Throw a California Beach Party!Party Planning Guide

Sponsored by:

It’s Pool Party Time!Are you California dreaming? You don’t have to get on a plane and head to the west coast. You can enjoy the beach feeling right where you are, with your guests of choice, by throwing a lovely California beach party.

No matter the occasion, there’s no better place to celebrate than around your beautiful inground fiberglass pool, especially if time spent near the water holds special meaning for the guest(s) of honor.

In this guide, we help you plan an elegant, but festive California beach-themed pool party that your family and friends will never forget!

3 weeks beforethe party

Three weeks before your party, you should complete the following tasks:

Send out your invites or evites

Order rentals, or begin to purchase your tables and linens

Order/purchase decorative items

In this section, we give you ideas and templates for invitations, linen suggestions and information on how to create your buffet tables like a pro, and some decoration ideas.

Non-Traditional Invitation Ideas

Get Creative With Invitations!

To make your party really stand out, you could write your party details (date, time, address and rsvp info) on a deflated beach ball or a single flip flop and mail it. Or, purchase a mailable plastic bottle and put your invitation in it. If your guest list isn’t too large, this can be a great way to set the stage for the beachy fun to come.

Email & Print Invitation Ideas

To give you access to unique invitations not found elsewhere, we have created customizable invitations in a downloadable PowerPoint. Simply download the file, edit the details of your event,

and save as an image file that you can then print, insert into an email, or attach to social

media.

Download Invitation File

Download Invitations File

Available Customizable Templates

Tables & Linens

TablesBuffets are the easiest way to go for a party. You’ll need two 6-foot banquet tables for your buffet and one for your beverage table. You might also opt for a few stand-up style 24” cocktail round tables for your guests to gather around as well. You can rent what you don’t have at a party rental store, or get creative with furniture you already have.

When you’re deciding how to set up your pool area for your party, set up your beverage table as far away as possible from the guest entrance to draw your guests into the space. Beverages will be their first stop. Place your buffet as close to the kitchen as you can, but never next to the beverages, as having the food and beverages all in one place will cause a traffic jam all night.

Table Placement

Using Linens to Build the Buffets

For the buffet itself, you’ll need:• Two 6’ folding tables. Place them in a

corner, in an “L” shape. • You’ll need two 90” x 132” tablecloths to

cover the tables to the floor. White is the best choice for your base.

• Next, put some sturdy boxes or crates upside-down in various places as risers to create levels for your platters and give your table some dimension.

• Then cover those risers with a contrasting color. For this, you can use two 60” square pieces of fabric.

ChoosingLinens While you could go the disposable tablecloth route, cloth is much more elegant and not that much more expensive.

If you throw parties often, it might actually be more cost effective to buy fabric tablecloths or check your local fabric store for fabric remnants that fit your color scheme.

See this DIY video to see how to make your own no-sew tablecloths.

Decorative Touches

Lanterns

A lovely touch for a beach-themed party, reasonably priced lanterns are readily available at Michaels, Home Goods, Hobby Lobby, Target and some party supply stores.

Miniature Adirondack ChairsMiniature Adirondack Chairs make great holders for menu or place cards and add a whimsical touch to your table.

Shells & SandUse shells and sand as accent pieces in your décor.

You may find these and other coastal décor online or at HomeGoods, Michaels, Target, and Hobby Lobby.

2 Weeks Before

Two weeks before your party, you should complete the following tasks:

Make cookies and freeze, or order them

Purchase lighting, skewers for sliders & fruit, and drink umbrellas or umbrella straws

Choose/purchase music

In this section, you will find a simple recipe for cutout sugar cookies as well as lighting and music recommendations.

SeashellCookiesorder now or make ahead and freeze

If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make you own sugar cookies using seashell cookie cutters. You’ll want to make them ahead of time to reduce pre-party tension. Simply freeze them, and thaw the day before your party. Or take a photo to your local bakery and ask them to bake them for you. Plan on no more than two cookies per person. One of our favorite recipes is next!

Sugar Cookie RecipeINGREDIENTS1 cup butter, softened1 cup shortening3 cups sugar4 large eggs6 tablespoons evaporated milk2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 teaspoons almond extract6 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon saltFROSTING:3 cups confectioners' sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract4 to 6 tablespoons half-and-half creamIcing color tints, light blues, aqua and coralSprinkles, if desired

DIRECTIONSIn a large bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, milk and extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough into four portions. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate, covered, overnight or until firm enough to roll.Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 3-in. holiday cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.Bake 5-7 minutes or until edges are lightly brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.In a large bowl, beat confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and enough cream to reach a spreading consistency. If desired, beat in food coloring. Frost and decorate cookies as desired. Yield: about 10 dozen.Freeze option: Freeze undecorated cookies in freezer containers. To use, thaw in covered containers and decorate as desired.

