Here comes summer again, that magical time of the year! Last two years have been a bit of a bust for millions of people across the nation as the pandemic rendered most plans infertile. This year, effective vaccination and increasing immunity have largely allayed those concerns. This again is the time to venture outside and plan summer activities.
Indeed, summer is the time to party; to enjoy camaraderie with delicious food, cool drinks, sunshine, refreshing breeze, games, and laughter. There is no better place to do it than a party in your own backyard. Backyard parties are a summer classic.
Your backyard offers so many possibilities for a fun and informal occasion to get together with people whose company you cherish. Therefore, instead of adding stress to your life by organizing something formal, go for simple, lazy, amazing summer gatherings in your backyard where the sun is shining, and the flowers are blooming.
Why You Should Go for a Backyard Party?
Backyard parties are more relaxed than indoors because instead of fitting people in your living room and hot kitchen, you can just let them spread out in the yard. Kids are also a lot happier as they have the freedom to run around and play without adults shouting after them. And it is easier to clean up after. You know that, don’t you?
With a backyard being less of an administrative and mental hassle, you can have several parties over the course of the summer. They are not formal proceedings that require a lot of planning or indoor events that need you to move so much furniture around to create the right setting. On the contrary, the more casual and spontaneous you keep your backyard party the more your invitees will feel at home and the more time you too will have to socialize and enjoy yourself. Isn’t that the whole idea of having a party?
It is not uncommon for some people to feel reluctant to entertain in their backyard because they think everything is not perfect. They fear that maybe the garden is not blooming right, maybe it is not mature enough, maybe the lawn is not perfectly mowed, maybe they did not get time to plant flowers this year, maybe they do not have the right patio furniture and so on and so forth.
Let me tell you straight up, all these misgiving sum up to naught. Do not let them stop you from hosting a party in your backyard. You do not need elaborate surroundings, an imposing patio, or fancy lawn furniture to have a good backyard party. All you need is people who enjoy yours and one another’s company. If you have such friends, relatives, or neighbors then you deserve your backyard party. It is your chance to relax and to chill out.
How to Host a Fabulous Party in Your Backyard?
Let’s hope by now you are ready to lighten up, embrace the summer, relish the breeze, and have fun in the sun. If you are, here are some suggestions that will enable you to host amazing backyard parties for you and your friends to keep enjoying all summer long.
❇️ Decide on Your Guest List
The first step is creating a list of people who you can invite knowing that they will get along well together. How many people do you want to have? What is the age group mix? Will there be kids? If yes, will they have some company?
Once you have decided who you want to have at your party, make a fun invitation and send it either through WhatsApp or email. Though increasingly rare, some people may still expect a personal call. Know the difference. However, generally sending out texts or emails is now deemed sufficient courtesy to invite someone.
❇️ Let Your Invitees Know What to Expect
Do not surprise your guests with having to end up aerating the lawn or being underdressed for a chilly evening outside. Give them a heads up on what is on the cards so that they can prepare accordingly. If you are planning to use the swimming pool or jump in a hot tub, tell every guest that they are welcome to bring along their swim gear. Similarly, let them know if you are planning a bonfire.
This little heads-up is not just a matter of courtesy but will also ensure that your party is good fun because your guests will turn up prepared and excited about whatever activities you plan to do. You may also want to be ready with a few spare pairs of thongs, towels, and a pullover in case someone, turning up without their own, needs them during the party.
❇️ Protect Your Guests with a Tent
When you throw a party outdoors, your guests have to be protected against the weather and its surprises. Summer in the GTA can witness some very warm days and a few quite chilly nights. Believe me, your guests will be a lot more comfortable and reassured if you place a shelter above them in the form of a tent or two.
We at Meadowvale Party Rentals carry tents to suit the requirements of almost any backyard and you do not even have to worry about the setup and takedown. We can also provide you with the expert advice as to what will best fit your venue.
