I don’t know why it took me so long this year to get into summer mode but after getting back from Michigan, our first real family vacation in what feels like an eternity, I am vowing to slow things down again and take full advantage of the rest of the long, warm summer days.

You may remember, last month I went to new york to celebrate Zac Posen’s latest collaboration with Ecco Domani. He designed a limited edition label for their Pinot Grigio and the bottle is beautiful… mixed metallics, blush, green with black and white dots. Take a glimpse into my home or studio and you will notice it is basically my ideal palette. So when I invited some friends over for an intimate backyard summer soiree with Ecco Domani, I didn’t have to look far for tablescape inspiration. Hopefully I did Mr. Posen proud.

I wanted the evening to have a casual elegance about it which comes easily when mixing high and low pieces like the vintage inspired metallic glassware and the table runner that I made from a roll of wrapping paper. I created a simple garland out of eucalyptus for some low greenery which creates a beautiful centerpiece with gold and copper candle sticks of varied heights and copper bud vases with “blushing bride” blooms.

For the place settings, I started with a black dinner plate and layered on a patterned napkin, then a blush salad plate and topped it off with a little metallic geode place card holder. The geometric shapes were originally part of a garland that I found during the holidays and I repurposed them by cutting them off and placing an air plant inside. They came in varied shades of metallic, gold, bronze, and copper, so it was perfect for my mixed metals table.

Staying true to Ecco Domani’s Italian roots (and my stylish casual vibe) the menu consisted of elevated versions of simple summer foods… wood fired pizza, a salad, and a prosciutto and melon appetizer. The pizza wasn’t just your average slice, I turned to my favorite local restaurant to do what they do best and picked them up just before guests arrived. I did make the appetizer and if you have about 10 minutes between setting the table and putting a toddler to bed, you can too.

Melon & Prosciutto Skewers
Melon
Prosciutto
Sage Leaves
Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions:
1. Cut the melon into 1” squares. 2. Load the skewer alternating melon with folded prosciutto. 3. In a frying pan warm the olive oil and fry the sage until crispy. 4. Remove the sage and pat excess oil off with a paper towel. 5. Keep the skewers chilled until ready to serve. 6. Just before serving, top the skewers with sage, parmesan, and a light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic.

As my friends arrived we milled around the yard before sitting down to feast and chat under the canopy of bougainvillea and twinkle lights.

It’s evenings like these that make me want to hang onto summer for as long as I can and also makes me so happy we created this outdoor dining space. It has officially turned into my favorite place to gather.

You know it’s a good evening when hours have past, the sun is long gone, and your cheeks hurt from laughing so much.

Shop the post: Wine by Ecco Domani // Dining Table // Captains Chairs are Vintage // Mirror // Black Plates // Blush salad Plates // Gold Candlesticks // Copper Candlesticks // Bud Vases // Gold Flatware is vintage // Gold Drinking Glasses // Wrapping Paper  // Pillows 

My Dress by Dress by NBD from Revolve

This post was done in partnership with Ecco Domani to celebrate their collaboration with Zac Posen, all thoughts, ideas and pizza ordering are all my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me creating.

Photos by Nicki Sebastian