Summer Party Prep in 30 Minutes or Less

I’ve been buzzing around the studio late nights this week and last, but I’ve found that taking quick breaks in between projects has been super helpful for me in avoiding feeling overwhelmed or bogged down. So, when my fingertips started to tingle with that burnt out vibe, I decided to take a break with two of my favorite things: cocktails and cupcakes.

I partnered with Aperol, an Italian aperitif created nearly 100 years ago (in 1919) with a unique bitter-sweet taste, to put together a citrus-inspired Spritz Break to celebrate summer at the end of a long day.

If putting together an impromptu get-together sounds like work, I should mention that next to decorating, get-togethers and mini celebrations with friends are probably my favorite thing to throw together (it relaxes me in a strange way).

And to take that relaxed #spritzbreak vibe even further, I kept things super low-key with just a few simple DIY elements that you can recreate at home in literally a few minutes! Including the easiest 3-2-1 cocktail recipe you could imagine. So, good!

Click through for my Spritz Break tips on throwing together a mini get-together with friends in under 30 minutes…

Cocktails in 3-2-1! I really wanted to relax and spend time with guests this go around, so I used Aperol’s classic 3-2-1 spritz cocktail recipe. Have you heard of this? This colorful “Aperol Spritz” cocktail was born in the 1950s, and has become a classic in Italy and around the world.

It’s super easy as can be and is great for batching. To make an Aperol Spritz cocktail it’s 3 parts Prosseco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part soda water. So simple! I added orange and clementine slices as a garnish too, but it’s totally not necessary.

The glasses are from Ikea and super inexpesinve, in case you’re wondering. I love the retro shape and smaller size. Perfect for cocktails.

10 Minute Decor. To play off the bright orange color or Aperol, I picked a warm color scheme and pulled out a couple of colorful textiles from the closet to make the table feel layered.

There were plenty of fresh oranges and clementines to continue the color theme too…which is kind of perfect for summer anyway. Plus, they only take a couple of minutes to set up in the center of the table with a vase or two of fresh flowers. And actually, I used regular glassware instead of vases for the flowers to make things even easier.

A Last Minute Cupcake Upgrade. To add a few more summer vibes I added mini citrus cookies to my favorite vanilla bean cupcakes and served them on a platter (which was actually just a large plate) alongside the cocktails.

And that’s it. I told you I kept it low-key. And I’m not even going to ask for a medal or anything for refraining from a labor-intensive photo booth backdrop. 🙂

Photography by Amelia Tatnall

If you add everything up from start to finish, all the ‘party’ prep and decor took less than 30 minutes. And after a long work day, that sounds pretty good to me! What about you?

For more colorful cocktail inspiration and #spritzbreak fun, check out @Aperolusa on Instagram.

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This post is in partnership with Aperol. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Paper & Stitch running.