[This post contains sponsored links. The items featured and linked in this post were all provided by JOANN; all opinions and reviews are my own.]

Summer and picnics go together like peanut butter and jelly! I created a cute summer picnic that I am so excited to share with you. These five tips will provide you with everything you need to set up your own delightful picnic. Come check it out!

My youngest daughter still recalls the picnics she and I would have when her older two sisters were at school. Picnics are a fantastic way to spend your time enjoying outdoor dining together. Being in nature allows us to slow down, connect, and have fun.

I am so excited to walk you through a picnic I recently had with my daughters on a beautiful summer day. These five tips truly help create a charming summer picnic, one that they have already been talking about doing again. We had a great time!

Tip One: Shady Spot

It gets really hot here in Alabama in the summertime. What about where you are? For a summer picnic, you will want to find a shady spot as we did here in our front yard under our tree. It gave us a great covering overhead to enjoy our time outside on a sunny summer day. I even sat on top of our crate tables, these cute faux lime trees from JOANN to add even more greenery around our blanket area.

Stay dry tip: Your shady area could be damp or even wet, so taking along large trash bags or a tarp to lay under your blanket will keep you and the picnic pieces dry!

Tip Two: Soft Seating

JOANN has a new line of state fabrics that are just lovely and so personable. The state fabrics offer coordinating patterns like the ones I chose here and here. I was so excited to have my mom sew us the pillows and blanket for our summer picnic with these fabrics. They definitely provided our crew with soft seating and provided a lovely backdrop to our enhcanting picnic.

The state fabrics I chose included the Alabama Cotton Fabric State Flower found here for the pillows and the Alabama Cotton Fabric Icons found here for the blanket. Aren’t they so perfect for a picnic? Other ideas for these fabrics could include table runners, shower curtains, hand towels, and more. The options are limitless!

Tip Three: Lightweight Tables

Even though we had our picnic at home, we didn’t want the hassle of hauling out a heavy or cumbersome table for our food and beverages. We chose these adorable whitewashed wooden crates from JOANN, that instantly provided the perfect tables for our picnic. These crates are so affordable too!

Thinking outside the box is always a good idea. Whether it’s using these crates like we did as tables, or pillows for seats, you can get creative on your picnic set up!

Tip Four: Snacks And Beverages

Choosing finger foods is the easiest way of serving food at a picnic. Plus, who doesn’t love mini pastries, fresh fruit, homemade bread, and cheeses? I used a picnic-style basket (similar one found here with handles!) to carry our food outside.

You don’t have to serve a full meal to have a delightful summer picnic. I recommend these finger foods we used as well as these ideas too:

1. Sandwiches

2. Raw Veggies

3. Pretzels and Chips

4. Nuts

5. Pre-Packaged Individual Dips (guacamole, hummus)

Canned beverages also makes for easy serving and clean up. We took some fun carbonated, flavored waters straight out of our frig (the key is to have them already cold so no ice or cooler required) and placed them on our tables.

Tip Five: Savor The Moment

We live in such a fast-paced world, that creating intentional moments such as these, are so important. By setting up this picnic, my girls and I spent time connecting with each other in ways different than we day on a typical day. We laughed, shared a meal together, and enjoyed the surroundings of the outdoors.

Sunset Picnic Tip: If you are having your picnic in the evening, consider taking some lanterns with battery powered candles (such as these here) for a warm glow as the sun goes down.

By the smile on our faces, I hope you can tell how much this picnic meant to us. Can you already imagine where you might enjoy a summer picnic? I hope you are inspired to create a cute outdoor experience like we did.

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