Whether you have been planning a Labor Day or birthday party, there is nothing more welcoming than the great outdoors. There is always a cause to host a nice cookout with fun activities and moon-light parties. Planning may seem like an overwhelming experience, but here are some ideas to make the last-minute preparations easy.
If you have a natural lawn, hive your outdoor space a quick make-over by mowing and edging your lawn and pruning shrubs. Time to consider synthetic turf; it doesn't need any work to stay beautiful and green all year long. You may want to add touches of bright color with flowers in colorful pots.
Artificial grass is bugs-free, but if you have a traditional lawn, don't forget to schedule your bug-mosquito-control service; keeps the pests from buzzing in your ear. Empty all containers with standing water to prevent mosquitos hatching.
Remember to have enough seating for your guests. It doesn't have to be a sit-down dinner. If you choose a buffet, mix your patio furniture with outdoor poufs, hammocks, and stools. Lay thick blankets on the glass with oversized floor pillows on top for a picnic vibe. To create a chic camping party, you can set oversized tents or a large teepee with pillows and blankets. Add lanterns, tiki torches, and flameless candles to offer atmospheric lighting.
Prepare indoor spaces for quests; decorate bathrooms, kitchen, and entryways with elements that complement the theme of your party.
The centerpiece complemented by lush greens and bright blooms need minimal decorations. A gentle touch of flowers on the table and side tables will do the trick. After sunset, turn on lanterns and LED light strings around trees' trunks, gazebos, and patio. To keep bugs off, keep on scented candles or tiki torches.
It depends on your guests, but golf putting greens offer everything you need for a perfect event. Brighten up your mood with some fun golf games. For example, you can choose a golf theme party game when your guests have to suffer hilarious consequences. Every player gets three shots to make a hole-in-one putt, and every time he or she misses, it's time for the consequence. Write funny penalties on index cards. For instance, they can sing a song, or putt your next ball blindfolded.
The bocce is very popular in the United States since the early 1990s, and it's an excellent idea for any event or gathering. It can be played with teams of one, two, or four. Standard backyard courts are made of concrete, packed dirt, but the short-pile artificial grass is the best. You can buy funny bocce ball gifts, like pizza pepperoni socks, or funny adult achievement stickers.
It might be chilly in some states, but a swimming pool makes a party an extremely elaborate affair. You can plan a movie night; move your big-screen television outside or rent a projector for the evening. Buy some inflatable lounge chairs and remember to get lots of flotation devices for your guests. Set a theater concession stand and serve candy, sodas, and popcorn.
Remember that you are responsible for your guests. Natural lawn and concrete are slippery and not safe for your guests. Consider synthetic turf around your pool area: it's always dry and clean and doesn't get affected by chlorine.
Decorate your pool with balloons and colorful inflatables of fun shapes and sizes. You will want plenty of snacks and treats to keep your guests energized like snow cone cupcakes, sand dollar cookies, pool noodles, and simple on-the-fo desserts.
Set the sunscreen station; parents will appreciate this favor. SPF 50 and a waterproof spray will do.
Safety is the number one concern. Watch kids not to be running around a pool. Artificial grass is definitely a life-saver for pool parties; no water puddles, no slippery surface.
Get creative with your bar set-ups. Turn your potting workbench into a wine bar; use your dining bench into a drink station with a few different drinks like flavored vodkas or lemonade, bottled water, and beer. Use acrylic glasses or paper cups. Keep your guests hydrated with plenty of ice water with fruit or herbs.
Synthetic turf is safe for any sort of spills and souces; just wash it off later with water.
Barbeque is a major theme of any outdoor party, but also consider guests with special dietary limitations such as gluten-free or vegetarian options. Choose recipes that can weather outside. Don't use mayonnaise in your salads. Potato and tuna salads shouldn't be outside a fridge for more than two hours. You can top any salads with tuna and salmon from pre-prepared sealed pouches.
Offer salads with fresh veggies topped with a light balsamic vinaigrette. Consider a mix of pickled vegetables like corn, peas, onions, butter beans, and bell peppers in combination with vinegar, water, herbs, sugar, and salt.
Mediterranean dishes such as olives, grape leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, and roasted bell pepper slices are hardy for outdoors.
You can go with pasta salads with extra virgin oil, salt, pepper, and other seasonings. Pasta holds up well outside.
Serving frozen desserts like ice cream can be difficult outdoor. You can always offer fresh fruits, fruit bars, and salsa, or pass individual serving of pre-scooped ice cream on a tray.
Keep bugs away from your table with natural insect repellents like mint, lavender, rue, and tansy.
Be sure to have enough dinnerware, plates, glasses, napkins, and flatware. Keep large trays outdoor, so you don't need to make too many trips inside.