When you think of summer entertaining, do you think of BBQ’s, paper plates and juicy slices of watermelon? Those are traditional elements of almost any summer get together. What if you look at your next party with new eyes? You can glam up your summer gatherings with a few simple tips. Take your BBQ from drab to fab, by adding a classy twist to summer staples.

I love finding ways to make the ordinary, extraordinary. So today we are going to glam up your summer entertaining. Next time you think of summer entertaining, I want you to think of beautiful white dishes, a simple yet stunning centerpiece and a beautiful watermelon cake.

A few weeks ago, I tried a little experiment. My family hates leftover night. Quite frankly, so do I! Well it was leftover night and I just didn’t want to hear the moans and groans that come along with those twice baked dishes. Instead of reaching for the usual paper plates, I grabbed my beautiful white Arte Italica dishes and set a simple, yet elegant table. Leftovers were served on top. I waited for the groans and the moans. Instead of wailing, there was compliments! Mom this is good! My husband even said, “food just tastes better when it’s served on a pretty plate!” This little experiment is true with so many aspects of our lives. It doesn’t take much to elevate the ordinary to extraordinary {This post contains affiliate links for your convenience}.

Here are some…

Tips to glam up your summer entertaining…

Centerpieces don’t have to be complicated to be beautiful! Clip some summer flowers from your yard, or grab a couple bunches from your nearest store. Clip the ends and place them in a fun vase. It’s that simple! Here I used pink peonies and blush colored roses to create a perfectly pink summer bouquet. It only took me 5 minutes to trim the ends and pop them into a vase.

{silver napkin rings and cream damask napkins are from Pom Pom at Home, one of my favorite companies}

There is a time and a place for paper plates. If you’re having 30 people over for a casual get together, chances are you’re not going to serve food on fine china.

When you throw a party with a reasonable amount of people, consider glamming up the event with some nicer glass plates. My husband’s comment about everything tasting better on a pretty plate, holds true when entertaining.

Your guests will feel spoiled when you serve their food on a glass plate verses a paper one. Not only does food seem to taste better, it looks better.

My favorite plates to serve anything from leftovers for my family to fancy foods for an intimate party, are from Arte Italica. Their dishes are appropriate for any occasion. They are like a little black dress that can be dressed up or down for any event.

The Bella Bianca family is what I go to the most in our home. You can mix and match the numerous patterns. Here I’ve paired their chargers, dinner and salad plates together to create a glam summer table. These are the same plates I served leftovers to my family on a few days earlier. I love their versatility!

Next time you host a get together, pull out some of your dishes instead of paper plates and see how pampered your guest feel.

Another super simple tip to glam up any summer soiree, is to use some cloth napkins.

Here I’ve used some pale pink monogrammed napkins from my favorite monogram shop, Bella Lino Linens. Their linens glam up any table in an instant. You can find some for your next party here.

Try serving flavored fruit water at your next summer gathering. Fresh fruit in water tastes delicious and looks gorgeous. For this look I used sliced peaches and raspberries to tie in the warm pink colors from the flowers and napkins. You can use any fruit

Your guests will expect you to serve watermelon sliced in triangles. Give your guests something totally unexpected by serving them a glamorous watermelon cake! This cake is so simple and packs some major wow factor!

Here is how you can make a watermelon cake for your next party…1. Cut the top and bottom off a large washed watermelon.

2. Next cut the rind off. Start at the top and follow the curve of the melon.

3. Continue cutting until all the green and white rind is removed.

4. Shave off any spots that aren’t red.

5. Shape the melon into a cylinder by carving thin pieces off.

6. Once you are happy with the shape, plate the melon cake on a plater.

7. Decorate the top and base with fresh fruit of your choice.

8. Take a photo, share it with me then slice and serve! I would love to share your creations on my Instagram. You can entertain this summer with ease and glam by using theses simple tips! Take you’re party from drab to fab!!! Happy Summer!!!!