What’s the difference between a barbecue and a summer garden party? Well, it’s down to personal preferences… and whether or not there are sausages on the menu. But seriously, it’s good to know the difference before planning your event.
Put simply, a garden party is a barbecue without the grill. Instead of serving grilled foods, you serve pretty much the same sort of fare you’d serve at a dinner party. It’s up to you whether you make the event a formal affair or a “come as you please”.
Whatever you’re planning, it always pays to draw up a plan of action in advance. This way, you can be sure you have all the necessary supplies. Here are a few garden party planning tips to get you started.
1. Provide comfort
A summer garden party should be a relaxing, comfortable affair. But if you’re forcing people to stand or lie on grass in the blazing sun, your guests will be anything but comfortable. Make sure you have enough seating for everyone. If the weather is particularly hot, think about offering some shaded seating areas. If necessary, use parasols, gazebos and pergolas as temporary respite from the sun.
2. Focus on your tables
You really don’t have to spend a fortune to throw a memorable garden party. By focusing heavily on your table arrangements, you can create the “wow” factor without too much effort and expense. Choose a theme or colour scheme, and stick to it in your choice of settings, napkins and accessories. Fake flowers can add a different dimension to a table, as can centrepieces and fruit displays.
Tip: Think about the wind, as even the slightest of gusts can blow table decorations away. If necessary, weight everything down with cutlery, accessories or anything you can get your hands on.
3. Seated or informal?
Think about how you want people to eat at your party. Setting a formal table and assigning seats ensures people get to know people they may not be familiar with. If you want people to choose who they mingle with, set a series of tables and chairs, and serve finger or buffet foods. You may even decide that tables aren’t necessary, in which case you’ll need to think carefully about which foods you offer, and how to serve them.
4. Serve seasonal fare
It’s summer and the sun is shining, so celebrate the season with seasonal foods and drinks. Consider making a summer fruit punch with strawberries and citrus fruits — which you can serve as your guests arrive. Think about what’s in season where you live. If you’re not sure, head to a farm shop for advice… and the freshest possible produce. When you serve your locally sourced seasonal fare, you’ll have a great story to tell.
5. Organise some entertainment
Who are you inviting to your garden party? If children are coming, it’s always a good idea to organise a few games and activities to stop them from becoming bored. If your garden is large enough, anything with water is lots of fun — if your other guests don’t get wet, of course. For the adults, why not organise a classic summer game like croquet or bowls? Even a friendly game of rounders can really break the ice when people are meeting for the first time.
6. Create a playlist
The average garden party involves several stages — all of which require a specific type of music. Something calm and middle-of-the-road is ideal as guests arrive. You can crank up the tempo as people start to loosen up, and then slow things down again as the day draws to a close. Create music playlists for each stage of your party, and make sure you have speakers powerful enough to be heard all over your garden.
7. Plan the clean-up operation
The last thing you want to be doing the morning after your garden party is clearing up mess. Ideally, the clean-up operation should begin the moment your first guest arrives. Place bins at strategic points around your garden, and encourage your guests to use them. Once every hour, walk around collecting rubbish and clearing plates/glasses. Compost wasted food, and keep an arsenal of cleaning supplies close at hands — so you can react to spillages and messes as soon as you find them. And enlist some help at the end of the day for cleaning.
Plan every aspect of your summer garden party in advance, and you should be able to put on a great event without too much hard work and cleaning afterwards.
