Blankets spread under an oak by the water. Wicker baskets, a watermelon cut open, flowers in a jar and a cake with a pink 18 on top: this invitation is a summer afternoon by the lake, and the name sits below in a soft rose script the color of the cake.
Plan it for a sunny Saturday. Pick a park with shade and a good lawn, bring more blankets than you think you need, a cooler of lemonade, sandwiches and fruit, a speaker and a frisbee. The cake travels in a box and comes out last. Tell guests to bring a towel if there is swimming, and the invitation has already set the tone.
Add the name, the date and the park, and it is ready to go. It suits any summer birthday and an end-of-school picnic too.
