Fandango Catering Offers 5 Tips to Make Your July 4th Gathering Distinctive

Today in our "Summer Entertaining" blog series we offer 5 tips to make your July 4th gathering distinctive.  And if you don't celebrate July 4th, you can still use some of these ideas to make any summer gathering distinctive. 

People often tell us that when they handle their own parties the event seems dull or amateurish.  Of course, as caterers and event consultants, that's our profession and our passion.  But there's plenty you can do to make your party NOT dull, at least, not the look of it.  Below, some ideas.

Embrace color tastefully
One of the easiest ways you can make your July 4th or any summer gathering distinctive is to embrace color, but tastefully.  Say that you'd like a red, white, and blue theme but don't want the final effect to be kitschy or overdone.  Here are some ways:

• Add blueberries or rasperries to decorate your dessert, whatever that is--cupcakes, cakes, cheescake, parfaits, ice cream...Avoid the bought desserts decorated with colored icing! You can add fresh whole berries to your dessert and it will look great and add color.
• Use the theme colors in tasteful combos for the tablescape--For example, use a red tablecloth with white plates and blue napkins, a white tablecloth with red plates and blue napkins, a blue tablecloth with red plates and white napkins or white plates and red napkins.
• Add single-color flower arrangements--this looks more elegant, yet not fussy, than mixed flowers.  So choose all red flowers or all blue flowers.  You can also mix types of flowers if you stick to just one color, red or blue.  Avoid white flowers as they don't add color--we rarely use white flowers unless it's a wedding and even then today's couples tend to want more color in flowers and everything else at their wedding receptions than used to be the case.
• Use event items to add color--red or blue or striped straws, colored serving pieces or glasses, colored beverage tubs, colored table runners or lanterns...But it's important to not overdo--if you use the three colors on the tablescape, then choose ONE or max two event items to also be part of the color scheme. The exception would be if you have one whole food or beverage setup inside and another outside--then you'll want to also use the color scheme in your outside setup so it doesn't end up looking like the poor cousin of your gathering.  Again, it's about your gathering not looking dull, as if it were just like any old day.

Embrace local food and drink
We advocate often for sustainable catering and events, and we are strong believers that a great way to celebrate our country's birthday, or to celebrate any country, is to embrace local food and drink. 

This July 4th or at your summer gathering, seek out at least one local food, whether it's local produce or locally-produced food.  Is there a particular dish or dessert associated with your area and that you could make or buy? Also, many upscale food emporiums now regularly provide local food options from produce to charcuterie to seafood to cheeses.  Then go even one better and buy a local wine and/or local beer.  Maybe make labels (we love little flag labels or round mod disk labels or written on little chalkboards) letting people know the name of the local winery or cheese or whatever the source of what you serve that's local--this is very trendy now.

Warmly,

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com