Party Planning Tips

I’m taking part in a blog series to help you plan and throw the best BBQ this summer. Follow the below links for the all the tips, tricks, and recipes!

Step 1: Planning {Dawn of Joyful Scribblings}

Step 2: Decor / Tablescapes {Cathy of Creations by Cathy}

Step 3: Appetizers {Chelsea of Whatcha Makin’ Now?}

Step 4: Main Dishes and Sides {Nicole of Daily Dish Recipes}

Step 5: Desserts!!! {Katie of What Katie’s Baking}

Step 6: What to wear {Ginny of My New Favorite Outfit}

Now to my section….

I always like to start with a game plan when I entertain.  My area of expertise seems to be in creating lists and collecting ideas.  My friends Mary and Christine love to entertain, and they do a great job of creating a festive and organized atmosphere at their parties.  The three of us came up with a list of  things to consider when organizing a BBQ or summer party.

THEME– Think about the overall look and feel for your BBQ.  Examples– vintage, western, country cottage, modern

INVITE– Once you have your theme established create your invitation.  Examples- A clever hand delivered invitation like the one above adds a special touch.  I found the BBQ spatula in the $1 section at Target, traced the outline of a hot dog and hand wrote the details on it.  Evites are another option.

FIRST IMPRESSION– Mary always decorates her front door when hosting a party.  Examples– A chalkboard sign welcoming guests and a fun wreath tied to the theme of your BBQ.  Another idea is to add a surprise element to a statue by your front door like a BBQ apron.

FLOW– Offer drinks as you welcome guests.  Have a drink station set up close to the front door.  Examples– An assortment of chilled drinks in mason jars displayed on a tray or in a galvanized bucket.  Make sure your food is set up separate from where guests will refill their drinks to avoid a traffic jam.  If you’re serving appetizers try to position them in a different place from where the main entree will be served.

DRINKS– If you’re serving alcohol have one specialty drink and beer or wine depending on your guests.  Make it easy for guests to help themselves.  Also offer at least one non-alcoholic drink like iced tea or lemonade and bottles of water.  You might also consider having pitchers of lemon water at the table.  Have some way to label cups.  Examples– Label cups with stickers, chalkboard labels or different colored ribbon tied around the drink.  You can also use washi tape to decorate cups.  If using chalkboard labels,  I recommend having  chalkboard markers (can be found at Hobby Lobby) on hand because the chalk kept evaporating on my label.  

 

 

FOOD– Consider re-purposing pieces from around your home to display food.  Examples– Use a red wagon or empty flower pot to hold drinks and a bike with a wire basket to hold chips.  Use decorative wrapping paper on the bottom of a tray for a pop of color.  Wrap twine or ribbon around glass vases filled with food.  Cut paper lunch sacks in half with decorative scissors to hold chips.  Put side dishes in glass canisters with a lid to help keep the bugs out.  If you’re like me, I never know how much food to prepare.  Click here for a great chart from Chickabug on how much food and drinks to have on hand per guest.

SEATING– Consider bringing the indoors outside for extra seating.  You can dress up chairs with ribbon or drape a fun kitchen towel over the back of a chair.

TABLE– When planning your table setting keep your theme in mind and make sure things aren’t too high so people can converse and not have to look through flowers.  Have a fun place card for each person.  Example place cards– Mini Chalk board signs, a potted herb or a mason jar filled with a BBQ rub would make a nice place card and take home treat.

LIGHTING– If your BBQ is going until the wee hours of the night make sure you have some lanterns or tiki torches for extra lighting.  You could also bring out a floor lamp from inside your home.

EXTRAS– Some extras to consider are a fun photo site, extending your theme to your guest bathroom and  a take home treat.  Set up an area in your backyard for photos.  Have fun props like hats, big sunglasses, fake mustaches and a large empty picture frame.  Take home treat ideas – a potted flower or herb, a homemade BBQ rub or sauce in a mason jar, or a cd with some of your favorite summer songs.

HAVE FUN–  This is the most important thing to remember.  The more organized I am, the more relaxed I am.  Pick two or three ideas  that appeal to you and make a statement.  If you’re like Mary, you can do them all.  I get overwhelmed if I try to do everything.  I enjoy decorating so I usually focus on my table and food presentation.  I make things that are easy and can be prepared ahead of time.  I also don’t make everything. Costco, Sam’s Club, and local stores have some great pre-made items.   Last but not least, there is nothing wrong with using paper plates especially for a BBQ.  There are so many cute paper products to choose from these days.  A great website Mary uses for party supplies is shop sweet lulu.  Another great entertaining blog and website is chickabug which offers  free printables and tons of party ideas.

Be sure to click on the links from fellow bloggers for more ideas on creating a summer of Lazy Days and BBQ’s! 

Linking to The Sunday Showcase Party by Stephanie Lynn.

Linking to Simply Sweet Home

Linking to Mommifried Blog

Linking to Ladies Only Blog Share