Summer is finally here and with it, we’ve even enjoyed some bright, sunny weather.
Summer is the season for entertaining al fresco, it’s far too hot to stay indoors, so why not throw a garden party to remember? It doesn’t take much effort and who cares if the wine gets knocked over?
The first step to a winning party is to check out the garden furniture situation. It may be that you have to do a little scrubbing, shifting dust, dirt, cobwebs and moss from your chair and table set to ensure it’s in a decent state. Responsible owners will have put covers on their furniture!
If you don’t have any outdoor seating, it may be worth investing in some. Your guests will need somewhere to sit, after all. Pretty, hard-wearing sets can enhance your garden and provide years of pleasure for you, your friends and the family.
Next, decide on a theme. Will it be lunch, brunch, dinner, afternoon tea or cocktails? Your menu will, of course, vary dependant on the theme, as will your decoration. Afternoon tea requires bunting and cake stands. A cocktail party requires pretty fairy lights and jugs of Cosmopolitans. Lunch may necessitate a barbecue and quantities of Pimm’s.
Who do you want to invite? Will your party be a big, loud affair (so will you have to invite the neighbours to prevent any noise complaints)? Will it be a quaint sit down for the girls or will there be packs of children running around, playing games? Who you invite directly correlates with the amount of effort you’ll need to put in to make the party a success, so reluctant hosts, bear this in mind!
All that’s left is to decide on some entertainment. Will there be swing ball for the kids or just the some summery music to get people in the mood? Do you want to encourage dancing or will you all be sitting down, reminiscing? It’s worth having some form of entertainment – Twister or not – in mind in case the party looks like it is starting to flag.
When you want to party to end, serve the coffee. Everyone knows that signal. Have a great time!