Eight or nine months ago, two good friends of ours (mine, N.’s, our department’s) got married. Because they were in Canada at the time on a Fulbright scholarship, no one here in Oregon who adores them were able to share their celebration in person.
But they are back now, and I have conspired to throw them a belated reception in my backyard in a few weeks. We will be grilling, but I know there will be plenty of chopping, roasting, sauteing, and baking as well. I have plans, but I’d love to hear some input: if you were going to an upscale backyard BBQ, bringing your own grillables and perhaps a bottle of wine, what would you be bringing? What kinds of side dishes would you hope to eat? What items should not be missed when we assemble our menu?
"blackberry-eating in late September" 
Some kind of potato salad–either classic comfort food or something more unique. Anything with berries. Grilled corn on the cob w/ lime butter. And either a pinot grigio or something sparkling.
My new fave side dish involves whirling peas (frozen are fine, just thaw them first!), mint, parmesan, lemon juice and a bit of salt and pepper. I eat it with bread, on sammies, or with pasta. It tastes like summer.
Otherwise, perhaps (though perhaps not all together…) homemade potato chips with rosemary, spring rolls with mango, strawberry-jalapeno margaritas, tangerine pudding, s’mores brownies…
Or maybe just a selection of homemade popsicles in all kinds of unexpected flavors — mango/basil, watermelon/mint, coconut/lime, strawberry/rosemary, carrot/ginger…
These ideas sound incredible; I particularly like the pea crostini idea. I have a bunch of nasturtiums in bloom, which seems a way to collaborate your suggestions: pea crostini topped with flowers. Yum!
Ooh! Or what about a salad filled with edible flowers — rose petals, marigolds, whathaveyou…?
(Can you tell I’d like to have a backyard bbq myself?)