Your New Jersey home has the beautiful lawn, you have the lovely outdoor lighting and you have plenty of friends, so gather them up and throw a fantastic outdoor party. But before you do, here are a few tips that will ensure your outdoor celebration is a huge success.
Broadcast the News
Whether you are sending out formal invitations in the mail or emailing your friends an invite, there are three things you need to include. What you plan on serving for the occasion isn’t as important as when you will be serving food. You will not want to be that guy who arrives after the grill is turned off and has to be fired back up to satisfy your hunger.
The people you invite to your outdoor gathering will want to know what to wear. There is nothing more awkward than showing up at an outdoor party in a tank top and flip-flops only to discover everybody else has dressed quite formally. So give your guests at least a little sense of vibe about what they should wear to the occasion.
You need to clarify whether or not that your party will happen regardless of weather conditions. You can say the party is on rain or shine or if it rains, stay at home.
Seating
There will be problems if you invite 30 people to your party and only have four patio chairs. You will want to ensure there is seating available for all of your guests, even if this means scrambling for poufs and bar stools. If the party is quite casual, throwing a few blankets on the lawn will let people gather picnic-style.
If the occasion is more formal or you are frowning at the idea of sitting on quilts, it is rather inexpensive to rent the seating you will need. Either that or borrow from friends and neighbors.
Proper Lighting
You don’t have to worry about this because you had us install outdoor lighting, but it is a concern for those who only have a porch light to illuminate their party. You don’t want to leave your guests in the dark. Without ambient light, your guests will wonder if that is your dog Fido or a skunk.
Be a Music Wizard
Two blaring speakers will only annoy most of your guests. It is better to have multiple speakers spread out playing at a lower volume. Place speakers above ear level so they are not blasting away directly at the guest’s heads.
If you aren’t sure what type of music your guests are into, your best bet is to go heavy on classic rock and pop. Whether or not your guests fully appreciate Led Zeppelin or Michael Jackson, it is highly likely they have heard their music and are familiar with their songs. They may even feel compelled to bust a groove to ‘Beat It.’ You might favor obscure alternative bands like Third Eye Blind and Crash Test Dummies, but this type of music will only alienate your guests. Death Metal is out of the question unless you are playing Cannibal Corpse because everybody can relate with Cannibal Corpse.
Kid Diversions
While the adults are dining on shrimp scampi and sipping mojitos, the kids should have diversions of their own. Whether you set up a Slip ‘N Slide or have bubbles to blow, make sure they have something fun to do.
Cool It
There is the possibility that it will be quite hot on the day of your outdoor party, so make sure you have ways guests can cool down. You can offer classic accordion fans and have ice packs available for guests to grab.
