This is a post I’ve been looking forward to writing ever since we decided to plan a summer garden party. Where to begin. From sending out e-invites and planning to feed the five thousand, to seating arrangements and something to help keep dry (just in case), we have had our work cut out. After a whole bunch of Googling, comparing costs, rethinking, Googling again and even asking friends for recommendations, we think we have our ducks in a line. Check out the plan so far!
Party Food – Lots and Lots of Party Food
You’re going to have to feed your guests. After some serious thought, we realised not everyone will want to eat at the same time. Also, not everyone will want to eat the same thing. The solution? Hog Roast Machines. This handy company covers everything. All day rental includes delivery, setup, utensils, and a mixture of pork, chicken and vegetables. All you need to do is butter some bread rolls and splash out on some fancy paper plates. The machine even comes with an onsite demonstration, meaning you’ll be up to speed before you’re let loose in your chef apron.
Send E-Invites
Once you have your food secured, you need people to eat it. Sending out e-invites through Facebook is super straight forward. Simply click on ‘Events’, ‘Create’, and select ‘Create Private Event’ – this way, only invited guests can see the event (you don’t want just anyone turning up, I presume). You’ll need a time in mind, of course, but then you’re pretty much done. Quick, simple, and you don’t have to waste time writing out envelopes.
Garden Seating on a Budget
There’s nothing worse than being stuck at a garden party with no seats. The couch in the living room fills up fast, and the four dusty deck chairs from the back of the garden shed won’t go far. The problem is, of course, that you don’t want to flash the cash on a garden full of tables and chairs – you won’t need it all the day after the party, and storage will be a nightmare. The solution? Inexpensive inflatable sofas. These are just fun. You can pick them up almost anywhere. There’s the ‘bed lounger’ style that doesn’t require a pump, and there’s the more traditional sofa style that typically requires a pump – unless you have superhuman lungs! Storage is simple and your costs are kept low.
Keep Dry
Let’s face it, Blighty does one thing very well – rain. Soaring temperatures and blue skies at noon mean nothing come the evening. Hurricanes, thunder storms, and enough rainfall to flood the Nile are always only a black cloud away. Collapsible gazebos are relatively inexpensive and easy to store. My advice is to choose a gazebo without walls. After long discussions, we decided this would be beneficial for both easy access and for letting smoke out (if your friends are smokers). Also, if the wind does pick up, the neighbours won’t have to put up with a gazebo landing in their Koi pond.
*This is a collaborative post*