GUEST POST FROM TEXAS

Hello, lovelies! My name is Carly and I hail from Ft. Worth, Texas. I regularly blog at my own blog, Honey and the Moon, but today I am so honored to be blogging here at Urban Style Vibes*. Lise has an incredible eye for design and I am so happy to be sharing with each of you today. 

It seems to me that the summer is fading far too quickly, and I know that in just a few short months that I will be missing it badly.  Because of the extreme heat in Texas (the next 6 days are supposed to hit triple digit temperatures) it is hard to spend a lot of time outside. On those super hot days a lot of people choose to beat the heat in a backyard swimming pool, a local lake, or at the city water park. Otherwise, a lot of time is spent indoors...malls, museums, and downtown exhibits are extremely popular during this time. In Texas, summer evenings are warm and perfect for cookouts, and to me, nothing says a southern summer like a cookout with family and friends. Think citronella candles (these are the candles used to fight off pesky mosquitoes), sundresses, lemonade, and tea light candles. Summer cookouts are a staple in Texas, and I plan on hosting one last cookout before the summer ends.For those you who are hoping to host one more chic summer cookout like me, here is a little inspiration...

Serving lemonade (with a hint of mint...yummy!) keeps the outdoor event casual

Serving chilled champagne and chocolate covered strawberries makes the event a little more formal

Throwing a table cloth and cushions onto a picnic table automatically dresses it up, and the umbrella over head? Perfect for deflecting those summer rays of sun.

Sunflowers scream southern summer!

I love the idea of serving light, summery snacks out of the back of a truck. Not only is this display super adorable, it saves a lot of table space.I hope all of you have found something that you can use in your end-of-summer cookout. Just remember, casual and chic, light and airy, and family, friend, and food oriented! A big thank you to Lise for this wonderful opportunity, and a big thank you to you for reading! x

Images via country living