Backyard Party Preparations

The reason I started this blog is to be a voice of encouragement to others like me.  People who are capable of being greatly organized....but... maybe you don't have it all organized just yet.
We are having a party this Saturday at our house, and there is some work to be done.

Not only are we finishing a paint project inside the house, but we have this yard work to get to.  I am not a natural gardener.  I'm not even that good at pulling the deadheads without being too hard on the flower.  Oh no!  That can be a problem eh? That's ok, we'll get through.    See my garden that looked AMAZING a few weeks ago is now caught between blooms. Hopefully I can spruce this up by Saturday!

I have learned that being VERY diligent with watering will produce lovely flowers, even if you aren't a great gardener.


Preparing for a party is part of an organized social you.
If we want to build friendships and create great memories, we must organize times to do this.

I sent out my invitations almost 2 weeks prior using the free service called evite.  This gathering is with close friends, so this is enough lead time for the party.

During the week I will post some more information on party planning.  The first step is always to prepare the invitations. Next you will want to plan the menu, and then prepare the environment.

Here is some party planning ideas from the current July 2012 issue of Real Simple magazine.  It's quite paraphrased, but some of it is taken direct.  Grab the magazine - its a nice issue.

Setting the Scene

1. The Invitation: 3 things to include:

- What they'll be eating.  This provides an opportunity for guests to mention food allergies or any other concerns.
- Attire.  Everyone (OK, every woman) is wondering what to wear.  Tank top?  Sundress?  Give guests a sense of the vibe: "You wear the flip-flops; we'll flip the burgers" or "bring your swimsuits"
- Rain Plans. Unless it is a large event, you probably won't need to make rain plans, but if it is a large gathering you will want to provide this information.

2. Mosquitoes: How to prey on their weaknesses.  

- Get rid of standing water.  This is where they lay their eggs.
- Plug in some fans.  It might sound funny to run a fan outside, but mosquitoes are weak flyers, so even a fan set to low can create enough airflow to keep them away.
- Offer guests bug wipes or spray.  Try to find something that won't create a smelly cloud of vapours.  Bug wipes are available through Avon, Skin so Soft Bug Guard Plus Picardin Towelettes ($14 for eight, avon.com)

3.Lighting - Don't leave your guests in the dark. 

- a bit of ambient lighting will make things pleasant and easy for people to move around.  Set out some patio lights to provide extra lighting.
- as the sun is setting turn on the lights.  Your eyes will adjust to the lighting gradually.
- If you need to run cords through the yard, snip old wire hangers and bend them into skinny U-shaped pegs (like cricket wickets, but only an inch or two wide). Then are them over the cords and hammer them flush to the ground.

4. Hey, Mr. DJ.  These are playlist tips from Michael Antonia, the owner of Flashdance, a production company in Los Angeles.

- Don't crank the speakers.  No one will want to stand near them if they are blaring.  Either use several smaller speakers spread out through the yard, or if you are using a boom box, place it above ear level so it's not blasting at guests.
- Go heavy on classics.  Use songs the people recognize.  Keep it upbeat, and mix in some newer tunes here and there.
Plan for five hours.  Most parties aren't going to last longer than that, and if there's anyone who realized the playlist has started over at hour six, then that's ok!

5. Have a seat.

- You will want to try to provide a seat for everyone.  Consider if there is any indoor furniture that you can double duty outdoors.
- Ask a friend or two to tote along some lawn chairs
- Consider renting. Renting can be surprisingly affordable.  Many vendors will even drop off and pick up, so all you have to do is round up the guests and good cheer.

6. Food and Drink

Stick to easy to prepare, standard summer cookout menu options.  Think make ahead options.  You won't want to miss the party because you are bogged down in preparations.

- Serve hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, pre-prepared skewers.  Something tasty and simple to serve.

- Pre-make salads.  Provide a variety of leafy greens and creamy salads such as potato.

- Either serve food from an indoor buffet, or put temperature sensitive items on ice. 

- Simplify the bar.  Select 4-5 drinks only that you are prepared to serve.  Be sure you have all the ingredients on hand.   If yours is a non-alcohol bar, you will need to increase the amount of drinks available. i.e. 4 gallons of alcohol-free drinks for every 25 people. 

- Have a bucket of ice to store drinks in to keep them cool.

- dessert.  Assemble desserts ahead of time and store them in the fridge or freezer so when it's time to serve you can just pull out the ready desserts. 

As I prepare for our party this week I will post more information on party preparations and ideas as we lead up to the day to entertain.