With winter slowly leaving us and the weather heating up, it is almost time for sundowner parties to be the name of the game again. If you want to host your own, here are a few tips to host the most memorable party of the year.
Food & Drinks
Firstly, you need to think about the food and drinks. There are lots of routes to go down here, but there are a few rules you can follow to make it easier. First off, don’t choose dishes that require a lot of cooking on the spot, and have a wide variety of dishes to ensure everyone has something to eat.
As for drinks, keep it simple; have a few Hard Rated 6% lemon cans chilling in the fridge, a few bottles of champagne, and some mixers. Let your guests bring their own drinks to ensure there’s something for everyone.
Cook Ahead
As mentioned, focus on creating a menu that allows you to do a lot of preparation ahead of time. This means you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen, and you can bring food out quickly when needed.
Appetizers
Appetizers are your best friend when hosting a party. They are easy to prepare, you can make them in large batches, and it also means there is always food available throughout the night, and you don’t have to worry about anyone being hungry.
Outside Help
If needed, and if your party is going to have a lot of guests, consider hiring outside help, like a waiter or two. They can handle the drinks, and if you have all the food ready beforehand, you won’t have to step foot in the kitchen. Plus, you can ask if they can help you clean and tidy after the event.
Venue
When it comes to the venue, there are plenty of options, with most coming down to your budget. Hosting at home is the easiest, especially if you have a large garden, and is even better if you have a pool and a great outdoor seating area.
However, you can take it a step further and rent a boat or yacht, for a party on the water while you watch the sunset. This will be more expensive, but if you have the budget, it is a surefire way to leave your guests speechless.
Lighting
Lighting is a small touch that can easily change the mood of your space. Bright lights make the room feel too “loud,” and you lose the cozy and warm feeling that you would get from the amazing spring or summer sunshine.
Instead, stick to just using lamps if you need light, but if you don’t, let the natural light stream through. Open your curtains and blinds, and move anything that is blocking your windows.
Invitations & Dress Code
When it comes to invitations, you not only need to include the date and time, but also what your guests can expect, in particular, with regards to the food. You want to ensure that you know all the allergies, dietary restrictions, etc, before the day so you know if you have to make any changes.
You should also include a dress code, especially if you want to host a more formal party, or there is a theme. Also, add any extras people may need, like an umbrella or beach towel, if it is needed and not available at the venue.
Music
For music, choose songs that set the mood and fit in with the time of year and feeling you want to get across to your guests. For example, Trance music is not the best choice for a sundowner party, while summer classics will always go down well.
On the other hand, you can use a streaming service, like Spotify, to make finding music a breeze. Not only can you find well-curated playlists, but you can also find ones with super-specific themes, making it much easier to find what you need.
Seating
When it comes to seating, there are a few small things to consider. Firstly, make your seating area open and easy to move around, but don’t spread all your chairs and couches around. This makes it easy for people to join and leave, but they’re still close enough to each other to talk easily.
If you are hosting at home, don’t ignore the outdoor seating. The majority of your guests will spend a lot of time outside, and you don’t want them all standing around. An easy fix, if you don’t have a lot of chairs, is to put out picnic blankets and cushions for guests to sit on.
Activities
Finally, there is always time for a few activities when hosting a party, and there are plenty to choose from. You can ask a professional to teach a cocktail-making lesson and create a signature drink, you can have karaoke, or you can have garden games like croquet or corn hole.
Whatever you choose, make sure it is something everyone can take part in. For instance, a drinking game won’t be fun for non-drinkers, but a cocktail-making class is great because they can make the non-alcoholic version of the drink.
