A casual lunch opens up your options for socializing with friends. A casual lunch with friends means you spend time with people whose company you enjoy without having to worry about scripted invites, fancy decorations or elaborate table settings. Instead, you're free to focus on conversation and fun while sharing a meal together.

If you're inviting a close group of friends to your lunch gathering, a simple phone call is a quick and easy way to let them know the details. Write down the date, time and place of your lunch and keep it near the phone as you call your friends so you don't mistakenly give out incorrect information. Let guests know the event is casual so they can dress appropriately. It's also a good idea to let them know if kids are invited and what the menu includes.

It's acceptable to send electronic invites to a casual lunch.You can design an eye-catching invitation with an appealing picture, font and color scheme. Input the event's information, check to make sure it's correct and press send. Many online invitation sites make it easy to send the invite to a list of people at once and keep track of acceptances and regrets so you can plan table settings and the amount of food you'll need to order or prepare. Electronic invitations are environmentally friendly because they don't produce waste, and many are free, which cuts down on the costs of your event.

If you prefer sending paper invitations, even for a casual affair, you can indulge yourself without making the event too formal. Print the invitations on plain, white paper, cut them out and glue them to scrapbook paper that reflects the theme of your lunch. Include the time, date and place of the lunch and phone number for responses. Add embellishments with ribbons, small stickers or a photo. Place each in an envelope, add the address and pop it into the mailbox. Be sure to send your invitations a couple of weeks prior to the lunch so your guests can plan for the event.

No matter what type of lunch invitation you use, putting it together is part of the fun. Consider a picnic theme. Use red and white checked paper or a digital background to mimic a tablecloth. Add tiny ant stickers or clip art, a picnic basket and a glass of lemonade. Write or type the invitations in black letters. For a holiday lunch, use a background with small, coordinating images, colored letters and holiday-inspired stickers and embellishments. You can extend these ideas to casual lunch events for graduations, baby showers and weddings as well.