When the weather is nice and the days are warm, there’s nothing quite like throwing an outdoor event. Having your guests mingling outside over freshly prepared food, cold drinks and dancing the evening away to the best music is every host’s dream.
The possibilities with an outdoor event are endless. Depending on the size of your venue, there really are no limitations to what you can do – just let your creative juices run wild and let your inner event planner loose. As with any event, the key is to make sure your guests enjoy themselves, feel comfortable and leave knowing that this was an event to remember.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when planning your next outdoor event. Follow these tips, be inspired and add the WOW factor to your event.
Use Different Lighting Sources
If your event is going to be taking place after the sun goes down, then you really need to consider your lighting choices. Lighting can help to set the mood and the tone of the event, so get creative and use at least three different lighting sources to achieve that flattering glow your guests will love. Hang fairy lights overhead, place candles around the area in jars or even better, hang them from trees in your garden. Light torches around the perimeter or light a fire pit for a truly amazing centrepiece.
Serve Finger Food
Finger food is a great way to allow your guests to move through the crowd and interact with each other freely. Stay away from cumbersome plates and cutlery and give your guests the chance to roam around uninhibited. Think too about the presentation and the colours you use in the food. Bright, vibrant colours will attract your guests to the finger food table, making it a fun focal point of your event. As an added bonus, there will be less cleanup at the end of the night and less chance of spills during the night. It’s win-win for everyone.
Hire a Marquee
A marquee is a fantastic addition to any event. They ooze sophistication and can give some much-needed structure to your event space. Using a marquee in your event area quickly changes the dynamic, creating that highly sought after indoor-outdoor feel. Marquees can hold anything from 12 to 50 people, giving you ample space to get creative. Add some lighting, put furniture in there or create a unique space for your guests to get acquainted. Attach flowers, colourful ribbons or paper lanterns and make your decorated marquee a real talking point of your event. And, as an added bonus, if the weather doesn’t cooperate, your guests can take shelter and the event can keep on going.
Moving Bar
Rather than your guests having to break up their conversation to go the bar, why don’t you bring the drinks to them? Using a rolling table, you can have a portable bar at your disposal in no time at all. If you have a bigger crowd, then maybe multiple moving bars might be a better choice. It’s convenient for your guests and it can be a fun way to serve drinks without the hassle of carrying trays through large groups of people, which inevitably leads to spillages and breakages.
Creative Drink Ideas
On the subject of drinks, make your event one to remember by serving something a little different. Search Pinterest for some new cocktail ideas or make up some of your own! Perhaps rename some of the old classics with names that are appropriate for the night you are having and place menus around the event area. Try mixing it up with some local craft beers or wines and be sure to have a selection of mocktails for the designated drivers.
Prepare for an Outdoor Event to Remember
Organising an event takes time and lots of planning as there are so many things to consider. When organising an outdoor event, you have one more thing to consider, the weather! As long as you’re hiring a marquee that can house your guests, you won’t need to worry about a sudden downpour!
With a foolproof plan in your back pocket and everything organised, you can get on with the event, knowing that you’re covered no matter what happens. You and your guests can relax and embrace the WOW factor that your event will no doubt provide.