Originally published as Holiday Cutout Cookies in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2015, p36

LightingSet the mood for your party with a blend of cool lighting A combination of Tiki torches, strung lights, Chinese lanterns and votive candles, together with your in-pool lighting will create an elegant setting for your party that will become even more dramatic when the sun goes down.

Music

While it might be fun to choose something beachy themed (like the Beach Boys, or Hawaiian music or the theme song from Hawaii Five-0,) the novelty will wear off pretty quickly.

Instead, you may want to try laid-back, instrumental jazz at a fairly low volume so your guests can have easy conversation.

1 week before the party

One week before your party, you should complete the following tasks:

Get a firm head count

Purchase napkins, plates, cups and flatware (if needed)

Create your menu/shopping list

In this section, we offer a full menu, complete with recipes to serve a party of eight.

On The Menu

California Beach cuisine is light and healthy. And, pool party food should be easy to pick up and eat. This menu includes something for everyone, and it’s all finger food–no utensils required! That means easy clean up for you and more time to relax by the pool.

Our Life’s a Beach Buffet• Blackened Shrimp with Spicy Remoulade • Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Mango Chutney • Curried Deviled Eggs• Guacamole with Fresh Veggies and Tortilla Chips • Fresh Fruit Skewers• Seashell Cookies• Sparkling Citrus Punch

Blackened Shrimp with Spicy Remoulade (serves 8)Blackened Shrimp• One pound bag of 18-20*

frozen shrimp, tail-on, peeled and deveined (thaw as directed on the package)

• 3 T. Zatarain’s blackening seasoning

• Olive oil to coat• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

Toss thawed shrimp in olive oil and blackening seasoning. Let sit in fridge for up to 30 minutes.

Grill the shrimp up to five hours prior to serving. They should be cooked on a very hot, oiled grill basket for no longer than 3 minutes per side. (They should be just barely opaque inside. Don’t overcook.)

Spicy Remoulade Sauce• One cup prepared

mayonnaise• 2 T. sweet pickle relish• 1 t. Cayenne pepper• Salt to taste

Simply combine all ingredients and transfer to a small, white or clear glass serving bowl.

*Note: the numbers that come before shrimp on the package indicate the size of the shrimp as they tell you approximately how many shrimp you’ll get per pound. Thus, a one-pound bag of 18-20 shrimp will yield 18-20 pieces. 20-25 shrimp will also work for this application, and will obviously get you more shrimp per pound

Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Mango Chutney (serves 8) • 16 Hawaiian buns, sliced

• Two pounds of pork tenderloin, trimmed

• ½ cup Garlic Expressions classic vinaigrette salad dressing to marinate, up to one hour.

Grill pork on a very hot grill, turning just enough to get grill marks. Grill to an internal temperature of 150 degrees in the thickest part. Place on a plate and tent foil over it. It will continue to cook after you remove it from the heat to 160 degrees and letting it rest seals in the juices.

For the chutney:

• Six mangos, peeled and cubed*

• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed

• 3 T. rice vinegar (unseasoned)

• Salt and pepper to taste

*Mangos are tricky to slice. You might be able to find pre-sliced mango at your local grocery store. Trader Joe’s carries it. It’s absolutely worth it. If mango is unavailable, you can substitute fresh pineapple.

Mix all ingredients and put in a clear or white serving bowl. Make up to one hour ahead of party time.

Assemble the sandwiches just prior to the party. Thinly slice the pork and put about three ounces on each sandwich. Top with a spoonful of mango chutney and spear with a bamboo skewer or toothpick to hold in place.

For filling, put yolks in a bowl, finely mash, and mix in:

• Enough mayonnaise to moisten eggs (approximately ½ cup)• 2 T. dijon mustard• 1 t. curry powder • Salt and pepper to taste

Stir filling mixture until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Spoon into a Ziploc bag. Cut a small tip off the corner of the bag to pipe the eggs. Garnish with microgreens, bits of chive, scallion or parsley.

Eggs can be boiled and peeled up to two days before your party. (Peel them immediately after boiling for easier peeling.) They can be filled up to six hours prior to your party. They should be tightly covered and stored in fridge.

Curried Deviled Eggs (serves ≈ 8)

One dozen eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and cut in half. If you prefer a non-traditional look, slice the eggs vertically instead of lengthwise. Be sure to gently blot any moisture in the well of each egg with a paper towel before you pipe the filling.

Guacamole(serves 8) • Eight ripe avocados• ½ cup scallions, finely chopped

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

• Juice of one lime

• 2-4 garlic cloves, pressed• ½ cup chopped cilantro

• Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and pit avocados into a bowl and mash. Stir in all other ingredients and check seasonings. Spoon into clear or white serving bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the guacamole, leaving no room for air to enter. Then cover the entire bowl with plastic wrap as well. Doing this will keep you guacamole from turning brown for up to 24 hours.

At party time, put your bowl of guacamole in the center of a large basket or platter and surround it with chips and fresh veggies.

