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If you’re planning a party soon, why not host it outdoors? From milestone birthdays to anniversaries and other special occasions, garden parties can be even more memorable than you’d expect. Using your outside space as a blank canvas, you can create a truly inspiring venue to set the scene.
Keen to learn more? In this article, we’ve shared a few of our top tips to help you master outdoor entertaining at home.
How to Create an Entertaining Space in Your Garden
Use extra shelter
Covered areas ensure that you can keep your outdoor party plans in order, even if the weather has other ideas. Pergolas and converted sheds make a wonderful choice to help transform a patio area into a fabulous space for entertaining. If you don’t have either of those, don’t worry!
You can simply use a pop-up gazebo tent to transform your space. Keeping things cosy should be your first priority. Flickering tealights and rechargeable candles add a touch of quaint authenticity, while festoon lights add incredible atmosphere and depth to any entertaining space.
Keep it warm
If you’re refusing to wait until summer before going ahead with your garden party plans, you’ll need to add some heat. The last thing that your guests want is to be so cold that they can’t relax and enjoy the party. Instead of leaving everyone shivering under a blanket, you need to provide an efficient and welcoming heat source.
An outside firepit works wonders but, if you haven’t got one, there are plenty of alternative solutions. Thick blankets and soft cushions might add comfort to outdoor seating areas, but you’ll only be able to truly beat the chill with a heater. It’s always worth checking out some of the best patio heaters for 2024.
Make a charcuterie board
Nothing is as warm and welcoming as a carefully crafted charcuterie board.
If you’re feeling creative, you can even present cured meat in floral shapes or add interesting colour schemes to the palette. For a huge spread that borders on becoming a feast, you could even ask your guests to bring their own contribution.
Any charcuterie and cheeseboard should be paired with quality red wine. Do your research to ensure that you can offer your guests a thoughtfully chosen, complementary variety of flavours. Don’t forget the decorative grapes, figs, and varying chutneys too!
Provide entertainment
Occasionally, you might just be looking for a laid-back evening just chatting away with friends.
However, some occasions call for livelier parties, so you should always make sure that you’ve got some entertainment options to turn to. When it’s time to ramp things up a little bit, you could play a few tracks to boost the mood and, once it gets a bit later, to get your guests singing and dancing!
For adult parties or civilised dinner parties, you might prefer to rely on an array of board games and a pack of cards. The classic options are simply the best choice for a smart occasion. Or, if you’d like to truly push the boat out, you could hire a live band to make your party a roaring success.
Overview
Outdoor entertainment at home relies on setting the scene. When you create an inviting and awe-inspiring atmosphere, your guests will immediately feel more relaxed and ready for a fantastic evening. Don’t forget the mood lighting!
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