Summer Party Ideas

The vibrant green cucumber water cocktail from event planner Barton G. Weiss is shaken with fresh lemon balm, lime juice, gin, and a touch of ginger ale, and garnished with torn lemon balm. The accompanying bite includes spicy liquid pimento beads with gin-soaked cucumber balls and coriander blossoms.

For a Huggies “Little Swimmers” launch event at the Annenberg Community Beach House, Schaffer’s Genuine Foods created a watermelon "shark" filled with fruit salad, featuring blueberries for eyes and kale “seaweed” with swedish fish and chocolate shells.

At outdoor parties, help guests stay hydrated by serving nonalcoholic beverages in easily accessible containers like the sculptured plastic beverage dispenser ($29.99) from Smarty Had A Party.

Instead of glassware, consider festive, non-breakable acrylic or plastic cups like the colorful pineapple ones from Oriental Trading ($20.50 per dozen).

Schaffer’s Genuine Foods' "Bathing Bears” cupcakes made with butter cake and topped with vanilla buttercream, graham cracker “sand,” and Teddy Grahams snacks with frosting bikinis and cocktail umbrellas were fun, easy to eat bites at the Huggies event.

Simple pool decor like inflatables makes an impact without the mess. Colorful, papery decor can bleed when wet and items like small beads could gum up the works on the deck area or in the pool, warns Friedman.

For a Patrón industry party at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, branded towels were laid out on lounge chairs and the pool umbrellas were changed out to match the Patrón theme. Guests snacked on a create-your-own-nacho bar and Café Patrón mini cupcakes and traditional churros for dessert.

At a Lululemon event at the Montauk Beach House, hair-braiding stations and flower-crown-making booths fit the relaxed feel of the yoga brand’s party.

Perfect for pool parties and resort events is L.A. Photo Party's underwater photo booth. The self-contained unit includes a DSLR camera, strobe flash, preview monitor, and an underwater trigger button. The booths are available globally; pricing is available upon request.

From TED conferences to celebrity events, Los Angeles-based water ballet company Aqualillies has redefined synchronized swimming for whole new audiences. In or out of the pool, the bathing beauties add a touch of Old Hollywood glam to any gathering. Available globally, pricing ranges from $1,000 to $10,000.