When summer finally rolls around, it’s a wonderful opportunity to get outdoors and make memories with family and friends. In addition to day trips, time at the park, beach visits and pool parties, there’s plenty of fun to be had right in your own backyard. A day of food, drinks and good company is sometimes just what the doctor ordered, so if you’re looking for fun ways to host guests this summer here are just a few options.
Host a Barbecue
Barbecues always go over well, so if you’re looking for ways to feed and please a crowd then it’s a safe bet to host a backyard barbecue. The main thing to get right is make sure you have a big enough barbecue to cook for the amount of guests you’re having. Otherwise you’ll have people waiting around while the next batch of ingredients sizzles away. Another thing to bear in mind if you’re having a big get together is seating, a good option is to go with something like an outdoor corner sofa, this link is one example. These are useful as you can lounge on them when it’s just you and your family in the garden, but when you have guests over you have lots of seating- just team it up with an outdoor dining table and a couple of extra stools. When you’re barbecuing you can cook all kinds of meats along with veggies as side dishes or for the vegetarians. Make everything extra delicious by marinating it all the day before in the fridge, and don’t forget to serve up some side dishes too. Pasta, salads, potatoes, fried onions and more will all make your barbecue spectacular. If you want to keep costs down, you could always ask guests to bring some meat along or a side dish of their choice, then lay out a table with lots of sauces, rolls, drinks and extras that people can help themselves to.
Throw an Afternoon Tea Party
An afternoon tea is a classy and elegant way to get everyone together. While it can work for any occasion, it’s especially nice for a meet-up with the girls, a birthday party or anniversary gathering. Afternoon tea is usually made up of different finger sandwiches, delicate pastries, mini scones and bite sized cakes. You could have fun making these things yourself if you enjoy baking. If that isn’t your cup of tea (pun intended) stop by a gourmet supermarkets or bakery and let them do the work for you. Invest in tiered cake stands and cute mismatched china cups to serve your tea in. If you wanted to give the occasion a boost, how about serving sparkling wine, prosecco or champagne too? If you’re hosting an afternoon tea as a special occasion, how about filling some helium balloons and wrapping flowers around the strings and putting out rustic decorations- like tin cans filled with wildflowers?
Have a Garden Picnic
A picnic is another lovely way to spend time with friends and family in the summer and enjoy some delicious food and drink; But who says you have to head down to your local park? Lay down a few different blankets on your lawn or one large one and enjoy a picnic feast. Sandwiches, sausage rolls, cold meats, salads, scotch eggs, quiches, desserts and much more can all be enjoyed sat in the sunshine. Again, a bottle of fizz can give your picnic an upgrade if you want to enjoy an alcoholic drink, another option would be to do cocktails in big dispenser bottles. Invest in a few dispensers, and then add a cocktail mixture to each one, people can simply go over and fill up their glass with their choice without you having to keep mixing drinks. Don’t forget to label each one, and perhaps make a soft drink/ mocktail option if you have children attending or guests that don’t drink alcohol. Giant lawn games like Connect Four and Jenga can be a fun way to break the ice, get everyone chatting and generally get you all making memories! Other entertainment options that would suit this kind of get together would be a photo booth, you could make your own or have a company come in and set up in your garden. A garden picnic is relaxed and casual and you have lots of different options for food and drinks.
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