Nothing like a little party to lift everyone’s spirits! Especially if that party just so happens to make use of the good weather outside and lets people breathe in fresh air as they enjoy the hot summer night. If you’re looking to entertain your coworkers or friends outside and want to make sure everyone has a good time, you will need to make a good plan.
Well, that’s where we come in. For all of you who want to be good hosts and make your party a roaring success, here’s a handy guide to help you out.
Pick a theme and send out the invitations
A theme is totally optional, but it can definitely help make your party more interesting. Depending on the group of people you’re inviting, it can be anything from a costume party, to Italian cuisine party. Maybe you’re inviting your literary club and can make cocktails named by your favorite books, or maybe you’re having coworkers over and don’t want a specific theme, merely a relaxing setting. Once you’ve decided on the date and the theme, send out invitations.
They can be merely in the form of an email, but you can also make your own little handwritten cards if you feel like making it fancy. We suggest that beside the starting time, you also include an end time for your party, especially if you’re not ready for drunken guests that that will stay past midnight.
Make sure the outdoor space is well-lit
Low-lit spaces can be atmospheric, but you don’t want your guests stumbling over their feet in the dark. If you’re making a party in your own back yard, make sure you have good lighting, and consider investing in a bug-zapping light. There’s nothing like a swarm of mosquitoes attacking your guests all evening to put a damper on the mood.
Prepare good music or recruit a DJ
Music is the thing that can break the ice and put people in a good mood, and you definitely want to create a good playlist before the party starts. If you aren’t sure what kind of music to pick and how to create a good atmosphere through songs, you can always hire a professional DJ to help you out.
Food and booze will get the party started
The most important part of any party – give your guests something delicious to eat! That’s bound to make them feel great, and it’s another ice breaker to get your guests to mingle and bond over the tasty finger foods. Serve things like grilled peaches with ricotta, garlic bread, avocado and salmon canapés, scrambled egg and sausage pockets, little mushroom sandwiches – basically small things that your guests can just pop into their mouth without having to find a place.
You want to have as much variety as you can with the foods, so make sure to prepare everything in advance. Or better yet, find some good catering companies and pick the one that will do all of the cooking for you. Letting professionals handle the food and the booze is the best way to ensure it all goes smoothly and everyone is well-fed and happy.
Have a signature cocktail
Every good cocktail party has a signature cocktail, and you can think of one yourself, or ask your catering to help you out. Give the cocktail a special name and encourage your guests to give it a try!
Make some easy decorations
Hanging up a few colorful lanterns and banners doesn’t take a lot of time, and it’s quite easy to do. You don’t need too many decorations, just something to make the space feel more party-like. If you need some ideas, you can look here and it should help you get creative.
Don’t forget to socialize
Oftentimes people get so focused on the food and drink portion of the party that they spend most of the time in the kitchen, making sure everything’s running smoothly instead of socializing. This is a sign of a bad host – you need to be there for your guests because they came to see you. Not only that, you need to introduce people to each other and help conversations flow instead of just giving everyone booze and hoping for the best. Mingle with your guests, tell them funny stories, and listen to what they have to say.
And most importantly, make sure to enjoy yourself. A party where the host spends all their time stressed and tense is not likely to be all that good, so make sure to relax and have fun. After all, that’s what parties are for!
Guest Author Bio:
Sophia Smith is Australian-based beauty, fashion and lifestyle blogger. She is very passionate about latest fashion trends, DIY projects and natural beauty products. Sophia writes mostly in beauty and fashion related topics, mainly through blogs and articles. She is regular contributor at High Style Life.
