Getting together with friends and family to celebrate a special occasion is always pleasant. While you can still have a great party indoors when the sun is shining, you might find that being outside is preferable. Not only is the fresh air invigorating, but when you do have a large crowd of people, being outside can offer more space for your guests to mingle. In addition to this, the sunshine can help boost everyone’s mood and get into the party spirit a little easier. If you would love to host a garden party to celebrate something special, here are a few tips you should keep in mind.
Create Shaded Areas
Although you might love soaking up the sun, it’s wise to take breaks from being in direct sunlight throughout the day. You may also find that some of your guests prefer to stay in the shade if they are more sensitive to the heat, so you do need to make sure that there are some sheltered areas in your garden for this purpose. Using parasols, gazebo tents, or even placing some seats under a tree can help with this.
Serving Great Food
You should always make sure that there is a selection of tasty dishes and refreshments for your guests, so do prepare the menu in advance. If you are catering the party yourself, you might find that cooking up dishes in the week leading up to the party, and freezing them if this is suitable, can reduce stress and save you time. Alternatively, if you don’t want to have to take on the task of preparing the food for your guests, you may want to look at hiring a catering service to do this for you. For more ideas for your party’s catering, look at this guide for catering your own garden party.
Anticipate Bad Weather
Hopefully, there will not be a cloud in the sky on the day of your garden party, but it’s always smart to prepare for this, just in case. Just as providing shaded areas to provide relief from the heat is important, it’s good to have some backup in case there are rain showers. Again, gazebo tents can be ideal for this and are likely to offer better shelter from rain than parasols. Tarpaulin fixed to fence posts can also be used, but this won’t look elegant.
If the heavens do open and your guests need to move inside, so think about whether or not you will have enough space indoors for the size of your party.
Décor
While making sure that your guests are well-fed and entertained is a priority, don’t underestimate the power of the finer details. Investing in some attractive décor can be the perfect finishing touch to your garden party, and it’s worth the effort. Floral arrangements on tables, tealight candles that can be lit when the sun sets, string lights, or anything else that will fit your party’s theme will help create the right atmosphere for your celebration.
If you are planning on hosting a garden party, use these tips to help you give your guests the best experience.