15 Tips for Hosting a Fabulous Outdoor Party
People absolutely love outdoor parties. Be it a pool party or a garden party, everyone will have a great time as long as you pay attention to the details like having an inviting backyard space. Do it right and you can become the hot topic of your social circle.
Do it wrong and people will still talk about it, but for all the wrong reasons. Don’t get disheartened by this. You can still throw a great outdoor party.
Consider these 15 tips the next time you decide to host one.
Focus on What You Are Celebrating
The entire party will revolve around whatever it is you’re celebrating. Whether it’s a birthday or Halloween or a simple get together, that will be the focus of the party. The food, decorations, drinks, etc will all depend on this.
It’s great if you already have a theme for the party. For example, you may decide to throw an alien inspired birthday party for a 12-year-old. The alien theme will guide you with the food, decorations, lighting, etc.
Try to find a theme if you don’t have one. It will make the preparations much easier.
Create a Buzz
Gone are the days of only sending out invites. Create a buzz around your outdoor party to get everyone excited about it.
You can promote your outdoor party through social media. Post online through your various accounts, hyping up the party with hints on what to expect.
Create an event on Facebook and invite your guests. You can have a D-day countdown via posts and stories. Build up anticipation for the party, whilst getting the guests prepared for it.
You can also send out handmade party invites – people love effort!
Don’t Be Afraid to Power Up
Once you start party planning, you’ll be surprised at how much extra electricity you’ll need. Every outdoor party requires power to run the lights, sounds, heating, cooling, etc.
Using power from indoors is often not simple. Owning a generator is a must when you throw a lot of outdoor parties.
Kruger Power provides easy solutions for your power needs. To find the right generator for you, visit https://krugerpower.com.au/diesel-generators.html
Have the Right Food to Set the Mood
We all know that many people show up at parties for the food. Your guests will go home disappointed if they don’t get the good food they were hoping for.
Set the menu according to the type of party you’re having. For example, if it’s an informal pool party, you might want to go for a barbecue. If it’s a more formal gathering, you might have a four-course dinner.
Bottoms Up
Nothing will make your guests happier than keeping them drinking. For a small gathering with family and friends, you can create your drinks in advance and store them in the fridge. You can look up easy recipes online for your party cocktails.
For large gatherings, hiring a bartender is a wiser decision. You can also have a server or two to carry around drinks for your guests.
Try making non-alcoholic versions of your party punches for the children. They will love the tasty treats and enjoy being included in the fun.
Light Up the Darkness
If you’re planning to party into the night, lights are a must. Good lighting means good photos and your guests will thank you for it.
Light your backyard up with a canopy of fairy lights. Not only is it decorative, but also a cheaper light solution. Keep the entire area lit, especially adding light to the dark corners.
Pro Tip: Buy citronella tiki torches to light up your party and keep the mosquitoes away.
Stay Cool in the Heat
We throw most outdoor parties during the summer. There are a few solutions to beat the heat outdoors. Provide chilled drinks and wet towels for guests.
You can get some standing fans and place them sparsely facing the guests. You can try misting coolers or fans for dry climates and evaporative coolers and regular stand fans for humid places.
Pro Tip: Hand out pretty paper handheld fans or even cheap electric ones for the guests as party favors!
Keep it Warm
During cold weather, make sure that your fire pits are clean and stocked up. Have a bonfire can keep you warm in winter. You can also buy patio heaters to keep your venue cozy.
Serve warm drinks spiked with alcohol like rum to keep your guests warm. You can also serve hot chocolate or coffee.
Ask your guests to dress warmly and save some money on heat. Start your party early as it’s warmer during daylight hours.
Don’t Let it Rain on You
Always remember to rainproof your party. It’s always better to prepare for the worst.
For a party of 50-plus people, weatherproof canopies are a must. Decorate the insides and outsides to make them look festive.
Keep an area indoors prepared in case you have to move the party inside. Plan indoor activities and warn guests beforehand, just in case.
Match the Music to Your Theme
The music will set the mood for your party. Set the music according to your party theme. Set your playlist with at least four or five hours of content and you’re good to go. Consider your audience when you make the playlist.
For example, in a family gathering, if you’re playing house remixes, it won’t go well with your great aunt and uncle. Similarly, you can’t expect a party full of teenagers to groove to oldies.
Dance the Night Away
Dancing puts everyone in a good mood. If you can make your guests get on the dancefloor, your party will definitely be a success.
Providing an area for dancing is always welcome. Some of your guests will have a natural inclination towards it. If you can get enough people moving, others will feel encouraged to join.
A Parting Gift
People love having something to take home. Even if it’s something inexpensive or handmade, they’ll love the gesture.
Providing party favors or gift bags is a great way to ensure your guests remember your party. Arrange gifts according to your theme.
Pro Tip: Serve your drinks in party-themed mason glasses that your guests can take home afterward.
Distract the Kids
If the children are bored, they’ll get fussy and disruptive. Do the parents a favor and provide activities for the children.
Be it craft tables, games or something as simple as a sprinkler. Children love to play – just give them an outlet and they’ll be happily distracted.
Pro Tip: Bubbles look delightful and decorative in daylight. Provide the kids with bubble blowers and they’ll fill the venue with bubbles! Having many different balloons with fancy designs will also catch their attention.
Adults Just Wanna Have Fun
Are the guests having fun? The most important factor at a party is ensuring that the guests are entertained.
Plan party games and activities that the guests can enjoy together. Whatever you plan should be engaging and interactive. Always remember, the best way to party is by dancing!
During family parties, plan activities that adults and children can enjoy together.
Hire Help for Larger Parties
Think about how much help you’ll need to run your party successfully. How much help you’ll need will be directly related to how many guests are coming.
You’ll need help guiding the guests, serving food and drinks, keeping an overall eye on the party, and for cleaning up.
If possible, hire extra help to take the load off you. After all, what’s the point of throwing a party, if you can’t even enjoy it?
Host It Right
Try to enjoy your own party. A good host socializes takes part in the activities and always stays in a good mood.
Your party won’t be a success if you let the party planning blues get to you. No one likes a grumpy, stressed-out host.
Relax and enjoy the party you worked so hard to throw!
Pro Tip: Whip out your camera and capture the moment while you navigate the crowd. Get pictures with everyone and take loads of photos to remember this day by!
Final Thoughts
Outdoor parties are a lot of fun if you plan it right. With the help of these tips, you can host an outdoor party so awesome that your guests will talk about it for years to come!