Summer parties should be as colorful, fun, and casual as possible. You’ll be dreaming about those lovely breezy summer dresses when winter comes, and long back the season of effortless fun outside; what better to compliment your outdoor summer party than a theme of casual tapas-eating?
In fact, tapas parties seem to be the perfect match for any summer celebration. The little plates and the simplicity they offer highlights the casual feeling you’ve been looking for; with a minimum amount of cooking, you’re able to lounge around outside with your guests rather than spending your time over a hot stove.
Buffet Style
Your guests should arrive just around the time when the sun is setting. That way, you can enjoy the party without melting away in the heat. You don’t need to set a fancy dinner table or plan a comprehensive dinner menu; the only preparations you need to be doing is arranging a lot of plates with a variety of snackable food – there needs to be something there for everyone to enjoy.
Keep the arrangement buffet-style and preferably outside on the patio or in the garden. Provide little chairs and tables for everyone, kind of the same idea that they have in charming cafes, and keep the decorations simple; a single runner on the buffet table is usually more than enough. It’s all about being able to mingle while snacking on the little dishes, so make sure you’ve arranged the tables and chairs according to this.
Try to keep a Mediterranean color-theme running throughout the party, by the way. Warm shades of red, orange, and green are sure to set the mood; and remember to top it all up with soft Spanish guitar tunes in the background.
Since it is a relaxing summer party, it’s a good idea to move on to a different place later in the evening. It depends on how late you’d like to keep it going and what type of celebration it is; for the special occasions, treat your guests to a limo rental at Bergen Limo and serve a decadent Spanish dessert before you move on.
Tapas Menu
The only thing you need to plan for this party, besides from your guest list and where on earth you’re going to get all those chairs from, is the tapas menu as well as mixing up a large bowl of sangria. You’d want to keep it simple but varied; some hot dishes, a few cold ones, a cheese platter to nibble on, a selection of skewers, and multiple bowls of classic Mediterranean herbs such as parsley, oregano, rosemary, and thyme is going to bring a bit of life to your party.
Provide toothpicks and napkins on the buffet table, too, so everyone can help themselves.
It’s a good idea to have a few vegetarian tapas dishes as well as one or two with seafood and a few with meat. You want to see each guest enjoying something from the buffet – by keeping it colorful and a mix of different flavors, you’re already playing the perfect host.