So, we decided to throw an engagement party in our backyard. You know, keep it chill and relaxed. The whole planning thing started with picking a date. We aimed for a Saturday evening, hoping the weather would be nice and everyone could make it. Fingers crossed, right?
First things first, I got the guest list sorted. We wanted to keep it to close friends and family, about 30 people. Sent out some simple invites, nothing too fancy, just a casual “Hey, come celebrate with us!” vibe.
Now, onto the fun part – the food! Since it’s a backyard party, I thought, why not go with a mix of easy-to-eat stuff? I didn’t want anyone struggling with plates and cutlery. So, I started looking up some finger food ideas. I found this idea about “Fresh Fruit Skewers,” which sounded perfect. Light, refreshing, and super easy to make. Just grabbed a bunch of different fruits – strawberries, grapes, melon, and pineapple – and threaded them onto skewers. Done! They looked so colorful and inviting.
Then, I remembered reading something about “Berry Tartlets.” They seemed like a nice touch, a bit fancier but still easy. Bought some pre-made mini tart shells, filled them with a mix of berries, and drizzled some honey on top. They turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself!
But a party isn’t a party without something savory, right? I stumbled upon this “Almond-Bacon Cheese Crostini” idea. Sounded delicious! Toasted some baguette slices, topped them with a mix of cream cheese, crumbled bacon, and sliced almonds. Popped them in the oven for a bit, and bam, a tasty, crunchy treat.
And, I thought, we needed something a bit more substantial. I saw this recipe for “Lemon-Herb Salmon Toasts” – it looked so good, and it was easy to make. Grabbed some smoked salmon, mixed it with a lemon-herb dressing, and served it on small pieces of toasted bread. These were a hit! Everyone loved them.
To drink, we just kept it simple: a few bottles of wine, some beer, and a big jug of homemade lemonade. Nothing too complicated.
Setting Up
For the setup, we just moved our patio furniture around to make more space, threw some colorful tablecloths on the tables, and hung up some string lights for that cozy evening glow. Oh, and we set up a little area with a Bluetooth speaker for some background music.
The Party
The party started, and people started arriving. Everyone was just mingling, chatting, and enjoying the food. The fruit skewers were a big hit, especially with the kids. The berry tartlets disappeared pretty quickly, and those salmon toasts? Gone in minutes! The crostini were also a success, people were going back for seconds and thirds!
Honestly, the whole evening was just perfect. The weather held up, the food was great, and everyone had a good time. It was exactly what we wanted – a relaxed, fun celebration with our favorite people. We danced, we laughed, and we ate until we were stuffed. Seeing our friends and family have such a good time was the best part. Mission accomplished, I’d say. And the best part? Clean up was a breeze!