If you enjoy entertaining friends and family, it won’t be long before you’re hosting barbecues and dinner parties in your garden. The weather is finally heating up and the days are getting longer, which means the next few months are perfect for eating, drinking, and making memories with your nearest and dearest.
Of course, you’ll want to ensure your get-togethers are remembered. To help you with that, we’re going to give you five of our top tips for entertaining al fresco. Read on to find out more.
PLAN AROUND THE WEATHER
As the British weather is famously unpredictable, planning an outdoor event well in advance can be quite risky. So, it’s often wise to be flexible. Rather than setting a date and creating a Facebook event a month before you plan to host your outdoor get-together, be more flexible.
The weather forecast can fluctuate a lot — especially in the warmer months. So, keep an eye on the Met Office’s 7-day forecast, and start to make your plans once you’re confident the coming weekend is going to be a fine one. While this will only give you a few days to invite everyone and ensure you’re prepared, it will give you a far better chance of being able to enjoy the beautiful weather you’re looking for.
MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS SOMEWHERE TO SIT
To ensure all of your guests feel comfortable in your garden, you should make sure that everyone has somewhere to sit. Depending on what type of get-together you’re hosting, certain kinds of seating will be more appropriate than others.
For example, if you’re throwing an al fresco dinner party, you’ll want more of a formal set-up, with a dinner table and separate chairs for everyone. Alternatively, if your event is going to be more casual, a large table with a decent-sized garden sofa will work well. You could even add extra seating options by spreading throws and cushions across your lawn.
If you’re hoping to entertain a lot this summer and don’t have a suitable seating arrangement, consider investing in some new garden furniture that can accommodate your parties. Wyevale Garden Centres have a large selection of garden furniture sets that includes everything from small bistro sets to large outdoor sofas. So, you should have no trouble finding the perfect set to suit your needs.
CHOOSE A THEME AND GO ALL OUT
If you’re looking for a sure-fire way to show that you’ve put plenty of time and effort into organising your garden party, choose a theme that you can base all of your decorations, food, and drinks around. If you really want to go all out with this, let your guests know what the theme is when you invite them — this might prompt everyone to show up in outfits that fit the feel of your get-together.
There are certain themes that lend themselves quite nicely to garden parties. For example, consider going with the style of a traditional British tea party. Party Delights offers a wide range of tea party supplies, which includes tea cups, cake stands, plates and more in a variety of quirky designs. These are perfect for when you’re looking to entertain and want to do something that’s slightly out of the ordinary.
PUT SOME EXTRA THOUGHT INTO YOUR DRINKS MENU
Of course, you’ll want to serve food that all of your guests are going to enjoy, but it’s also worth putting some extra thought into your drinks menu. By going above and beyond to provide more than the usual bottles of beer and wine, you’ll be able to ensure that your get-together is one to remember.
This doesn’t have to take you a lot of time and effort, either. You could make a large bowl of punch that everyone can help themselves to, serve everyone’s drinks in novelty glasses, or purchase tipples that are out of the ordinary, such as flavoured vodkas or gins. Your guests will definitely be impressed.
INVEST IN SOME GARDEN PARTY- APPROPRIATE TABLEWARE
Using your nice dinner plates outdoors is always a risk, so why not buy some affordable but stylish tableware for the garden get-togethers you’re planning to host this summer?
We should all be making an effort to be more eco-conscious these days, so forego disposables and opt for reusable plastic plates and cutlery. Having these on hand will drastically reduce how much rubbish your party creates, and they’re hard to smash or snap, which means you’ll be able to use them time and time again.
HEMA stocks a wide range of reusable plastic tableware, which includes everything from mugs to bowls. These would work perfectly for your garden parties. And if you’re going to use straws, go for the recyclable paper kind.