Solara's Guide to the Perfect Pool Party
Did you know that summertime is the best season for your health + happiness? It's true. The sun, nature's mood booster, stimulates the production of serotonin, the "happy hormone," in our brains, uplifting our spirits and infusing us with a sense of positivity. As a natural source of vitamin D, which is an essential for bone health and a strengthened immune system, the more we immerse ourselves in the summer's warmth, the more we feel the positive impact mentally and physically.
At Solara, of our fav ways to enjoy the summer is by throwing legendary pool parties! If you want to host the best pool party the Solara way, keep reading to learn some top #ProTips:
The Invite.
Before you start planning your big pool party, envision what it might look like. Get specific on which foods would you like to serve, which colors you'd like to highlight and how you want your party-goers to feel!
Consider having a theme for your pool party! For us, it's pink, pink and more pink! (Yes, we're still obsessed with the Barbie movie!)
With a vision in mind, it makes party planning so much easier. Whether your pool party has a theme or not, make sure your invitations are vibrant and fun. #ProTip: Try using Canva to customize them yourself!
The Sips.
Keep your guests refreshed with water and plenty of fun, delicious drinks! The secret to making memorable drinks is to keep them on-theme and give them a fun, cute twist or garnish!
We're serving up these easy cocktail recipes that are sure to be a hit at your pool party:
Pineapple Mango Rum Punch by Paper + Stitch
- 3 oz of pineapple coconut juice
- 3 oz of coconut rum
- 1 oz of mango juice
- 1 oz of orange juice
- splash of grenadine (mainly just for fun ombre color)
- edible flowers or limes for garnish
To create this yummy cocktail, combine juices and rum, then stir. Pour over ice into a cute glass and add a splash of grenadine for ombre color. Lastly, add edible flowers for garnish!
For making larger batches of punch: use 3 parts pineapple coconut juice, 3 parts coconut rum, 1 part mango juice, and 1 part orange juice
Frozen Watermelon Margaritas by Healthyish
SRIRACHA TAJIN RIM
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha powder
- 2 teaspoons tajin
WATERMELON MARGARITA
- 4-5 cups frozen watermelon
- ½ cup tequila
- ½ cup lime juice, fresh squeezed
- ¼ cup orange juice , fresh squeezed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 12 ice cubes
To create this frozen cocktail, first add honey to a small plate. Combine sriracha powder and tajin on another small plate. Turn your glass upside down and run the rim of the glass through the honey making sure it is well coated. Then, run the honey coated rim through the sriracha / tajin powder. Once well coated, turn the glass right side up and it is ready for the watermelon margarita. Add the tequila, fresh squeezed lime juice, fresh squeezed orange juice, honey, ice, and frozen cubed watermelon to a blender. Buzz in the blender until creamy and smooth. Pour into your glass and enjoy.
Champagne Lemonade Poptail by A Side of Sweet
- 1/2 cup lemonade
- 1/2 cup champagne, sparkling wine or prosecco
- Strawberry (for garnish)
- 1 Strawberry Fruit Bar
#ProTip: This is the easiest (but arguably the cutest) cocktail on our menu! To create these Instagram-worthy sips, fill large glass with lemonade and champagne. Then garnish with a strawberry and add your strawberry fruit bar!
PS If you need to leave out the alcohol, these drinks will still taste great virgin.
The Snacks.
Snacks might be the best part of a pool party. While you're warming up the BBQ, set out some snacks for your guests to nibble on while lounging poolside!
Summer Grazing Charcuterie Board by Domestikated Life
Pro Tip: put a big marble board in the fridge for some time before assembling the ingredients on top to ensure the food stays cool for longer!
Melon, pineapple and other refreshing fruit make for the perfect summer board ingredients, as well as your staples of cheese, charcuterie, crackers, nuts and dips.
Lean into your theme with a few garnishes or sweet treats to make the colors really pop next to the neutral tones of the cheese and crackers!
Colorful Crudite Plate by Charmed by Camille
Another poolside fav are crunchy veggies and dips. We love to include vegetables like You choose whatever vegetables you like, of course, but here’s what we use:
- Rainbow carrots
- Tomatos
- Radishes
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Snap peas
- Baby cauliflower
- Edible flowers for garnish
Cut your vegetables into bite sized pieces and arrange them on your platter so that the colors pop in a visually pleasing way. You can even get creative on your cutting -- slices and sticks, halves, fourths, and even leave some vegetables entirely as-is for variation. Cutting and arranging them like this adds texture and visual interest.
The SPF Bar.
Keep your besties cute + protected by setting out an SPF Bar for them. To keep things simple, just place a few different kinds of sunscreen on a small table and be sure to offer a variety of SPFs. Mineral sunscreen is the most friendly SPF option for sensitive skin and kids. Be sure to include water resistant options, too! Our SPORT Mist and Lotions offer water resistance for up to 80 minutes of swimming and sweating.
The Vibe.
The atmosphere is key to tying all of your elements together! Be sure to set out cute pool floaties for your friends to lounge on (hello pink and orange rings!) and set the vibe with a killer summertime playlist. We love "Tulum Vibes" by DJ Cassandra! If any kids will be at your pool party, be sure to get some arm floaties, lifejackets, or pool noodles so everyone can have a good time.
If you're up for going the extra mile, custom beach towels via Etsy could double as a thoughtful party favor!
The Photos.
Don't forget the photos! Leave water-proof polaroid cameras for your guests to snap around the pool and be sure to tag them on Instagram when the photos are shared!
HAPPY POOL PARTYING, SQUAD!