❇️ Pick a Theme for Your Backyard Party
It is not as complicated or expensive to add a theme to your party as it might sound. In any case, it is just an option you can use but not a necessity for your backyard party. One advantage of choosing a theme for your backyard party is that it makes party planning much easier and channels your creativity as you work out all the fun little details.
Some of the simple summer themes can range from a lemonade and barbecue to camping, swimming pool party, or tailgating. It can be a garden party for your book group or a sports party for some sports buffs. The blend of outdoors and summer can lend itself to so many creative ideas.
You can also have a color theme. Find the right chair covers and table linens in accordance with the theme. Bright colors are usually a good theme for a garden party. Another way to do something different is to get your guests to organize a picnic party. Just reproduce the idea of a cozy picnic complete with tablecloths and tasty food on a bigger scale.
❇️ Plan a Simple Menu
Your backyard party is not meant to be a cooking fest, do not turn it into a heavy culinary event or a formal meal. Most people like to eat light in summer so do not feel obliged to toil away in the kitchen or making elaborate food arrangements that subtract from your participation in the whole get-together.
Plan a simple menu. Your guests can snack on raw crudités and salsa or hummus. Avoid heavy chips and creamy sauces that do not keep up with warm weather. Blanched green beans, cherry tomatoes, or pepper strips also make great items to snack on. Go for dishes that can be served cold or as part of buffet. Various types of salads and pastas are quite handy. Cheese platters, pickles, nuts, chips, fries, and fruit also work well. Mediterranean or Mexican dishes are usually much easier to handle and serve up. Keep the side dishes simple and of the effortless nature.
Nothing defines a summer backyard bash quite like grilling up a few summer favorites. If you love to grill or someone else enjoys doing it, go ahead but do not force yourself to be the grill master. Hamburgers and hotdogs are perhaps obvious items, but you can also grill up steak, shrimp, chicken breasts and wings, and plenty of vegetables. Bring in some variety of barbecue sauces and you have a menu with something for everyone to enjoy.
It is equally fine to prepare a slow cooker main course like taco filling, pulled beef or fish, and merely use the grill to toast some vegetables or corn. Kababs can be cooked and produced in advance, or you can go for hotdogs, hamburgers, and standard grill fare as mentioned above. Let everyone be on the lookout for their own burger. If you are not sure about the eating regime of all your guests, then make sure to provide some vegan options.
Rich desserts are no longer much in vogue, keep the sweet simple. It can be an ice cream, some fresh fruit, or frozen fruit pops. Choose a menu that is children friendly and easy to make, preserve, and serve.
❇️ Make a Fun Cocktail
A unique beverage will add a personal touch to your backyard party. Even if you can afford to offer a full bar, it still adds some spice to offer up a signature beverage such as lemonade or another beverage tastefully doctored to your preference. Be creative and experiment a little beforehand. Even water can be made to look celebratory and enticing by adding fresh herbs like mint or lemon balm or fresh fruit to it. Use fun pitchers or pretty beverage dispensers for your signature drink. Using plastic drinkware at a backyard party is perfectly fine.
❇️ Rent Some Concession Equipment
You can also rent some concession equipment from Meadowvale Party Rentals. It adds a lot of color to party. Kids and adults equally love snacking on freshly made popcorn. You can also rent concession equipment for desserts such as cotton candy and snow cones. Getting concessions is a low-cost way to add some special flavor to your party. It will not hurt to have your own little carnival in your backyard.
❇️ Spice up the Atmosphere with Music and Lighting
Music and lights go a long way in enlivening the mood of the audience. It is not to complicated add some ambience to your party by hanging some pretty lanterns from trees or by using strings of light around your yard. Be careful and use lanterns or lights that use battery or are solar powered. Do not go for anything with flames.
While playing music at your backyard party, opt for songs that have universal appeal for your audience. If you are not sure then retro favorites, oldies, beach, and summer pop music offer safe choices. Jazz or instrumental music with a nice beat is also widely liked. Keep the music volume at the right level for people to make and hear conversation over it.
