7 Tips on Hosting the Perfect Garden Party

Hosting a garden party is an exciting way to socialise with friends and family, and even better, from the comfort of your own garden. The beauty of a garden party is that it can be as simple or elaborate as you wish, and you can hand-pick every detail yourself.

Take a seat

Seating is an element which is so simple, but so crucial to get right. First of all, the number of seats needed will vary based on a variety of factors. You should start off by considering how many people you are inviting – but also consider the age and accessibility of your guests. Not everyone will necessarily need to be seated at all times, but it's vital to consider those who may need to be seated for long periods of time. To make your seating more comfortable for your guest you also might want to consider giving your guests cosy soft furnishings such as cushions and blankets.

Food & Drink

If you are choosing to put on food or drink, it's important to consider the logistics. It's essential to find a balance between being a good host, but also getting to socialise and enjoy the gathering yourself. Preparing as much of the food and drink beforehand is a great way to ensure you don't spend too much time in the kitchen. To make things even easier, you could make your garden party BYOB (Bring your own bottle), or a potluck style where everyone brings a dish, and then you can all feast together.

Take care of the ambience

Ambience is something that you don't always realise you're considering it whilst you're creating it. The overall mood and atmosphere of your garden party can be set before the guests even arrive. Ambience is based on the various senses; this can be created by the scent of a candle, the sound of music, and the sight of various colours and lighting.

Are you not entertained?

Entertainment comes in many forms, and depends entirely on your guests and what mood of party you are aiming for. To keep your guests entertained you could feature a range of music, activities or games. All of which can be done on a smaller or larger scale, depending on your preference.

Let there be light

Lighting is particularly important if you think your garden party will lead into the evening or night. There are a wide range of garden lighting options to choose from, including something more gentle like candles, fairy lights or lanterns, ranging up to something more substantial like wall lighting, post lighting and ground lighting.

Keep it cosy

If you're based in the UK, the temperature may start to drop as your garden party turns from day to night. There are plenty of options for keeping your guests nice and cosy, including having a selection of blankets ready, lighting a fire, or investing in some outdoor heaters.

Take Cover

Similarly, if you're based in the UK, it's unfortunately likely that there may be a chance of rain. If this is the case, you might want to see if you can find an affordable way to shelter from quick showers. This could be a quick plan to run into your kitchen, or you may want to look at investing in portable shelter like a gazebo.

Preparation is key to any social gathering, and especially so when it comes to garden parties. That being said, sometimes the best memories are made from the unexpected; once the preparation is done, make sure you give yourself space to get stuck in and enjoy your garden party!