Whatever the occasion, the great outdoors can provide the perfect setting for creating memories with loved ones. You don’t necessarily need a theme or occasion for an outdoor party, but if you’d like to get creative, here are a few to try:
- Victoria Day picnic on the patio
- Mediterranean-style dinner on the terrace
- Canada Day fireworks fiesta
- Anything-goes block party
- Mother’s Day afternoon tea
- Father’s Day pig and/or corn roast
- Couples-only starlit soiree
- Retro garden party
- “Vineyard” wine tasting
Invitation Ideas
If you plan to make your own invites, choose paper in nature-inspired tones such as sage green, khaki or sky blue and make sure it isn’t too thick, or it may stick in your printer. If you’ve picked a theme for your out-of-doors do, search online for free-to-download, printable invites, or design your own on your computer. Not interested in doing it yourself? Hunt down fun cards in the shape of or decorated with barbecues, patio furniture, fireworks or flowers. These can often be found at specialty stationery shops.
Decorations
Start by checking that all your outdoor lighting works, and investing in some spare bulbs, too. Next, buy strings of lights – or break out your clear Christmas strands - to add splashes of shimmer to your deck, eaves or even the trees. Tiki torches are another fabulous outdoor lighting option. Bonus points if you can find a Tiki torch made of bug-busting citronella.
Use sturdy hurricane lamps for candles, or improvise with deep glass vases. You can also fill tin buckets with sand and place a tea lamp or votive in each one. Use these to light up pathways or staircases.
Create simply elegant centrepieces by submerging single cuts of your favourite flower head down in clear class vases or deep jars filled with water. Weight each flower with a rock tied to a piece of string and top each vase or jar with a floating candle or two.
The Playlist
Music for an outdoor party should be upbeat and pleasant – not loud and obnoxious. Some CDs that should be added to your “to-buy” list (or downloaded at itunes.com):
• On and On - Jack Johnson
• Garden State (Soundtrack)
• Rubber Soul - The Beatles
• Buffalo Springfield Again - Buffalo Springfield
• The Very Best Of Frank Sinatra
• Good Will Hunting (Soundtrack)
• Stardust – Willie Nelson
• The Genius of Ray Charles – Ray Charles
Cocktail Inspiration
Fill metal buckets with plenty of ice and bottles of micro-brewery beers, light and fruity wines such as zinfandel, or dry, refreshing offerings such as pinot grigio and pinot gris, and funky coolers. If you’re entertaining outdoors in the middle of a heat wave, place pitchers of ice water with lemon on tables, and keep the H2O coming!
Menu Ideas
Choose dishes that can be made ahead combined with simple salads that can be thrown together at the last minute. For the main event, choose meats that can be grilled on the barbecue, or big batch items such as paella or summer vegetable pasta.
A few more outdoor-friendly dish ideas:
• Seafood Ceviche
• Cold soup
• Grilled veggies
• Corn-on-the cob
• Whole chicken cooked on a beer can
• Grilled bratwurst
• Boiled lobsters
• Gourmet burgers
• A crab or seafood boil
• Whole fish
• Barbecued beef tenderloin
Party Activities
Part of the pleasure of al fresco entertaining is the many fun and fanciful activities you can plan. Choose traditional games such as lawn bowling, badminton, croquet, horseshoes or volleyball, or dream up your own signature party games such as backyard bingo, team-based trivia or even a scary ghost story contest!
Of course, the main activity of your outdoor event can simply be eating, drinking and being merry. If you simply feel like relaxing, do so!
Favour Ideas
Send guests home with cloth bags of dried potpourri – perhaps made with flowers from your own garden. Give out Chinese lanterns or candle holders, or burn each guest a CD of some of the great music that was played throughout the evening.