Hosting an outdoor party is a perfect opportunity to get to know your friends and family better, while simultaneously enjoying the fresh air and sunshine associated with the great outdoors.
That said, there are many right and wrong ways to plan outdoor parties, and not every outdoor party is equally enjoyable.
What steps can you take to host better outdoor parties?
Invest in an Outdoor Kitchen
Building an outdoor kitchen is one of the best things you can do to support your outdoor party planning and hosting and for several reasons.
For starters, your outdoor kitchen allows you to cook outside. Instead of being stuck inside slaving over a stove while your party guests enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, you can socialize with them while making food and refreshments.
The outdoor kitchen also functions as a centralized gathering place, where all your party guests can congregate, enjoy refreshments, and relax. Depending on the nature of your outdoor kitchen, you may have a bar where people can sit and talk to each other, an overhead structure to protect them from the elements, or ample counter space for snacks.
Your outdoor kitchen is useful for far more than just hosting outdoor parties. You can use it to cook almost anything, anytime, as long as there’s good weather.
Get Some Comfy Furniture
Regardless of whether you have an outdoor kitchen or not, you should consider investing in some comfortable furniture. Outdoor furniture makes your outdoor space more inviting and gives people more opportunities to connect.
Unfortunately, some outdoor furniture can be uncomfortable, so use your best judgment when selecting new pieces to add to your collection.
Plan Ahead for the Weather
Rain, excessive heat, and other inclement weather can quickly ruin an otherwise promising outdoor party. Accordingly, you should work to plan for the weather. That could mean planning an alternative date if your primary date is compromised, or simply having a backup plan, like moving the party inside. Make this clear in your invitations and/or in your conversations with upcoming party guests.
Offer Plenty of Food and Beverage Options
It’s reductive to say that people attend parties primarily for foods and beverages, but undoubtedly, foods and beverages function as the heart of most get-togethers. Because your guests will have so many different preferences, and because variety sparks so many conversations, you should make sure you have plenty of food and beverage options for your guests.
Include Sufficient Lighting
Outdoor lighting is essential for creating and maintaining the right vibe, especially if you plan on having this party go into the evening. Your first concern should be making sure there’s ample lighting for people to move around without injuring themselves. After that, you should think about what tone and mood you want to set.
Choose the Right Music
Speaking of setting the right tone and mood, choose the right music, and make sure your speakers are high quality and powerful enough to circulate that music throughout the outdoor space. When in doubt, choose something uncontroversial.
Invite the Right Guests
Think carefully about the guests that you want to invite. Sometimes, it’s better to invite a smaller number of people so you have a more intimate gathering. Other times, it’s better to invite a larger number of people so you have a more energetic, exciting party. It’s also imperative to make sure that your party guests’ personalities are mutually compatible.
Provide Detailed Instructions to Your Guests
If you’re inviting people who haven’t been to one of your outdoor parties before, be sure to provide them with detailed instructions. How do they get to your house? Where do they park? Should they go straight to the backyard or come inside first?
Host Games and Icebreaker Activities
Icebreaker games are a great way to loosen people up and help your guests get to know each other better. They’re especially important if you’re going to invite multiple people who don’t already know each other. Even something as simple as a guessing game can give people something to talk about and a reason to introduce themselves to others. And in an outdoor environment, you’ll have more flexibility with icebreaker games that require movement.
Get Feedback
If you’re serious about becoming a better outdoor party host, consider getting feedback from your previous party guests. What did they like about your space, the food, and the activities that you had planned? Is there anything that they would like to see in future parties? You don’t have to act on every piece of feedback, but you should take your guests’ opinions seriously.
There’s no objective standard for what counts as the “best” hypothetical outdoor party. But with these strategies, you’ll stand a much better chance of hosting parties that people love, enjoy, and remember.
