Friday, June 7, 2013

Spring Garden Party Ideas

When spring is in the air, there is no better way to celebrate rather than throw a fabulous fete in the garden. Whether your desire would be to host a spectacular soiree or you prefer to opt for a no-frills affair, a gathering of friends within the great outdoors is the perfect way to welcome within the lamb and bid adieu to the lion. Before you usher in the season of seeds, sun and showers, you will find plans to be made and shopping to become done.

Invitations

Your invitation sets a dark tone for the party, and spring garden party. There are many ready made possibilities at stationery stores that you could personalize by including dried flowers or herbs within the card. Create a custom invite by pasting up magazine tear outs of colorful flowers and foliage, or print a little label with all the info and affix it to some packet of seeds. If you are particularly crafty, create a keepsake by painting the low-down on the terra-cotta pot. Then pop in a plant and hand-deliver towards the doorsteps of your cherished guests.

Party Favors

Turn it into a night to remember by sending your friends and relatives home with a fun favor. Should you grow fruits or veggies inside your garden, present your party goers a bushel basket full of freshly picked treats. Packets of seeds -- zone appropriate obviously -- will yield a summer filled with delight. Candles scented with delicate lilac or decadent gardenias could keep the spring indoors throughout the rainy season, and watering cans are helpful and can be acquired on the cheap. Visit to the dollar store, anyone?

Decorations

It is a no-brainer that spring foliage results in a lavish backdrop for your garden meet up. Inexpensive flowering plants are a terrific way to stretch your decorating budget and operate in tandem with those bulbs you planted after the fall that should be rewarding you with blooms at the moment. Simple white lights strung within the trees work for both dressy and casual fetes, along with a fire pit makes for great nighttime lighting. If this sounds like a white tablecloth affair, have no fear to break out the crystal and china. But when shorts and flip-flops are the suggested attire, paper and plastic is going to do in a pinch. Just be sure to get those recycle bins ready.

Drinks

Never underestimate the significance of a summer garden party's drink menu. If you wish to blow it out, hire a bartender for everyone up mixed drinks galore. But, if you would rather be more budget-minded, create a themed cocktail for everyone in lieu of a fully stocked bar. Refreshing drinks like mint juleps or gin and tonics are great standards to have on hand. You may also tap the keg and ice up some mugs for ale lovers, and also have a small selection of white and red wines available for the vino drinkers. Be sure to keep a few of the soft stuff on hand for that teetotalers and tots. Freshly squeezed lemonade or big pitchers of sweet tea are generally guaranteed palate pleasers.

Food

If you are planning a casual afternoon bash, picnic style is a superb way to go. Finger sandwiches are simple to grab while on the mingle, and sides may include enticing bowls of freshly cut fruit or perhaps a colorful summer salad. You are able to fire up the barbecue and seduce guests using the aroma of ribs on slow and occasional, served with a tangy pasta salad. If your sit-down dinner is on the agenda, gazpacho is definitely an elegant starter followed up with a light entrée of chicken or fish. Make sure to have a sweet treat available, no matter what time of day. A platter of freshly baked cookies is definitely a crowd pleaser, or a decadent chocolate mousse served inside a delicate glass nicely tops off a proper affair.

Activities

Games will always be a great way to get the party started. In case your location offers up an expansive lawn, get it done up South Hampton style and hang up the croquet court or badminton net. Flying birdies really are a given, but loafers are optional. If space is a problem, horseshoes and bocce ball can easily accommodate smaller yards. Keep in mind that it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, and if you're limited to a patio sized area, cornhole is really a fun alternative to horse shoes, and flying beanbags aren't likely to take anyone out. If you are seeking a more leisurely activity, possess some freshly cut flowers and cheap vases on hand for a little flower arranging, and have everyone BYO and do a plant swap.

Location, Location, Location

Not everybody has a lush garden available, so feel free to mix it up and host a garden party in a setting you have access to. Backyards are ideal for their privacy, if your front yard has a little more space or better entrance charm, then go for it. If you're one of the lucky few that boast the beach as the backyard, it's doubtful you will be challenged about the lack of actual garden. Decks are wonderful alternatives, and sometimes better suited to hosting a celebration during the rainy springtime. So if you feel an apartment dweller, don't fret -- you are able to invite guests to a local park. Be sure that you get there early and reserve the required number of picnic spots.

Attire

Appropriate garden party attire is closely associated with location, so it's best to plan one with consideration to another. Most guests love an event to break out the party garb, so please plan something dressy. But when you're serving burgers, guests might be more comfortable in shorts and tanks. Whether it's warm enough for a dip within the pool, be sure to tell guests to create their suits. Theme parties will always be fun, and togas perfectly complement a Mediterranean setting. Or, if you wish to host a shindig circa Jackie O, create a wardrobe call for summer dresses and floppy hats. No Kennedys required.

Music

The best music is essential to creating the climate of any gathering, and a garden party isn't any exception. Spring equals lively, there are great music choices in each and every genre. If you're hosting a vintage party in a formal setting, you might like to compile a collection of light and airy classical selections. Whether it's an upscale, modern affair, think about a mix of upbeat ambient grooves a la memorial opening. If barbecue and beer would be the theme, dust off your classic rock. But when dancing is on the docket, power up the volume with some tried and true dance tunes. You cant ever go wrong with disco.

Plan B

When preparing a garden party a few weeks out, it certainly is wise to have a backup plan available in case Mother Nature RSVPs. Keeping in mind that slickers don't make attractive party attire, the perfect location will have some shelter nearby so the festivities can be easily moved. A covered or screened-in porch is perfect, and it never hurts to possess a canopy or two available. Moving indoors is always a suitable option if space permits, however, if the party must be held outside, be ready to make an executive decision in line with the weather forecast in the days before. It never hurts to possess a proposed rain date in your mind.

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