Tips for throwing a dinner party outside
You could have just moved into your new home and want to have a housewarming.
Or you may be celebrating a certain milestone in your life and want to host a dinner party.
Whatever the occasion is, a dinner party is the perfect excuse to dress up, catch up on your friend’s lives and eat good food.
Here key ways to throw a dinner party outside.
Guest list
Have you ever been to an awkward dinner party where the conversation was forced and didn’t flow? It could be that the guests didn’t know each other and didn’t know how to fill in the silences. Well, you can avoid crickets at your dinner party by carefully selecting everyone that’ll be there and then also choosing the seating cautiously. Put people that are likely to get along next to each other. The people you invite, and where you seat them, could make or break your party.
Budget
Before your dinner party, you should start a budget so you’ll be able to buy all your party essentials. Planning ahead will keep you prepared. Look out for specials and deals in supermarkets where you’ll able to buy in bulk and still have a few cents in your pocket.
Eat and be merry
If you have a wooden deck or a patio, you could put a table where you place finger foods and snacks for your guest to nibble on before dinner. You could even decorate the deck by placing balloons and streamers or flowers around the area. Or you could use your deck for a dancing floor where your guests can dance the night away after dinner. If you have a wooden deck make sure it’s been swept and you use a standard deck cleaner to clean it and to keep it looking good.
Music
You could like the music slow and mellow or loud and upbeat. Whatever sound you prefer, it should enhance the mood of the night. You know your guests and a killer soundtrack will create an amazing vibe.
Even though there’ll be conversation going around your party, it’s important that you have music in the background. It’ll set the mood and tone of your night. The music shouldn’t be too loud so that guests have to lean into each other in order to hear each other.
Candles
Lighting is everything and using candles can create an intimate mood for your guests. And you should stick to unscented candles. Food has certain aromas and will clash with the fragrance of a scented candle.
Flowers
Oscar Wilde was quoted as saying, ‘With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon who could not be happy?’ And he has a point, flowers bring beauty into a place and every party should a few vases placed over the table. Just make sure that the flowers don’t overpower the table and aren’t tall so that guest sitting across from each other can’t see each other.
Clean
Before the actual event, ensure that your house is cleaned. Imagine if you notice during the dinner that your table is dirty? You should ensure beforehand everything is spick and span. Make sure your lawn is manicured and neat, and the bushes are trimmed. Presentation is everything.
Rain, rain go away
You may have planned everything down to a tee but unfortunately, we have no control over mother nature. You need to ensure you have a plan B in hand, so if it rains, your whole night won’t completely be ruined. You could move your dinner party into your dining room and still have a good time. Because really what makes a good night is less about the setting and more about the food, good company and great conversation.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
You could be a party-zilla and want everything to go the way you planned. But someone might not show up or someone could accidently spill water on the table. Don’t let that ruin your night, after all, mishaps in life often give us the best stories to talk about years later. Author Jeanne C stein was quoted as saying, ‘Life may not be the party we planned for but while we here we should dance’.
Why you should have it outside
A warm summer evening calls for spending time outside. Being out in nature boosts happiness and will make your guest feel more alive. ‘Nature is fuel for the soul’ says author Richard Ryan. Taking the party outside will be a change from the norm and will create a fun, lively vibe.
At the end of the night, it’s all about creating memories, eating delicious food and laughing the night away. So don’t break the bank just for one night, focus on creating a wonderful ambience and you’ll have wonderful memories.