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Outdoor Party Preparation
The summer is almost over, but September can be our
best weather for outdoor parties here in the Fraser
Valley. So don’t despair if you’ve not had time yet
to invite friends over. Enjoy these backyard party
tips to make your outdoor entertaining a breeze.
The best advice I’ve
ever received for hosting a party is to have as much
prepared ahead of time as possible. You never want
to have to disappear from the party for long periods
of time because you are off preparing something.
Enjoy the company you’ve invited over. Even with a
barbeque you can prepare your food ahead of time.
My sister’s barbeque chicken is a favourite at our
outdoor parties. She marinates it in Ziploc bags
then partially cooks it in the oven. All you have
to do once the guests arrive is warm it up on the
grill to complete the cooking process which
otherwise would take a long time if cooked from a
raw state on the grill. You can precook hamburger
patties this way too to avoid chances of
undercooking and risking food poisoning.
Always have a backup plan in case the weather
doesn’t cooperate. The five day forecast can give
you a pretty good indication of what to expect. Be
prepared to move the party indoors or have tents
should it rain unexpectedly. Tents are also good
for shade if your party is under the hot sun with
little covered area. It’s important to have a
comfortable area for elderly guests to relax and
have your food set up out of the sun to avoid
spoilage. Perishable food should be eaten within
two hours. To keep tabs on whose drink is whose,
use a permanent black felt and write guest names on
plastic cups. If guests bring their own alcohol you
can write names on their bottles too. Whenever we
go to an outdoor party we also bring our own chairs
to make sure we have comfortable seating and so my
tall husband doesn’t break our host’s furniture.
Decorating for outdoor parties is the easiest event
decorating there is. Often being outdoors is
enough. If your party is going into the evening and
lighting is limited, consider candles. Be sure they
are contained in enclosures so drafts don’t cause
any safety hazards. Collect Mason jars and use sand
or sea salt to anchor a tea light in the bottom.
Line walk ways with them or use wire to hang them
from trees for a lovely glow. If bugs are a
problem, citronella candles or oil tiki lights can
play double duty as lighting and protection. If
you spray the area, be sure to do it several hours
before your guests arrive so the smell of
insecticide doesn’t linger in the air. Keep
repellent near by for guests if mosquitoes are a
particular problem.
If you prepare well for your outdoor party, you can
prepare well to have a great time too. |
