This weekend we had a lovely gathering with some of our friends on the beachfront of Elwood, Victoria. We were blessed with the most amazing, sunny day as it's been so cold recently in Melbourne. We put together a lovely platter and pulled out the wine glasses to take advantage of the great weather on the beach. So I thought I'd write down a few tips and tricks to setting up the perfect beach picnic with your friends this summer! Plus, see if you can spot our little lady bug friend in our photos ;)

1. Pick up a pallet or an easy-to-transport coffee table for your spread. We got ours from the local Facebook marketplace, which was a bargain! 

2. Add rugs, blankets, and cushions to cozy it up. You'd be surprised how cold it gets at the beach in the late afternoon!

3. For our platter, we focused on fruits and cheese, obviously, as they are the best combination with any wine! We chose rose, not only because it is super photogenic but it's also a crowd favourite. With our food, we choose a colour palette that was summery and warm, which was perfect for the occasion! We loaded up on figs, citrus, and decorated with plenty of flowers.

4. We had quite a few people to help us, so make sure you get plenty of people to help you carry all your stuff and of course it helps to have a few eyes to make sure nothing goes amiss!

5. We made sure to not leave any rubbish behind, and brought our own cheese knives, trays, and glasses to minimize as much waste as possible! And don't forget paper towels, they are a must if you are a messy eater (which we totally are!) 

Bon appétit!