When the sun is out and the sky is clear, there is no better place to be than outside. No matter how big or small your outdoor space may be, hosting al fresco can be one of the biggest joys of the summer season.
From a fun and festive outdoor setting complete with cosy picnic blankets and sparkling fairy lights to a delicious and simple buffet-style menu paired beautifully with your favorite Georg Jensen Prosecco, there is no better way to enjoy the sunny weather and warm summer evenings than a garden party with friends and family.
Plan in Advance
Like any important event in life, the key to pulling off the perfect garden party is planning and preparing in advance. A good rule of thumb is to begin planning for the big day at least a week in advance, giving yourself plenty of opportunity to plan a menu, settle on a guest list, and order anything you may still need.
It also allows you to prepare a plan B should the weather take a turn, and gives your guests enough time to confirm their invitations and clear their schedules. If you plan to host your garden party alongside other people, you will have plenty of time and opportunity to delegate tasks and resolve any unexpected issues that may arise.
Tight Guest List
Whether you are the Martha Stewart of your friend group or new to hosting events, planning and executing an event of any kind can be stressful and overwhelming. The easiest way to mitigate some of the pressure and ensure you enjoy the day as much as anyone else is by keeping your guest list intimate and relaxed, inviting those who don’t carry unnecessarily high expectations.
Inviting friends or family who don’t mind if the ice runs out quicker than expected, the bottle opener is momentarily lost, or the food is served a little later than expected will guarantee the overall mood of the party stays positive and upbeat.
Buffet Eating
Any good garden party is centered around delicious food. In more formal dinner party environments, where every guest has a comfortable place to sit around a table, serving a more formal sit-down dinner with clear-cut courses makes the most sense.
However, dinner parties tend to be informal and free-flowing, with a higher level of communal spirit that results in people eating at slightly different times or grazing throughout the afternoon. The most effective way to ensure you meet the needs of all your guests is to serve your dishes buffet style. Not only does it work well with any size garden, but it’s also a fantastic way to get your guests moving and chatting, as opposed to being seated and static.
Drinks Sation
If you plan to serve cocktails at your party, batch-preparing your cocktail mixes in advance will save you a lot of time and effort on the day. This can include pre-mixing your alcohol of choice, juicing any additional fruits that may be needed, such as lemons and limes, and preparing additional ingredients like herbs, fruit wedges, syrups, and toppings.
To ensure your guests are never without a drink, it may be worthwhile setting up a self-service drinks station so people can help themselves. Include ice, at least two glasses for each guest, your cocktail mixes and finishing ingredients, a small selection of popular spirits, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic options that extend beyond plain water. You don’t need to blow your entire party budget on the drinks. A small selection of good-quality options will be more than sufficient.
Create an Atmosphere
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to have a theme for a garden party. Mother Nature is a theme all by herself, so keep it cozy and straightforward by scattering cushions on top of a selection of picnic blankets with a table or two wedged in somewhere.
Provide a selection of chairs for those who may struggle with standing for extended periods of time or are unable to sit on the ground. Include twinkling fairy lights and candles to soften the space. If small children or pets are in attendance, it is best to keep them off the ground to avoid any accidents or injuries.
Finally, create your own personalized playlist for the afternoon or use a pre-made playlist on any popular streaming site that can be left to play in the background, demanding little to no attention. The music should be upbeat and soothing without overpowering conversation or hijacking the attention of your guests.
Dress Accordingly
Dressing in an outfit that is comfortable to wear and easy to move around in is key to enjoying time outdoors, for both guests and the host. Factor this into the theme and atmosphere of the event to ensure your guests are appropriately dressed for the occasion without having to navigate uneven terrain in towering heels, tight dresses, or stuffy dinner jackets. If you plan to offer your guests cosy picnic blankets and fluffy pillows to sit on and relax, the right wardrobe is even more essential for sitting down and getting up off the ground.
Have a Plan B
No matter how much you prepare and plan, it is simply impossible to fully predict the weather. The sunniest of summer days can quickly turn wet without warning, making it crucial to have a solid backup plan to rescue your garden party should the weather turn.
Should space allow, this could be resolved by erecting a marquee in the garden that offers guests a shaded place to sit and relax in the sunshine, and protection against rain should it arrive. Alternatively, you can prepare a space indoors that can easily transform into a hosting space if things need to be moved inside.
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