Must Have Summer Dinner Party Tips

Summer is the perfect time to host a dinner party at home. We can have the party inside or out in the yard, creating a magical summer vibe. Of course, not every aspect of the party will require so little effort. Luckily, we have some must-have summer dinner party tips to help.

These easy summer dinner party tips can help make your gathering one to remember, complete with personal touches. Dinner parties are a fun and easy way to catch up with friends without throwing a complete party.

In fact, dinners might be the easiest summer party ideas. Each plate filled with seasonal ingredients put together in special ways, good conversation, and big pitchers filled with ice-cold drinks for everyone to share, what could possibly be missing from that scene?

It is a fun way to spend some time with people you may not see as often, and you won’t even need an event planner to put it all together. Instead, your next dinner party can be quickly thrown together.

Of course, that is not to say that it will be a breeze every step of the way. We aren’t exactly hosting a summer pizza party here. We still need to put the food together, set the table, and maybe hang some string lights, depending on where you plan on eating. These summer dinner party tips can help make every aspect of the party a breeze.

Must-Have Summer Dinner Party Tips

​Setting the mood is what the planning stage is all about. Summer is the perfect time for a dinner party because it can be a relaxed event filled with music and soft glows from string lights or candles.

This means we need to decide if we will be hosting the party indoors or outdoors. There are some tips that would only apply to outdoor parties, and some for indoors. However, we can still use them all to create a multi-layered party that everyone will enjoy.

Dinner parties have come a long way from the house parties we attended in college. That doesn’t mean we can’t have just as much fun; it’s just a different type of fun.

How to Create an Ambiance

Two things factor into an ambiance: sight and sound. One of the easiest summer dinner party tips is to create an ambiance you will enjoy; it’s your party. The lighting will depend on where the dinner is taking place.

For example, outdoor parties are best lit with string lights. We want to let the moon shine through, but also be able to see what we’re eating off our plates. This is to say, not to overdo it with the lighting. We aren’t lighting a surgical room here.

The next is the music. Music might be the most important aspect of any ambiance. Fast-paced music creates a dancing ambiance, and slow music creates a romantic ambiance.

The question is, what do you want to do before or after the dinner? Pick some casual music, nothing too fast-paced and nothing too slow. Think hip coffee lounge.

Summer Menu Ideas

We know where the dinner will be set, we have the music and lighting ready, now we need to come up with a menu. The menu should include appetizers, a salad, a main course, two sides, and some sweet treats for after dinner.

Building a menu for a dinner party is all about the season. A fall dinner party will have warmer, heavier dishes like roasts, but a summer dinner party is lighter, more refreshing, like a watermelon salad. We also want to integrate seasonal ingredients.

Summer is a great time to host a dinner party because there are so many ingredients that are in season. An in-season ingredient is an ingredient that is at its best during any given time of year. Summer seasonal ingredients include the following:

Drinks for a Crowd

One of the most important summer dinner party tips is one that can apply to any event. We should always make things ahead of time. Dinner parties are all about the food, so we don’t want to take many shortcuts with the food.

However, drinks are a different story. We can make a few different drink options for guests to choose from throughout the night. These drinks can usually be made a day or two before and stored in the fridge.

Utilize things like pitchers and drink dispensers to ensure there is enough for everyone. Any food recipes that can be made ahead of time should only be done the day before, and if they can be kept at room temperature. This makes things a little easier for the host.

​Dinner Party Activities

Eating is the main activity at any dinner party. There shouldn’t be any pressure on a dinner party host to do more than provide a comfortable setting and some delicious food for guests.

However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have backup activities to use either before or after the dinner. Some people transition their summer dinner party into an outdoor movie night or a pool party.

Another option would be to have some outdoor games for guests to enjoy. We don’t want to end the night with awkward goodbyes, and these activities will help bridge that gap between the end of the meal and last call.

Set the Dinner Party Table

Summer dinner parties have a bit of a theme already built into the event. We can use those summer vibes to fill out the theme of our party. The easiest summer dinner party tips are all about decor.

The mood is set with music and lighting, but the aftertaste of that ambiance comes from visuals. Summer is bright, warm, and inviting, so our decor should be the same. Pick colorful plates and cups to use for the party.

There is nothing wrong with using sturdy plastic, especially if the dinner is outdoors. Indoor parties should use normal glassware, though. Just be sure that it is colorful, inviting, and fun, just like summer.

And always remember that tableware IS decor at a dinner party.

Clean Up Tips After a Dinner Party

Remember those house party days when we would wake up to a mess, but that mess serves as a reminder that you lived the night prior to the fullest? Let’s repeat that. Yes, a dinner party will have plenty of dishes to do, and that seems like a bad day.

However, we were smart and cleaned as we cooked, right? Meaning the only dishes left should be minimal. Save those for the next day. Allow yourself to have fun and let loose during the dinner party. Worry about cleaning up the next day.

These summer dinner party tips will ensure you have a great time, your guests will be happy, and everyone will be talking about how great of a cook you are, even if some of it was ordered out. That is how you host a successful dinner party in summer.

More Party Ideas

Fun Summer Cookies For Parties | Cookies make for a great snack after everyone has finished dinner.

DIY Outdoor Lighting for Summer Parties | You can easily DIY your lighting for the event.

Large Batch Cocktails | The food may be a small batch, but the drinks can easily be a large batch.

Pool Party Food Ideas | Pool parties and dinner parties are not quite the same.

Easy No Torch Creme Brulee Recipe | Make dessert an easy option that will impress everyone.