Prepping for Summer Parties

Summer is a fantastic time for social events. Even if you aren’t currently in school or teaching school, chances are your invitee list includes at least a few people who have school-age kids. For that reason, summer is a fantastic time to schedule all sorts of events with the people who can’t usually attend. Parties thrown in summer are no exception. If you’re careful about setting up beforehand, you can have a great time with your guests without constantly worrying that everything is going to be perfect.

Have the Drinks Ready

If your party has a personalized bartender, you’re probably well-equipped to have a fun time. One word of advice is to consider coming up with a themed cocktail that you push to the guests in place of their regular drink. If you do, you’ll be able to better focus your purchasing decisions when it comes to liquor. For example, if your bartender (or husband, or niece, or whoever’s tending bar) makes a fantastic Mai Tai and you’re having a Hawaiian themed party, make sure everyone knows about the specialty. If so, you’ll be able to focus on the liquors that go into that drink in particular, meaning you won’t end up with so many unused bottles at the end of the night.

Set Up Patio Furniture

A great party tends to always migrate towards the kitchen. However, in the summertime, it’s a good opportunity to move everyone outside. If you have a nice and comfortable area for everyone to relax, they’ll likely feel much more at-ease camping out on your patio furniture and talking, rather than investigating the inside of the house and messing things up. Even at the most low-key of parties, having a bunch of people wandering around in the house can be stressful for the hosts, so make sure there’s a nice sitting area with easy access to at least one bathroom. During summer deals, you can usually score furniture deals for the outdoors like $20 off patio furniture, grills and lawn and garden orders of $200, if you know how and when to shop. The beginning of the summer is great for deals like this, so don’t hesitate to stock up.

Don’t Forget Sun and Bugs

Having a nighttime party is a great way to avoid sun…or so most people think, unless you’re setting your party to start after 10pm. Don’t forget that there are several hours more of daylight than you’re used to be. Many of your guests might be very sensitive to the sun, and may seek refuge under umbrellas and inside the house until well after dinner time.

Another thing to remember is that there will almost certainly be a lot of bugs around. Citronella torches and candles are great repellents that don’t smell cloying or disgusting, and can naturally keep bugs away without having to worry about sticky bug spray. If you live in an area with potentially dangerous insects, consider a more hard-core solution to the pest problem. Sprayed treatments for the lawn area are available, but use caution if you have children or pets coming to your party.

Thinking of what to prepare for your summer parties? Don’t forget to check out our collection of yummy and easy to make Recipes!

Also read Having Fun with Summer Learning for Kids and 100 Things to Do This Summer!