How to ace alfresco entertaining: Five tips
Summer's here, which means it's finally time to dust off your apron reserved only for barbecuing and head outside for some alfresco family fun.
With the warmer months finally upon us, we've put together some top tips to ensure you ace outdoor entertaining throughout the summer period and beyond.
1. Prettify Your Garden - While throwing a great get-together is really all about the company, it doesn't hurt to put some time and thought into how you'd like your outdoor space to look. Think about adding pretty bunting, multi-coloured paper lanterns or even paper streamers to prettify your garden ahead of your guests' arrival. If you're planning for your family and friends to enter the garden via the front door of your home, ensure that it's looking lovely. This will be the first impression of your party, after all. Why not add a homemade sign to the front door, greeting guests as and when they arrive, or choose some fresh topiary to add to a buffet table, for example
2. Settle on a Theme - It's much easier to begin planning any kind of party, alfresco or otherwise, when you have some sort of theme in mind. Perhaps you're planning a Tour de France get-together, or maybe you'd like to mark the end of Wimbledon with a summer soiree
3. Don't Scrimp on Dessert - When hosting a barbecue, it can be easy to forget about dessert altogether when your mind is filled with ensuring there's enough sausages/kebabs/bread rolls. Your guests will always appreciate a sweet treat after the food, so why not plan ahead and whip up a cake or two Or set out a tea trolley or buffet table and fill with sweets or mini bites like cakes, biscuits and macaroons
4. Consider a Chimenea - It may well be summer, but when the sun disappears it can often get a little chilly in the garden. Plan for this by purchasing a great value chimenea, which will look lovely while keeping both you and your guests toasty warm. There's a range of chimeneas available to order online on a next-day delivery basis. Why not place an order and have your chimenea delivered just in time for your party Add it to a safe and secure section of your yard or garden and invite your guests to get toasty and warm when the temperature reduces.
5. Reveal Your Quirks - There's absolutely nothing wrong with allowing a little of your personal style tastes to come through, even if they are a little quirky. That bold multi-coloured crockery, or those kitsch wine glasses may prove a talking point amongst your guests, so don't be afraid to bring them out or have them on display. Why not let the kids help design you a fun table centrepiece, or let little hands loose on a selection of paints and a sturdy canvas and proudly display a homemade Welcome' sign, for example, next to your patio gate.
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