Top tips to hosting a summer garden party

Throwing a summer party but not sure where to start? I guarantee this guide to hosting a summer garden party has everything you need to know!

As the weather gets warmer and the evening get longer, you might be thinking about hosting a summer garden party. Hosting a party can be super fun, but you also might feel overwhelmed. Don’t worry, here you will find everything you need to know about hosting the ultimate garden party.

Over the years I have thrown a ton of garden parties and have experimented with what works and what doesn’t. I’m sharing with you everything you need to know to make your garden party fun and enjoyable. From deciding on a theme to choosing what food to serve. Here are the best summer garden party tips I swear by.

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This post is all about top tips to hosting a summer garden party

decide on a theme

Choosing a theme is will help with the rest of your party planning preparations. Once you have decide on your theme, you can it will be easier to plan your party decorations, what food you will serve, drinks to offer your guests and even what you plan to wear.

Vintage Tea Party – Go for a vintage tea party with antique crockery, beautiful table cloths and pretty napkins. For the menu, offer classic scones with clotted cream and jam, finger sandwiches and who could forget a selection of teas.
Boho Chic – Looking for a party theme that’s relaxed and chilled? Why not throw a boho chic party. For decoration, think teepee tents, throw pillows, string lighting and pampas grass.
Summer Fiesta – Wow your guests with bright colours including table cloths, colourful lighting and banners. For food suggestions, serve tacos, salsa, and it wouldn’t be a party without a margarita.
Alice in Wonderland – For something that’s fun and quirky, an Alice in wonderland theme is perfect. Incorporate clocks, playing cards, cups and saucers and teapots into your decorating. If you want to go all out, you can use mismatched chairs and you could paint some large picture frames in bright colours to place around your garden.

send invites

Once you have decided on your theme, you will need to choose a date for your party and send out your invites as soon as you can to give your guests plenty of time to prepare if there’s a special dress code. Sending out party invitations is so exciting, not only does it tell your guests when and where the parties is, but it will tell your guests what theme you have chosen.

Digital Invitations – With most things now digital, you might want to send out your invites digitally. This is Definity the quickest way to send them. There are so many ways to create a cute invitation online that your guests will love.
Printed Invitations – I personally love receiving an invitation the traditionally way. There’s something so personal about having a paper invitation. You can get really creative when designing your invitations, your guests will love that you have gone the extra mile.

prepare your garden

Something you don’t want to overlook is preparing your garden, after all this is where your guests will spend the majority of their time. You’ll want to consider the space you have and if you will have enough seating. If you don’t, don’t be afraid to ask family and friend to borrow a couple of chairs in advanced.

Another thing you’ll want to think about is the weather, We’ve all planned outdoor events that have been sabotaged by the weather! Put a contingency plan in place if the weather will be bad, maybe hire a marque. Alternatively, you might want a couple of umbrellas for shade if the weather is too hot.

decorate for your party

One of my favourite things to do when party planning is decide on decorations. Decorating for a party is so under rated. You don’t need to go overboard when decorating, a few well chosen items can really bring your party to life.

choose your lighting

When it comes to lighting you’ll want it to compliment your theme. Hang some fairy lights on place some candles around your garden. You don’t need too many, just enough to create the right ambiance.

decide on food

No garden party is complete without some food. What you serve your guests will depend on the theme you have gone for. Keep it simple and something you know how to make. You want to make it as enjoyable as possible.

Prep as much food as you can

If possible prepare as much of the food as you can a couple of days before the party. Start by making a list of the food you want to serve and either place a food delivery or go pick everything up a few days before, that way you won’t be stressed if the store is out of something you need. On the day lay out your food just before your guest arrive and cover it until you want everyone to start eating. That way you’ll be able to spend time with your guests and be able to relax and enjoy the party. It’s ok if you want to use shop bought items, your guests won’t mind that you didn’t make everything from scratch.

set up a beverage station

Something that has always been a time saver is setting up a beverage station, this way guests can help themselves if they want and leaves you free to mingle with your guests. It’s important to have a selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks available. Also prepare some ice, sliced lemons and limes. I recommend placing a few different glasses so guests can choose depending on what they are drinking.

prepare some entertainment

One thing most people forget about is entertaining their guests. You might want to consider preparing a few games or activities for them to enjoy. Lawn games are a huge favourite during the summer. Giant jenga, ring toss and croquet are really popular. You might want to put together a quiz or put a playlist together for some music.

This post is all about top tips to hosting a summer garden party