Country Living's Editor-in-Chief Sarah Gray Miller stopped by the Today Show with cheap and easy party tips that will upgrade any summer event.
More Tips For Hosting the Best End-of-Summer Bash
1. Disguise an Inexpensive Surface with a Chic Tablecloth
This witty, stain-resistant slipcover turns a cafeteria-style folding table into a trompe l'oeil-take on a fine Chippendale antique. ($68; Under Stella's Umbrella, 888-502-8882 for stores)
Read More: Quick Home Decor Projects
2. Try This Creative Centerpiece
Large vases usually require hundreds of dollars worth of flowers to look voluminous, but by placing smaller bottles inside a large vase with smaller arrangements in each, you can make a huge impact without spending a fortune.
Plus: An Elizabethan Vase Craft
3. Opt for Festive Napkin Rings
Use pinking shears to make cloth napkins from fabric scraps. Top them off with curtain rings to give them a polished finish. ($7.97 for seven 1 3/8-inch rings; homedepot.com)
See more Cute Summer Crafts.
Loading... Have Fun with a Candy Bar
4. Have Fun with A Candy Bar
Encourage a kid-in-a-candy-store mentality with this self-serve favor station, which pairs penny candy in inexpensive glass jars with muslin to-go bags stamped in a custom design. (For similar jars, from $7.49 each; webstaurantstore.com. For similar plain bags, $3.50 for 10, save-on-crafts.com. For similar custom stamps, from $12, thestampmaker.com)
See more of this Stylist's Classy and Creative Wedding Reception.
5. Toast With an Inexpensive Wine
White wine is always a crowd-pleaser during the summer. We're hooked on vinho verde wine. It's light and slightly fizzy - perfect for a hot afternoon or a nice cool summer night. (astorwines.com)
Plus: Beat the Heat With These Summer Cocktails
Get More From CountryLiving.com:
Refresh Any Room in a Flash
Ultimate Outdoor Party Guide
Beach House on a Budget
Subscribe to Country Living magazine and explore CountryLiving.com!
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
