Summer celebrations are in full swing, but with rising temps, it's key to keep your guests feeling as fresh as your party styling. Whether you're hosting a garden birthday party, wedding, baby shower, or just a sunshine-filled get-together, we've rounded up the coolest ideas to beat the heat and keep the vibes high.
1. Get Sun Savvy
Be prepared is key with a potentially hot summer event. Have a guest basket ready to rescue those guests who may have not come quite so prepared! Add these items to your basket:
- Sunscreen
- Plenty of handheld fans
- Straw hats, caps, flipflops
- Cooling towels and misting spray
- Sunglasses
- Mosquito repellent
- Umbrellas – consider umbrellas or parasols if the sun is strong, especially at a wedding or baby shower. Chinese paper parasols are inexpensive and look stunning in photos too!
2. Embrace the Shade
Turn any garden into a dreamy chill zone by creating shaded areas using the trees, parasols a pergola, gazebo or even a breezy DIY teepee.
Style it with:
- Floor Cushions
- Low Tables
- Tropical Leaf Decorations
- Lighting for when the sun goes down
Bonus: Hang paper fans from tree branches or pergolas for instant shade and serious style.
3. Ice Ice Baby
LOTS of Ice is a must for keeping guest cool, use in drinks, to cool food platters, and just for guests to cool themselves with.
Icy tips:
- Do like the Italians and serve Granita. Its super refreshing, cool and very easy to prepare. Here's How
- Floral Ice Cube Moulds to add into drinks
- Ice to keep drinks cool – we love filling mini balloons with water and freezing them before adding to the drinks bucket.
4. Cool Treats with Zero Fuss
Keep your food simple and summery, light and refreshing, and make and chill everything in advance:
- Keep finger food chilled on ice trays & serving platters
- Use disposable lunch boxes, food platters and trays to prepare food in advance
- Keep washing up to a minimum and make use of Biodegradable plates and cutlery
- If you have the freezer space fill in advance with lots of ice lollies that can be handed out to refresh your guests.
5. Misty Moments
Bring a spa vibe to your celebration with cooling mist. Set out mini spray bottles filled with rose water or citrus spritz and label the basket: “Refresh & Revive”.
Try this:
- Misting Fans for the grown-ups
- Bubble Blasters with water spray for the kids
- Hand held fans help keep guests cool and make wonderful party favors
6. Hydration Station for Kids
Make drinking water FUN with a colourful kids’ hydration station! Use our drinks bottles and set up a decorate-your-own water bottle table using sticker packs and washi tape.
Add a splash of fun with:
- Paddling Pools and sprinklers
- Water Pinatas - Add a litre of water to jumbo balloons and let the kids chase it until it bursts!
- A Slushy Machine to create a snow-cone station
Don’t Let the Heat Steal the Show
With the right partyware and a few clever hacks, you can throw a hot summer bash that still keeps guests comfortable and cool.