❇️ Go for a Distinct Décor
Tasteful table décor and pretty candles are a nice way to add ambience to your backyard party. Backyard parties allow you more room to really go hippy and jazzy. You do not have to worry about matching plates, glassware, flatware, and other table accessories. Jars can serve as pretty looking vases. Food can be served on a wooden cutting board or other flat surfaces used as trays. Use disposable wares or do not worry to just bring out whatever mismatched dinnerware you have on hand. Outside in the yard, no one will notice or be concerned. And who cares if anyone is finicky enough to do.
Get a Little Playful
Backyard parties are a good occasion to play games. You can spray paint Twister dots or play giant tic-tac-toe on the lawn. Try Jenga with blocks or organize lawn games like bocce ball, croquet, or bag toss. There are a lot more options when it comes to children. If you have a big yard, do not forget to have a couple of soccer or football balls handy tempting your guests to toss them around.
You can also consider hosting a fun theme such as swimming or water games if you have a swimming pool. Another idea could be to have a backyard movie party by renting a projector and a screen. Or create a camplike atmosphere with a bonfire, marshmallows, and ghost stories.
❇️ Keep Bugs Away
Bugs are a ubiquitous but avoidable nuisance of summer outdoors. Keep bugs away during your party by burning citronella candles. You do not want to permit mosquitoes, ticks, and wasps to chase your guests and leave them uncomfortable at your own home. Go around your lawn a few days before the party to look if there is anything that needs to be attended to. Dry up any standing water and remove water from any pots in the yard that carry water, like birdbaths or toys. These water bodies are a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Start burning citronella candles in your garden a few hours before your guests are scheduled to arrive. Keep bug spray handy for your guests’ use. If it is a daytime party, keep some sunscreen on hand to be used by anyone who wants to avoid getting sun burned. If there are going to be a few children running and leaping around then it is advisable to keep some icepacks stashed in the freezer, and Band-Aids on hand. You never know.
❇️ Think of the Small Amenities You Might Need
For example, provide hand wipes. Paper towels may not suffice for the type of food you are offering because many kinds of food items such as barbecue ribs, hot wings, and cotton candy will leave your guests with sticky fingers. Plus, if you have hand wipes available, your guests will feel more at ease to touch food to enjoy it.
If it is a day party, you may need to set up fans under the tents you have erected. The summers in the GTA can get warm and mere tent may not suffice to quell the heat. You can rent a few fans from Meadowvale Party Rentals to make sure that your guests stay cool. Go for pedestal fans, they are safer and more effective.
It is also a good idea to rent catering equipment from us. You can use this stuff yourself without any need for a professional wait staff. You also do not need to bring out your expensive indoor furniture, we can provide you with chairs and tables at a minimal cost. Renting large garbage bins will keep your backyard safe from trash thrown around. When in sight, a garbage bin is an instinctive reminder for its use.
Keep a few takeout containers or boxes handy in case you think you may have to send food leftovers with your guests. If your backyard party is a potluck event, make available some smaller containers to pack food so that your guests do not have to haul their casserole dishes, chafers, or crockpots back and forth.
❇️ Offer Your Guests a Little Memento
It will be really nice and fun to send your guests home with a little something to remember your backyard party by. Probably something they have not come to your party expecting. It does not have to be something expensive – a tea cozy, a funky wine opener, some pictures from a photo booth, or a little potted plant can make great take-home recollections. Children are even simpler to appeal to, a ball, a pair of sunglasses, some stickers, or a game shall serve the purpose.
Enjoy your summer. It is a great time of the year to forge great experiences with your friends and family, entertain people, and design occasions to harvest cherished memories of the moments enjoyed with loved ones. Plan a few get-togethers in your backyard this summer. Play around with ideas and see what works best for you. Best of luck!
