9 Things For Your Labor Day Party

I have a love/hate relationship with Labor Day. It traditionally signifies the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. I kinda love and I kinda hate this.

Regardless of my hate for change (yet excitement over cooler weather and fall flavors), I always love a great Labor Day party! Who doesn't? I'm not personally throwing a party this weekend (though I am attending a party at my parents house), but if I was, here's what I'd be sure to include!

Pick out some fun colors. I love oranges, pinks, greens and yellows. Some fall colors, summered up with a splash of pink or lime green.

Make farmer’s market centerpieces. Gather up some ripe peaches (it's the end of their season!) and place in wicker baskets on tables, or use small vases of fresh lemons and limes. I love anything low so it doesn't encroach on table conversation!

Mix up a signature cocktail. Beer and wine should be served, but keep costs down by eliminating hard liquor. Buy only what you need for a signature cocktail and display it prettily on a table, maybe even with a little printed table card/menu. I love anything summery, like pink cosmopolitans or a big bowl of sangria.

Make up a bunch of bright and filling dips and hors d’oeuvres. Again, no need to break the bank. A simple, summery bean dip, fruit salsa or pizza dip will do the trick. I've found all 3 of these to be serious crowd pleasers!

For the main meal station, I love this sweet menu board, borrowed from Style Me Pretty. I love this idea, especially for a larger scale party, where the hostess may not be available to explain what’s in each dish.


Serve easy dishes that can be made in advance and reheated, or can be simply made ahead and baked off before service. And when in doubt, there's always grilled burgers and corn! I'm fairly certain that no one will be turning that down. I love this jalapeno popper buffalo macaroni & cheese from Lauren's Latest. It looks unreal to me! Isn't that perfect for a party?

Make fun desserts. Everyone loves this part of a party, no? I suggest easy, grabbable desserts, like cake pops, fruit pops, brownies (like my pretzel crusted brownies, below) or bars (like my pineapple coconut dream bars!).

Wear something fun and casual, yet chic. Pair with sandals, a chunky necklace and sunglasses. I'm crushing on this necklace from Anthropologie. It would be enough to make a statement with plain white frock.

Leave guests with a delicious (and easy!) party favor. I adore this chocolate chip cookie favor idea from Intimate Weddings. It's wrapped in a paper CD case and stamped with a custom sticker. Classy enough for a wedding, but easy enough for a home party. Adorable.

So there you have it. Some easy ways to throw a chic Labor Day party!

Questions of the Day:

Are you hosting a party this weekend?

Are you happy to see the summer go? Or to see autumn approach? Or are you hanging on to hot days for dear life?

psst...head on over to The Peach and The Pit for a round up of our favorite links around the web this week! Zombie wedding photos, pretty journals, and more!

We'll always have summer

Though you wouldn't know it from the extremely warm temps here in New York, we've approached the final weekend of the summer and are already a few days into September. Can someone tell me how that happened?

I'm continuing my vagabondness (new word I came up with to describe my state of never being at home) this weekend with my inaugural trip to Westhampton for my friend Kelly's bacheloretty party! I'm over the moon with excitement to celebrate with my gals, explore a new place and did I mention that we will be doing a 3 stop vineyard tour?(!) My first one ever and I couldn't be more excited!

Anyhow, summer holiday weekends immediately make me think of family gatherings, picnics and of course, complete gluttony. So today I'm giving you a roundup of some fun summer dishes to assist in your enjoyment of this long weekend!

Pizza Dip

No matter the weather, this hot pizza dip is always, always, always a crowd pleaser. Bring it to any party and you will surely be the belle of the ball, so to speak. Oh, and did I mention that it couldn't be easier?

White Bean Dip

If you're a guest and not sure of the hostess' available oven space, perhaps this light and refreshing white bean dip will do the trick. With a gorgeous green hue and creamy texture, this dip is not only delicious but it's healthy to boot.

Grilled Goods

If you're hanging at home with nowhere to go, why not fire up your grill and enjoy some extra special eats? After all, is there anything prettier than perfectly grilled zucchini coins? How about Shaun's tailgating Yurgers?

Baked things

And it certainly wouldn't be a party without some sort of dessert and I have a laundry list of go-to desserts, like Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars, Pineapple Carrot Bars, or basic Yellow Cake with the Best Ever Chocolate Frosting. Meanwhile, I'll be enjoying zucchini bread and butterscotch chocolate chip cookie bars...but more on that later.

So there you have it. A roundup of some fun and yum-inducing eats that will immediately up your food cred at any Labor Day party. So what do you plan to enjoy this weekend? Any parties, picnics or getaways on the menu?