Making the Most of the Last Few Days of Summer
Because August really is slipping away like a bottle of wine.
I don’t know what it is about 2025, but it feels like I blinked and it’s time for The Gilmore Girls to start defrosting!
I’m normally all for jumping into exciting seasonal décor and dinner parties, but this year, I just don’t feel ready to let summer go just yet.
Maybe it’s because I am so locked in on The Summer I Turned Pretty (team Conrad, duhhh), or maybe it’s because I realize how sweet summertime is even more now that I’m in my thirties — either way, I’m sticking in a summer frame of mind until the leaves start to crunch.
If you’re in the same boat, keep reading for my tips on how to be the host that makes the most of these last few glorious days of summer.
1. Capitalize on Golden Hour
My advice? Build your end-of-summer get-togethers with golden hour in mind.
Before we know it, the sun is going to set at 5:00 p.m. again and all hope of a sunset pic will be lost until next season.
- Make the theme “Summer Sunset Soirée” and have your friends dress in golden-hour colors, sip on Aperol spritzes, and serve vibrant, colorful foods.
- Have your book club meeting on picnic blankets by the water with takeout pizza.
- Take the party on the road and set up an outdoor movie somewhere with a beautiful sunset view!
2. Soak Up a Summer Menu
There are sooo many delicious foods that are in peak season at the end of summer. Build your sunset soirée menu around them and not only will your dinner party feel like summer — it’ll taste like it too!
Appetizer
Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes from Love & Lemons. It’s fresh, seasonal, simple, and never misses with my guests. Plus, it looks gorgeous and fancy when plated but takes, like… five minutes to put together. A dream!
Main Course
Fresh-shucked summer corn is non-negotiable. My go-to? Grilled Chicken Thighs with Charred Corn and Summer Squash (Martha Stewart recipe). Want to make it even easier? Use Trader Joe’s pre-seasoned chicken thighs!
Dessert
There are SO many good summer desserts, but for me, strawberries take the cake on the supreme summer fruit. That’s why I always serve strawberry shortcake. Joanna Gaines’s recipe is my favorite (the whipped cream with the sea salt is chef’s kiss), but you can always use a box mix for the cake or whipped cream from the store. It’ll taste like summer in a bowl no matter what.
3. Be Bold with Design
Summer is fun and bright and colorful — your tablescape should be too!
- Incorporate vibrant summer florals, cozy outdoor lights, and unique silverware and tableware to give your gathering that signature summer flair.
- Use bud vases for florals to maximize impact and minimize cost.
- Grab a summer mixed bouquet from Trader Joe’s and split it up among the bud vases.
4. Don’t Rush the Evening
Just like summer nights linger into September, make sure you let your summer sunset soirée linger after dinner.
- Queue up your favorite summer playlist and dance in the backyard!
- Or just sit, sip, and soak up the summer night together.
Wow wow wow — now that I’ve romanticized summer more than TSITP has, it’s time to wrap things up!
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That’s all from my side of the table! Until next time… we’ll always have summer (okay, okay, I’ve GOT to be stopped).
Love you, mean it,
Tori
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