An Easy Affordable Outdoor Summer Brunch

It’s certainly no surprise that I’m headed towards simple gatherings these days, so I asked Amanda and Andrea to pull together a pretty budget friendly brunch that is EASY to execute. While I can spend hours shopping and styling a shoot for the blog, I know that for most people (or me in my real life) this is unrealistic. So here it goes:

1. Start with a simple theme, say just even a color.

For this summer brunch, we went with an all white look. It’s easy to to put together and you most likely have white plates and napkins already in your cupboard. We started with the simple Dining Table & Chairs but you can use what you have. Then to dress it up a bit, buy some baby’s breath (super affordable and accessible) and lay it down the center of the table. These beige & white linen napkins also make the look super summery. We also included a few accessories as accents in white like the vases and tumblers to keep the white theme consistent.

2. Serve food that requires no cooking.

I’m super good at not-cooking so thankfully Amanda and Andrea made it easy for all of us. Make a simple parfait by layering some yogurt, granola, and fruit. Serve it in a fancy bowl like this one and your friends will have no idea you spent all of five minutes putting it together. Toast with a variety of jams and avocado mash (in this perfect serving dish) is a great option as well.

3. Cheat with pre-bought goodies.

Pick up an assortment of fancy looking breakfast pastries and let your local bakery do the work for you. No one can resist a platter of french baked goods. Place them on cake stands and you’ll look like you know what you’re doing. Deviled eggs are another easy option you can just pick up at the grocery store and serve on a cute platter.

4. Offer a variety of drink options.

One must wash down deviled eggs with something even fancier. With the help of cocktail expert Ashley Conway, Amanda and Andrea put together three unique options for you that are super easy to make and perfect for wowing your friends and tossing into your cocktail hole mouth.

Iced Lavender Latte

Ingredients:

6 oz cold brewed or cold coffee

3 oz milk or non-dairy alternative

3/4 oz lavender simple syrup (recipe below)

lavender stalk garnish (optional)

Directions:

Mix first 3 ingredients in a cup. Top with ice. Garnish with lavender.

Lavender Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

4 tsp dried lavender buds (can be found online or spice shop)

Directions:

Bring all to a simmer in a pot over high heat. Take off heat and let cool. Strain and store in a jar for a few weeks.

Rose Cucumber Gin Fizz

Ingredients:

2 oz gin

2 inch cucumber, sliced

1/2 oz lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon rose water

2 oz soda water

rose bud and cucumber, garnish

Directions:

Muddle cucumber and lime in a cocktail shaker. Add sugar, gin, and rose water. Add ice and shake. Strain into a glass with ice. Top with soda water and stir, garnish with rose bud and cucumber ribbon or slices. (SO PRETTY).

Ginger Lemonade with Edible Flower Ice Cubes

Ingredients:

6 oz lemonade (can be homemade or bought)

2 oz ginger beer

mint sprig, garnish

edible flower ice cube, garnish

Directions:

Make flower ice cubes by taking organic, edible flowers and adding them to ice cube trays. Fill with water and freeze. In a glass, mix lemonade and ginger beer. Add flower ice cubes. Top with mint sprig.

5. Impress your guests with fancy garnishes.

Ready for this incredibly sneaky trick? Garnishing your drinks makes you look like a pro and it’s super easy. We love these edible flowers you can buy at whole foods, so we used them just about everywhere. You can drop them in an ice tray with some water for some really unique ice cubes, or just use them as garnish if iced flowers aren’t your jam.

I’d brunch pretty hard at that table. Thanks so much ladies, for producing this shoot and recipes. Now if you want to get that look – here you go:

1. Dining Table | 2. Dining Chairs | 3. Opalescent Glasses | 4. Vase | 5. Silverware | 6. Porcelain Milk Carton Creamer | 7. Copper French Press | 8. Striped Linen Napkins | 9. White Linen Napkins | 10. Polka Dot Paper Straws | 11. Parfait Bowls | 12. Cake Stand | 13. White Plates | 14. Mason Jar Mugs | 15. Egg Tray | 16. Condiment Bowl

Thanks so much to Andrea and Amanda for pulling this together! Check out some of their other posts: Hosting an Easy Summer Dinner Party, 3 Delicious Lazy Girl Appetizers.

Creative Direction & Photography by: Andrea Posadas,  Styling & Story by: Amanda Holstein, Cocktail recipes by: Ashley Conway