can take to avoid that result.
Fans
If you have a covered porch with fans, make sure they’re on! No ceiling fans, no problem! Just set up some oscillating fans on your patio or deck. Moving air keeps these flying menaces away.
Citronella
Burning a citronella candle (or several) is another weapon you should have in your war against bugs. They don’t like the smell, so they stay away. I happen to find it to be a pleasant smell that reminds me of my youth. What’s your stance on citronella?
Atmosphere
Even if you’re throwing a last-minute summer get together, you still want it to have good vibes. Set the mood with a few strands of string lights, some simple décor, and a killer play list. Having some games or simple activities to keep your guests occupied and enjoying one another’s company also go a long way to creating an atmosphere of somewhere people want to stay.
Simple
I like to keep every gathering I ever host simple, but this is especially key when hosting a last-minute summer gathering. There are many ways to keep your gathering simple, and I recommend opting for all of them!
Limited menu
You don’t have to prepare a whole complicated spread when you’re having a casual summer get-together. Stick to a standard menu of crowd-pleasers you know will be hits. My signature summer gathering menu consists of hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans, grilled corn, and a fruit salad. I rarely diverge from this simple menu of summer food that pretty much everyone likes. Of course, if you have guests with special dietary considerations, modify your signature party menu accordingly to make them feel welcome.
Serve your limited items buffet style so everyone can serve themselves what they want when they want to keep the simple theme going. Plated meals have no place at last-minute summer gatherings.
Easy drinks
There is no need to overcomplicate the drinks menu either. Set up a few coolers with water, beer, soda, and juice boxes in a central location so everyone can grab as they need a beverage. If you want to offer drinks beyond these single-serve options, limit yourself to one big batch drink (spiked or not) and call it your signature drink. There is no reason that you or your spouse should be mixing individual drinks for your guests for the duration of the party.
Make-ahead
Try to make as much of the food you’re planning to serve ahead of time as you can. Not only does this take the pressure off you as the host while the party is in full swing, it also means you get to get out of the kitchen and enjoy the party you’re throwing! Here’s what I do in advance when I’m serving my signature summer menu:
- Make hamburger patties
- Prep all toppings for hamburgers/hot dogs
- Make baked beans
- Cut fruit for fruit salad
- Make dessert (this tends to change, but it’s always something I can make ahead)
- Fill coolers
- Make signature drink
- Have platters ready
- Set out plates/utensils/napkins
Disposable
Speaking of plates, utensils, and napkins, do yourself a favor and opt for disposable varieties of each. This helps with clean-up, sure, but it also gives you peace of mind that nothing will break. I’m not usually a single use fan, but last-minute summer gatherings call for disposable options.
Manageable guest list
Repeat after me: You don’t have to invite everyone you know to every party you throw. It’s OK to limit the guest list when you’re hosting a last-minute summer gathering to make it more manageable on yourself. Limiting the guest list may also make the party more fun for your guests too.
If you feel bad about not including certain people at one gathering you host, take that as your sign to have smaller get-togethers more often. You’ve got my tips for hosting a last-minute summer gathering now, so more of them should be no sweat off your back!
Other posts
Looking for more entertaining tips? Check out these posts:
I hope I’ve helped take some of the stress out of hosting a last-minute summer gathering. For those of you who’ve hosted your fair share of these, what other tips would you share? Let us know in the comments or over on Instagram @sarainseason!