At Jacquie’s Gourmet Catering, we think summer parties are some of the most fun to cater.
Why? Because they are so free-spirited, casual and outdoorsy. Plus, they can take so many forms, from celebrations of life events to fun-themed parties, just for the heck of it. All “al fresco,” and under the stars at Finley Creek Vineyards, at a popular downtown destination, or under a tent at one of our customers’ backyards.
Here are some of our favorite summer party themes:
- Summer Solstice Party – Begins promptly at 6:21 PM (since summer officially begins on June 21st), and goes through the longest day (and shortest night) of the year. We offered lots of drink and food items that were long; Long Island iced teas, extra long marinated skewers of marinated steak, foot long hot dogs with all the fixings, as well as lots of classic summer favorites like liquor-infused popsicles and individual strawberry shortcakes.
- 80s Glam Party -
From the funky disco music right down to the glitter outfits and big hair, this party was non-stop fun from the get-go. We served over-the-top drinks, and adapted our dinner menu for whatever favorites our customers had back in the day.
- Prom Party – Some guests still fit into their prom dresses and tuxes. Others found wonderful gems at Goodwill and topped them with giant corsages. The dance list was schmaltzy and highly danceable. The food was a riot, including pork sliders, burger bar, milk shakes, and 8 kinds of popcorn, all under a disco ball and strobe lights. There were even prom pictures!
- Garden Cocktail Party - We held this one at Finley Creek Vineyard, including a lovely wine bar (frozen rose` was a huge hit!) and fun cocktail bar including lots of edible flowers & veggies and herb-infused cocktails. There was even a spiked lemonade stand. Appetizers ran the gamut from grilled veggie tapas with zucchini flowers, to chilled gazpacho soup. Flowers hung from the rafters and there were potted plants and cactus everywhere. Everyone received an adorable succulent plant in a giant olive, to take home.
- Mexican Sangria Party – This was a kid’s party for adults, which is why our clients made sure there was plenty of room for the piñata in the center of the dance floor. Our party-goers found their piñata filled with chocolates, but others we know filled theirs with lottery tickets and even a grand prize (round trip tickets to Cancun). The sangria was refreshing and full of berries. We made sure guests had plenty of classic and nouveau Mexican foods, too, from grilled peppers and steak fajitas to bountiful desserts including tres leche cake, flan cheesecake and churros with coconut sauce.
The point of any party is to make guests feel special and welcome, feed them bountifully, and make sure everyone leaves happy. Sounds like the recipe for a perfect summer party, right there!
