Garden party planning
Organising a garden party takes careful planning and some creative thinking. There’s a lot to consider like what to put on the menu, setting the tone with music, and how to style your garden to impress your guests.
Arriving in style
First impressions count. Let your guests know they’re in for a fun time the second they arrive. Set out a path of flickering lanterns and greet party goers with flutes of bubbly, charming cocktails and mouth-watering nibbles.
Fire up the BBQ early and slow cook chicken souvlaki on a rotisserie. Guests arrive to the smell of your delicious garden party food, and cooking on the spit gives them a spectacle.
Create an enchanting atmosphere
Draw inspiration from your surroundings and the seasons to create an outdoor party theme; in summer, make the most of the colourful flowers, warmer nights and go for a bohemian feel. Enjoy a garden party all year round and on a crisp winter evening, wrap up warm for Bonfire Night and stoke up the fire pit.
Music is important for setting the mood, so why not get your guests involved? Send a party invite or email, asking for everyone’s favourite tunes and set up playlists for the event. Dancing in the garden is a necessity at all garden parties and a simple way to keep guests entertained. Attach a wireless speaker to your parasol pole to have the music at the centre of your party.
Once the sun sets, use fairy lights to add ambience and place candles on stairs and outdoor furniture to add dimension to your garden. Lights are a great way to combine functionality with style, creating a cool and intimate atmosphere in the evening.
Food and drink
Who said fine dining’s for indoors only? True, finger food is easier to snack on while mingling, but there’s more to party nibbles than sausage rolls and quiche.
How about delicate and healthy caprese skewers with mozzarella, tomato, avocado and fresh basil eliminating the need for cutlery? Or tempt kids and adults alike with home-made sweet potato and parsnip chips, accompanied by spiced mayonnaise.
When it comes to drinks, let your imagination run wild. Give classic cocktails a fresh twist by flavouring and garnishing with home-grown herbs, straight from your garden; or create a signature cocktail for the party. Ask the mixologist at your local bar for tips on flavours that work well together, or check out for inspiration.
Ready for anything
As long as you’re well prepared, it’ll take more than a bit of wet weather to get between you and a good time. Put a canopy or parasol up in the garden and deck it out with chairs, throws and lights to create a comfortable spot to host your garden party.
If you don’t have space outdoors for a canopy or parasol, why not extend your party decorations to an indoor area, dressing it with plants, wildflowers, leafy branches and bunting, to evoke a garden atmosphere?
After all; the best parties are often found in the kitchen so if the weather does turn on you, crank up the music and move the fairy lights and the party indoors.
