Summertime Birthdays: Our Favorite Ideas For a Memorable Garden Party

What could be better than the carefree feeling of summertime? Longer days, great weather, and more excuses to pamper yourself with ice cream. Having fun in the sun can be only more impressive if you have a summer birthday. And though you may be still snuggling up under your favorite blanket, watching TV, and waiting for the lockdown to end, we bet every passing day you long for the summer, planning an outdoor party.

If that is the case, this article is just the thing you need. We have gathered up our top three favorite summer garden party concepts for your next birthday. So, sit down, grab a popsicle, and get inspired! We are confident that this year you will take your birthday party to the next level.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Not Your Traditional Afternoon Tea Party

If you are a tea lover, there is no better time than summer to throw a garden tea party. Tea parties are steeped in tradition. However, for your birthday, you can get creative and reinvent the “traditional” tea party to make a fun event for everyone involved. Let us give you some ideas:

The drinks: While a cup of hot tea on the cooler days is a treat, a fresh ice tea during the more heated hours is a much-needed refreshment. Choose something other than the ordinary lemon green tea and tickle your guests’ senses with black currant, blood orange, or blueberry green iced tea. If you want to shake up the party, even more, opt for refreshing mojitos or some fruity sangria cocktails. To bring elegance, make floral ice cubes with edible flowers to pretty up the drinks and fortify the garden party theme.

The food: There is no better food to accompany a glass of iced tea than a tasty and colorful selection of sweets. Opt for flower cupcakes, French macaroons, or beautiful fruit-laden cakes. You can also choose to have finger sandwiches, savory scones, quiches, or lighter snacks, like seasoned nuts or cheese and crackers.

The decor: Since there is a theme, you have to think of a fitting centerpiece.

If you want elegance fill teapots (or large teacups) with fresh flowers to beautify the tables.

If you want a more simple setting, use glass jars decorated with delicate pastel laces and filled with flowers. If you want a more rustic touch, choose more close-to-nature decorations. For example, if you concentrate the party on one large outdoor table, make a large colorful spring nest to adorn it.

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Ice Cream Sundae Garden Party

Nothing says summer like a sprinkled creamy ice cream and dripping ice cream cones. So why not throw a birthday party where you celebrate not only your birthday but also this magnificent warm-weather treat.

The food: An ice cream sundae party requires various ice creams and an extensive list of toppings and sauces. Sprinkles, fruit, chopped nuts, gummy bears, and candies are just a few of the fun topping options you can offer. Also, a must-have are fudge, whipped cream, and various sauces. Let’s face it, these delicious additions are responsible for half of the birthday fun.

The drinks: If you are looking for a way to include boozy indulgence in your ice cream sundae, consider treating your guests with delicious ice cream cocktails. To simplify, make a list of two to three cocktails that can be done with alcohol of your choice. From frozen banana split to kappa colada, make sure you offer a perfect finishing like, for example, blended mocha iced coffee.

The decor: Aside from the obvious (but so cool) idea of installing an ice cream stand or, even better, a bar in your garden, you can also make a photo booth. Decorate a backdrop with ice cream cone garlands and lights in all possible colors. If you want to add an even more personal touch, DIY ice cream cone paper lanterns and cone pinata will do the trick.

Photo by Dave Lastovskiy on Unsplash

Out of the Ordinary Wine Tasting Backyard Picnic

You don’t have to be a wine expert to have a birthday wine tasting party in your backyard. What is more, it is a perfect way to celebrate your birthday if you want to do it more intimately. What can be better than celebrating your day with your loved ones on a wine picnic in your garden, enjoying great wines, and learning something new along the way?

In events of this type, the wine tasting is your party’s main focus since you genuinely want guests to discover and discuss different flavors of wine. However, since the occasion, a.k.a the party, is you, the ideas below will help you keep the wine tasting spirit and make your birthday unique, comfortable, and memorable.

The drink: Although the main theme is wine, it is not so simple. It would be best if you chose a sub-theme for your party, meaning deciding what types of wines you and your guests will taste. For example, you can opt for discovering a region, so choose a theme such as “a Tuscany journey,” or a series of similarly styled wines, for example, an array of “rich, bold reds” or “crisp, dry white wines,” as well as sampling what a specific wine variety tastes like from different regions, and so on.

Since it is summer, you might be up for a twist on a seasonal staple. So, the exciting idea is to freeze your favorite rosé in an ice cube tray, then blend it up the next day. Last but not least- sweeten your wine! After all, it is a birthday (and your party), so drop a popsicle into your glass of white wine, and thank us later!

The food: There is no better snack for wine than cheese. You can make different cheese boards that go with various wines – red, sparkling, and white. But as we said, it is your birthday, so feel adventurous with your food. Do a bit of research in advance. Once you decide which wines will be served, test them how they pair with creamy cheeses, crackers, salted nuts, fresh and dried fruits, artisan meats, bitter chocolate, or simple sweets.

The decor: Hang lanterns at different heights to bring a moody vibe to your backyard. Assuming that all your guests will be on one large table, create a beautiful centerpiece with succulents contrasting delicate blooms, or bring warm light to the table with decorations combining candles and cork. Alternatively, for a more relaxed and comfortable night, choose to arrange floor sitting filled with large and small comfortable pillows. Your guests will feel so cozy that they may not want to leave.

The Bottom Line

Birthdays allow everyone to feel special for a day and see how much those around them love them. So, whatever concept for a party you choose – drinking fabulous iced tea, enjoying creamy ice cream sundae, or sipping wine on candle lights – we assure you that you will have a day to remember. There is something undeniably beautiful about throwing a garden party with friends and loved ones on the day of your birthday.