Thank you Edwards® Desserts for sponsoring this post. Head to the frozen desserts aisle of your grocery store to pick up your favorite Edwards pie!
5 tips for a last-minute summer dinner party that your guests will love & remember!
I absolutely love hosting our friends and family in our new home.
Roger and I are really enjoying having a space where we can throw last-minute parties and we are passionate about using our new space to make memories with the ones we love.
We’ve had more parties in our new home this summer than we’ve ever hosted before.
And since I’ve been learning a lot over the last few years about hosting big and small parties I thought I would share some tips to help you confidently throw your own summer dinner party.
Because indulging in those sweet summer moments will leave you with blissful memories all year long.
And to help you with any last-minute summer dinner parties that may come your way Edwards® Desserts is hosting a giveaway which you can enter that is located below these 5 tips.
I picked up 2 of the many delicious flavors of Edwards® Desserts to share with our family.
And they were pretty split in opinion on which Edwards® Desserts was their favorite.
All agreed that both were so good, but half of the group loved the Edwards® Cookies and Crème Pie the best while the other half loved the Edwards® Key Lime Pie the best.
So I guess the only way for you to decide will be to try both too!
I hope these tips (& the giveaway) help you create a memorable last-minute dinner party this summer!
1. Decide on a Location
The best thing about a summer dinner party is that it can be held inside or outside.
I love outdoor summer dinner parties, but here in Tennessee, it can be pretty hot and humid outside at dinner time.
When planning a dinner party at the last minute I’ll usually be able to see if the weather permits an inside or outside party.
Although sometimes I like to just play it safe and have dinner inside with the option of enjoying appetizers and dessert outdoors.
Plus, eating Edwards® Desserts outside is so much easier and more enjoyable than melting ice cream!
2. Plan the Menu
Planning a menu for a dinner party can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be if you plan wisely.
There is no need to overextend yourself for a last-minute dinner party.
I recommend only choosing recipes you have created in the past and that you know are tried and true favorites.
And there is also no reason to make everything homemade and cause a messy kitchen disaster in the process.
I love keeping things fun and simple with a crudités platter for the appetizer and an Edwards® Desserts as an after-dinner treat.
And I especially love the Edwards® Cookies and Crème Pie with its fluffy vanilla crème and chocolate cookie chunks on a fresh-from-the-oven dark chocolate cookie crumb crust.
It’s hard to top perfection, but with its whipped crème rosettes and cookie crumb garnish, this pie is the crème de la cookies and crème.
Unlike ice cream with its array of cones, nuts, chocolate, whipped cream, and cherries, Edwards® Desserts are an easy and delicious dessert treat that doesn’t require any DIY as all of the ingredients are already included, plus it looks so pretty!
And if you want to treat your taste buds to the vacation they deserve. You will love the key lime filling with real Key West lime juice, topped with whipped crème rosettes on a fresh-from-the-oven vanilla cookie crumb crust.
3. Choose Simple Decor You Already Own
Decorating simply with what you own is the easiest way to set the mood for your dinner party.
If you want to add something extra you could decorate a chalkboard menu or print off a fun little quote to frame and place next to the drinks or dessert.
Adding ambiance for your party is also very simple.
Whether that be twinkle lights hanging from a tree outside or an array of candles inside.
4. Add Fresh Flowers
Although I like to use what I have when decorating, the one exception is flowers.
Fresh flowers are one of my favorite ways to add joy to the decor.
I love to find something seasonal that catches your eye and draws you into a room as you enter the house.
Plus it’s something you can enjoy even after the party ends.
5. Prep Everything Beforehand
Before I start making any recipe or meals I always try to do the prep work first.
This way there isn’t any rushing around last minute trying to find an ingredient or topping while guests are driving up the driveway.
Plus it means that while things are cooking, baking, or simmering I can clean up rather than doing more prep work for another recipe.
I love having a clean kitchen when people arrive!
Then you can just settle in for a fun evening making lots of memories.
P.S. Don’t forget to enter the Edwards® Desserts giveaway below so that you will be one step ahead for any last-minute summer parties!
If you are ready to enter the giveaway you can get started below!
The winner will receive one (1) of 16 free product coupons for an Edwards pie of your choice.
The giveaway begins August 12 and runs through August 28, 2019.
You may enter the giveaway below in the following ways: 1. Visit Edwards Desserts on Facebook. 2. Visit Edwards Desserts on Instagram. 3. Follow @EdwardsDesserts on Twitter. 4. Leave a blog post comment.
Winners will be randomly selected and notified by CLEVER on Friday, August 30, 2019. ***
a Rafflecopter giveaway***Terms & Conditions: The official Terms & Conditions are included in the widget; here is the high-level eligibility criteria: Age 18+, US resident only, only one winner per household.
I hope you enjoy swapping out ice cream for the extra special Edwards® Desserts.
They have 4 delicious flavors including Edwards® Hershey’s Chocolate Crème Pie, Edwards® Turtle Pie, Edwards® Key Lime Pie, and Edwards® Cookies and Crème Pie.
You can find them in the same aisle as the ice cream but in a different league!
Be sure to give them a try and let me know in the comments which one is your favorite!
If you use these tips to create a last-minute dinner party, be sure to share a picture and tag @DomesticallyBlissful on Instagram so that we can all see your party and so that I can share your image on my stories!
And if you enjoyed these tips, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter below so that you don’t miss out on another blissful tip!
Do you have any last-minute dinner party tips?
Feel free to comment below, email me, or tweet me on Twitter!
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With love, Giusti
Choosing between all those delicious pies is NOT an easy task, but I was able to narrow it down to just two. I would go with either the Cookies and Creme or Turtle flavored pie. My only hope in being able to choose just one is that they are out of one of the flavors at the grocery store!
Those are both great choices!
Good luck with the giveaway!
The turtle variety is my favorite, but I have never had an Edwards variety that wasn’t in contention to be my favorite. We bought the key lime variety once, and I thought I may not like it, but it was delicious. We have had that one several times since then.
Haha! Yes, my family couldn’t decide because they were both so good! They’d try one and say it was there favorite and then eat the other and said it was just as good as the first. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed everything by Edwards® Desserts!