With a gorgeous start to the summer weather-wise, it's time to get ahead of the game and start planning your summer garden party! With a gorgeous start to the summer weather-wise, and now, fingers crossed, another couple of months of glorious sunshine, it’s time to get ahead of the game and start planning your summer garden party!
Seasonal summer picnic ware, Marks & Spencer
Party Preparations
Bring out the colourful tableware or picnic ware to brighten up your summer garden party. The brighter the better, and Mediterranean colours and textures add a holiday vibe to garden-party themed occasion. Bunting and streamers are optional, but worth it for a summery party atmosphere! Summer party food doesn’t need to be complicated; go for a barbecue and some interesting side dishes, plus some plates of fruit for a summery addition. Everyone has their own favourite recipes for quick and easy side dishes, but try to go for a rice or cous-cous salad, a pasta salad, a colourful bowl of super-fresh green salad, a potato salad (of course!) and maybe a baked dish such as this Aubergine Parmigiana from BBC Good Food. You could also try this Potato Salad with mustard and lemon by Jamie Oliver, as well as his Best Pasta Salad with tomatoes, olive and basil.
Good Home gas barbecue, from a selection at B&Q
Best Barbecue Ideas
Is it really a summer party without a barbecue?! The secret to putting on a good barbecue show is to have everything prepped and ready before guests arrive. Online ordering makes things easier, and supermarkets have a great selection of ready-to-go prepared, skewered and marinaded meat, fish, chicken and veggie options. Or you could try your local butchers, fishmongers and deli – there are often quite unusual and exotic offerings available! If you plan to DIY, marinade ahead – the day before is ideal, and make sure everything is covered, sealed and stored in the fridge.
If you’re catering for lots of people, check all the cutlery and crockery is stacked and ready to go, so there’s no rushing around looking for serving platters and utensils at the last minute. If you’re slightly bored with barbecues, pizza ovens are also a big hit this year. Actually, a pizza oven can make outdoor entertaining even more straightforward – what’s nicer than a simple pizza, served with bowl of salad. Ooni is the brand to look for, available from Cuckooland.
Savannah outdoor furniture and Porto dining table, Danetti
Sophisticated Summer Tables
Expectations are high for the summer party table, we’ve all moved onwards from the rickety old garden table that has survived endless seasons, and we’re treating our gardens as extra living spaces, decorated and furnished accordingly. Comfortable seating is a must, and the combination of cushioned sofa-style seats and a good-sized dining table is a winner. Whilst any outdoor garden furniture that comes with cushions is shower-proof, it’s best stored indoors over winter. Add some glamorous cushions and perhaps a throw or two to add colour and texture to the outdoor scheme. It’s best not to add too many items to the table top – perhaps a lovely vase with some summer blooms – and let your tableware stand out in style. For evening events, candles and lanterns create an inviting atmosphere, and an outdoor rug can elevate the look too.
Luscious Lemons carafe, Joe Browns
Summer Drinks
Cheerful drinks are an absolute priority for a successful summer party! If you’ve got an extra drinks fridge in the kitchen, now’s the time to stock up. A cooler box or ice bath is a good idea – use a plastic storage crate or garden tub and pop all the beers and soft drinks in to keep them cool. And this also frees up the fridge for the important items like bottles of fizz and wine! Plenty of sparkling water is a good idea, as not everyone wants to drink alcohol, plus sparkling lemonade with all the fruity trimmings is rather appealing for the children’s table.
For a very special occasion, bring out the cocktails or the ultimate summer drink, a jug of Pimms. It’s a drink that goes down well, whether you use the traditional lemonade recipe or mix it with a twist and use dry ginger or tonic instead. Head to BBC Good Food’s ultimate Pimm’s recipes here, and don’t forget to garnish with strawberries, cucumber and mint for the finishing flourishes.
Outdoor lights, candles and lanterns, lights4fun
Lighting Up Time
Outdoor lighting adds a cosy and intimate atmosphere to outdoor summer parties. Strings of solar lights make it easy if you don’t have hard-wired fixed outdoor lights, and a selection of lanterns and electronic candles all add to the party atmosphere. Late summer parties may need a touch of warmth, so think about investing in a firepit or perhaps laying out some cosy throws and blankets. Remember though, lighting up the fire pit almost guarantees your guests will still be with you late into the evening!
Ice Lolly ideas, Cuisinart
Summer Party Entertainment
If there are going to be youngsters at your summer party, it’s a good idea to organise some party lawn games. Think around the idea of a sports day theme, perhaps with a sack race (pillowcases are fine for little ones!), an egg and spoon race, three-legged race and perhaps hopping, skipping and jumping races too. If you have a stock of outdoor games, such as Giant Jenga or Quoits or Giant Snakes & Ladders, why not schedule a tournament? You could keep the prize simple by delving into the freezer for ice creams or lollies! Try Summer Berries Frozen Yoghurt Lollies, or even the Affogato and Raspberry Gelato for the adults.
You could also nominate an ‘official photographer’ for your summer party, with the option to share the photographs can be shared after the event via social media. If you really want to splash out, there’s always the option of hiring a photobooth. Naturally this means more planning and booking ahead, but it will be well worth the effort for a memorable event. Otherwise, create your own DIY photobooth in a corner of the garden, or perhaps transform the shed with some party accessories, props and a backdrop, like these from Ginger Ray.
