Rachael Zarda

Happy Friday, y’all! I’m excited to share with you a fun collaborative shoot from earlier this week with my friend, Sarah of One Sparrow Creative.

The fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. Some of my best memories from childhood are of the holiday weekend spent at the lake or with family in Dallas, waiting on the lawn for the sun to set and the fireworks to start.

Unlike Christmas or Thanksgiving, there’s nothing really to prepare for except to maybe buy some beer and a bottle of sunscreen and to appropriately deck yourself out in stars and stripes. I like the slowness of it all. It’s unassuming and enjoyable.

If you’re grabbing a blanket and heading to watch fireworks somewhere this year, you may as well go the extra mile and pack a few things for you and your company to snack on. Because, food! It makes everything better (and don’t forget the wine).

The food prep for a picnic can be really simple. You can never go wrong with a cheese plate, in my opinion. It offers a variety of choices, there’s no cooking involved (because who wants to be in the kitchen when it’s 102 degrees outside?), and they’re typically pretty photogenic, for you instagrammers out there.

And sparklers are a must, obviously.

Apparel from Frankly Basic | Photography by One Sparrow Creative