Home
>
Blog
>
Inspiration & Ideas

How to throw a cheers-worthy dinner party

A close-up of a summery dinner table.

Summer’s approaching which means it’s time to start toasting! Picture this: good wine, good vibes, yummy bites and the best of people. Excited much? We’re here to help you make the most of your summer evenings with plenty of dinner party inspo and ideas, so check out these 8 evening vibes to figure out what kind of night you want to have. Oh, and we’ve even included adorable invitation to use by theme. Cheers to that!

Dreamy greenery

Fresh Fronds

A tropical party on the left and a tropical invitation on the right.

Nature seriously knows how to put on a show when summer rolls around. The trees are green, the leaves are rustling and everything feels so green and full of life! This invitation beautifully references summery palms and happy leaves, perfect for getting your guests stoked to wine and dine together. 


Just a little bougie

Wine Napkin Doodles

A black and white illustrated invitation and an outdoor, summery tablescape on the right.

Live your best life and wear your best dress. There’s no shame in being a little bit bougie (is #BougieGirlSummer a thing?), so get the group together for a night of fine wine and even finer photo ops. We love these designs because they’re the perfect balance of fun and fancy.

Warm & fuzzy

Up Close & Personal

An outdoor dinner party on the left and an invitation on the right.

Fill your glass and your heart with a sweet and wholesome evening, the kind where the sunset seems like its from a movie and your cheeks start to hurt from smiling! To cultivate the perfect atmosphere, might we suggest lots of string lights, many candles and a potluck-style meal.

Charcuterie cuties

Charcuterie & Wine

A charcuterie board invitation on the left and a dinner table full of people eating n the right.

“Charcuterie” is arguably the word of the decade—and for good reason! Nothing gets guests excited like an aesthetically pleasing grazing board, especially one with copious amounts of cheese. So, throw your own wine & cheese night this summer with one of our snacktacular designs.


Our go-to for girls’ night

Wine Night

A picture of a bar on the left and a colorful, wine-themed invitation on the right.

Girls just wanna have fun—and cute invitations! Everybody loves a GNO, but this is the summer of the GNI. Gather the girls for the ultimate backyard wine night, complete with tasty snacks and cute lighting (fairy lights and candles are a must). 


Swill & swirl

Agate Swirl

A swirly invitation on the left and a neutral tablescape on the right.

Choose an invitation as fun and carefree as you are! These colorful swirls give off that laidback, go-with-the-flow energy that we’re planning on embodying all summer long. Let the wine flow and the good times roll.


Notes of nostalgia

All My Party People

On left, a long dinner table with lit candles and disco balls hanging from the ceiling. On the right, an invitation.

Party like it’s 1920. Or ’50. Or ’70. We don’t care! Everybody loves a blast from the past, especially one that inspires a party. Whether you’re leaning into Gatsby vibes or going full disco, a nostalgic invitation sets the perfect tone for a throwback.


Lush & full-bodied florals

Peony & Hyacinth & Vivid Floral Kaleidoscope

A colorful, summery outdoor dinner table with lots of flowers and candles.

There’s something about warm weather that makes us want to frolic in a field of flowers. Anyone else? Harness those easy, breezy and free vibes with one of these beautifully botanical designs. They’re colorful and lively—and great for inspiring your party decor! Bonus points if your party florals match your Evite.


We partnered with our friends at Avaline to bring you the cutest dinner party inspo, so make sure to follow us on Instagram. Ready to throw your own? Check out our guide to throwing dreamy summer dinner parties here!


Find even more amazing invitations for dinner parties, wine tastings and cocktail parties.

No items found.

No items found.

No items found.

No items found.

No items found.

No items found.

No items found.

All of the products we feature are hand-selected by our editors! You see only what we love and what we think you'll love too. If you buy something through links on our site, Evite may earn a commission. Prices are subject to change.

No items found.

No items found.

What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from other signup tools?

Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than other signup tools:

  • 100% free: SignUp Sheets are free to use.
  • Ad-free: No popup ads ever! Our signup sheets remain clutter-free, keeping your volunteers focused on signing up.
  • No extra login required: Seamlessly use your Evite account to create and manage your signup sheets, keeping all your events in one convenient location.
  • Automatic reminders and notifications: Stay on top of your event with automated reminders and notifications for you and your participants. Perfect for busy parents, teachers and anyone juggling multiple commitments.
  • Customization options: Tailor your signup sheets to your specific event, whether it's a school fundraiser, potluck, volunteer opportunity or team activity. Add custom tasks, time slots and requirements for smooth coordination.
  • User-friendly experience: Our intuitive interface makes creating and sharing signup sheets simple for everyone, regardless of tech experience.
  • Real-time updates: Get instant notifications whenever someone signs up or makes a change, so you always know where things stand.

Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!

What is a SignUp Sheet?

Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.

Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer! 

Long story short, SignUp Sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.

How do I create a SignUp Sheet?

Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:

  1. Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:
    • Signup sheets for one day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
    • Signup sheets for single or multiple day events (with time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing concession stand volunteers, fundraisers, parent-teacher conferences, meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
  1. After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
  1. Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
  1. After creating your slots, you can then add a wish list from any retailer or include supply suggestions from Evite’s retailer partners. These are to help your volunteers find and purchase supplies quickly and easily.
  1. Finally, review your sheet, copy your shareable link and send it out to everyone on your list! Every time a volunteer signs up for a slot on your signup sheet, Evite will email you. We will also send reminders to you and your volunteers before your event so no one will forget about it, and we’ll even let volunteers know if you remove their slot or cancel your event sheet so you don’t have to!

What information should be included on a SignUp Sheet?

When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:

  1. A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
  1. When and where the event is taking place. 
  1. The organizer’s name and phone number.
  1. Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete. 

When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!

Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!

What are the benefits of using a SignUp Sheet template?

Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:

  • A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
  • Shareable links for quick and easy sharing.
  • No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
  • The option to add a wish list to help your volunteers out.
  • Automatic reminders—we’ll remind everyone on your behalf.
  • An easy-to-use experience with eye-catching guided templates.
  • Clean, modern designs with no pop-up ads.

With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.

View More Articles

View All