Fruit Skewers (serves 8) Fresh fruit skewers are an easy way to add healthy sweetness and color to your buffet. Lacing a mint leaf through your skewer adds even more color and flavor. Fruit skewers can be made and stored tightly wrapped in the fridge up to one day before your party. Here is a list of fruits that work well: • Pineapple• Strawberry• Blackberry • Starfruit• Watermelon• Cantaloupe• Honeydew

Sparkling Citrus Punch (serves 8)

• 2 half-gallons of “Five Alive” citrus punch

• ½ cup grenadine

• One cup club soda

• Lemon and lime, sliced for garnishes

Combine all ingredients and serve over ice. Garnish with citrus slices and umbrella pick or umbrella straw.

3 days beforethe party

Three days before your party, you should complete the following tasks:

Buy your grocery items

Buy your flowers

In this section, we give you a grocery shopping list for the recipes and tips for floral.

Grocery List Ice!!!

Punch

Grenadine

Club soda

5 Alive

Lemon & lime garnish

Pork Sliders

Pork

Hawaiian buns

Mangos

Garlic

Rice vinegar

Vinaigrette salad dressing

Cilantro

Guacamole

Avocados

Limes

Grape tomatoes

Scallions

Cilantro

Blackened Shrimp

Mayonnaise

Dijon mustard

Shrimp

Zatarain’s blackening spice

Olive oil

Cayenne pepper

Lemons

Sweet pickle relish

Eggs (for cookies & deviled eggs)

Curry powder

Fruit Skewers

Fresh fruit for fruit skewers

Mint for fruit skewers

Cookies

Shortening

Almond & vanilla extracts

Evaporated milk

FlowersChoose flowers that complement your party’s theme and arrange them loosely, with lots of greenery. White is a great color choice for this theme as multitudes of color can be overpowering and cheapen the look. Alstroemeria are beautiful, inexpensive, easy to find at your local grocer or flower shop, last for weeks, and they’ll stand up to the outside heat. Make a tall centerpiece for your buffet table, reserving some greenery to scatter on the table and garnish your platters. Simple, clear acrylic vases are best for the pool area.

One day beforethe party

The day before your party, you should complete the following tasks:Marinate and grill pork (or, if you’d rather do all your grilling at once,

wait until the morning of the party, when you’re grilling the shrimp) Make fruit skewersMake remoulade sauce, and refrigerateBoil and peel eggs, make filling Arrange your flowersPick up cookies (or thaw the ones you made)

One day beforethe party

The morning of the party:

Build your buffet and beverage tables and cover with linen

Get ice if you haven’t already (remember to plan on one pound of ice per person)

Marinate and grill shrimp

Pipe and garnish your eggs

Make guacamole and cut fresh veggies for it

Make mango chutney

Make punch

3-4 hours before guests arrive:

Assemble pork sliders

Take some time to enjoy the pool yourself. You’re in great shape!

One hour before guests arrive:

Turn on lights and music, light candles

Put your flowers and food out (Make sure you have a serving utensil for each dish and sauce)

Change into your easy, breezy California outfit and get ready to have a blast

Party Day!

IntroducingFiberglass Beach Entry PoolsIf you really want your guests to have the ultimate beach party experience, put a beach entry pool in your backyard!

Grace Beach Entry PoolThe Grace Beach Entry Pool benefits include:

A zero entry that is perfect for dipping your toes in the water and lounging at the water’s edge.

A non-skid surface on floor, stairs, benches and tanning ledge is easy on your feet and your swimsuit.

Dual, deep-end seats with swim-outs give you lots of options for visiting and relaxing.

A courtesy ledge around the deep-end gives you a place to take a break and stand.

Get an estimate

Sandal BeachEntry PoolThe Sandal Beach Entry Pool benefits include:

A zero entry that is perfect for dipping your toes in the water and lounging at the water’s edge.

A non-skid surface on floor, stairs, benches and tanning ledge is easy on your feet and your swimsuit.

A 12” deep sun shelf and swim-out are perfect for ledge lounging and soaking up the sun.

A courtesy ledge around the deep-end gives you a place to take a break and stand.

Get an estimate

About Thursday Pools

Thursday Pools designs and manufactures the world’s most durable and elegantly crafted fiberglass pools. We are ISO 9001 certified,which means that fiberglass pool shells are made with the highest standards and from the best quality material available. We are also ISO 14001 certified, which means we are committed to environmental stewardship.

Our one-piece, inground fiberglass swimming pool manufacturing facility is based out of Fortville, Indiana. At Thursday Pools, we aspire to be the world’s most respected fiberglass pool manufacturer and to help our customers create a lifetime of memories with their family and friends. Our innovations, commitment to quality and beautiful designs set us apart. Thursday Pools is the creator of the world’s first beach entry (or zero entry) fiberglass pool. Get a free estimate on the fiberglass pool of your dreams today. With Thursday Pools, your weekend starts early!