Outdoor events can be the perfect way to celebrate any occasion. They're fun, they're different, and they give you a chance to show off your garden or house in a new light. But if you're planning an outdoor event for the first time, you might feel overwhelmed by all of the little details that need to be taken care of before it happens. From selecting guests' calendars early on in the process to making sure food and drinks are ready when they arrive at your door — there's no shortage of things that can go wrong! If you want to host a stress-free outdoor party or barbecue, follow these tips.
1. Plan ahead and make a checklist
Make a checklist. Make a timeline. Plan ahead. These are all good tips, but they won't do you much good if you don’t include everything on your list. That's why we suggest you think about the unexpected—those things that can go wrong or those things that will make your event special and memorable to guests as well as yourself.
Your checklist should include items like:
- Hired help (find out who is available)
- Decorations (find out how much of what you'll need)
- Food and drinks (how much do you need to purchase?)
2. Book guests' calendars early
You might have a specific date in mind for your event, but there's no harm in trying to plan ahead. The earlier you book, the more time you'll have to plan and ensure that everything goes according to schedule. If you wait until the last minute, everything will probably fall through—your guests may not be able to make it on such short notice, or they may decide at the last minute that they can't afford it anymore.
In addition to helping with planning and ensuring that all of your guests can attend your event, booking early will also help reduce stress by avoiding last-minute surprises when someone cancels just before their RSVP is due. It's much better for everyone involved if everyone knows what their plans are well before the big day so that nothing comes as a surprise!
3. Have a clear vision of what you want to create
The first step in planning an outdoor event is figuring out what your overall goal is. Maybe you want to throw a party for your family or friends, or maybe you need to host a corporate event at your office. In either case, it's important to have clarity around the purpose of the event and how you want it to look and feel. This will help guide all of your other decisions as well as ensure that everything comes together seamlessly on the day of the event.
4. Consider the weather and the season to avoid any last-minute surprises
The weather can be unpredictable, so it's important to check the forecast and plan accordingly. If you're having an outdoor event in the summer, it may make sense to have a backup indoor space available in case of rain or high heat. For example, if your venue has a large room that could serve as an overflow area for guests and dance floor space if necessary, then you'll be ready no matter what happens!
If your event is planned during a rainy season or after a particularly cold winter (or both), now is the time to secure all of those umbrellas and rain boots that will likely come in handy. You can also consider renting some tents from companies like Party Rental Center to help preserve cleanliness inside any spaces where people might need shelter from inclement weather outside.
5. Consider hiring entertainment, such as a DJ or live band, to help keep attendees engaged and entertained.
Hiring entertainment, such as a DJ or live band, is essential to keeping your guests engaged and entertained throughout the event. You can choose to hire them to play music or even dance … or simply have them help with setup and cleanup. They can also assist with food or drinks if you're not planning on having these things catered.
6. Arrange food and drinks, Catering or BBQ
If you’re serving food and drinks at your event, it’s important to make sure you have enough of both. A good rule of thumb is that each guest should get one drink per hour and a piece of food every 30 minutes. For example, if your event lasts two hours and there are 30 people in attendance, you should have 100 drinks on hand—and if the last thing you want is for someone to leave hungry or thirsty because they couldn’t find anything to eat or drink, make sure there are plenty of options available!
You also need to consider what type of food you will be serving at your event:
- If possible, try not to serve anything too heavy. This can cause stomach aches which will definitely ruin the fun for everyone else around them!
- Avoid foods that require utensils - this means no pasta dishes or sandwiches since these require forks/knives (you may want instead think about providing finger foods like chips with dip etc). Also, remember that guests may not have time during busy times like weddings, so don't plan anything too complicated that takes longer than 5 minutes per person (unless everyone agrees ahead time beforehand).
7. Prepare your garden and house before the event
You want to make sure your house is clean, tidy and prepared for guests. You can hire a professional cleaner to help you but it's also good to let friends and family come over and help with cleaning up. If anyone wants bedding or extra pillows, please feel free to ask us at least a week before so we can order any extras needed for you.
If you have an outdoor space such as a deck or patio area that is not part of the garden, this should be cleaned daily during warm months if possible because bugs love warm weather! We do not allow pets into our properties so please keep any pets locked away while they are outside playing with other animals around town on their days off work :)
8. Make sure your guests are comfortable
- Provide enough seating.
- Provide a variety of seating options.
- Make sure there is enough space around the seating areas.
- Provide a variety of food and drink options.
- Make sure there are enough toilets and washrooms.
9. Or Consider hiring professional event staff to help with set-up, cleanup, and other tasks.
Not to be all "Yen, y'all," but if you're planning an outdoor event and aren't hiring professional event staff, you're doing it wrong. The professional event staff is the difference between a successful and stressful day—and who wants stress on their wedding day? Here are some reasons why hiring professionals can help:
- They'll set up everything in advance so that the big day feels like magic. You won't have to worry about details, whether they be big or small (and trust me, there are always little things).
- They'll clean up afterward so that your guests can enjoy themselves without having their good time ruined by a messy environment.
- They'll deal with any problems that may arise during the party—no more worrying about what happens if someone spills red wine on white carpeting!
You can let us know whatever you need and we will handle it for you.
10. Don't forget to enjoy yourself!
Don't forget to enjoy yourself! Be kind to yourself and make sure you get enough rest. Relax and enjoy the moment. Enjoy the company of your friends and family, as well as all of the delicious food, drinks and music that you've planned for your party.
If you follow these tips, you'll have no problem hosting a stress-free event!
After all, it doesn't matter how much fun you have if your guests are stressed out. It's important to remember that the event planning process is only stressful if you let it be. If you follow these tips, you'll have no problem hosting a stress-free event!
Check out Handleforme's blog for more information on avoiding planning stress and other helpful tips on making your outdoor event perfect, or reach out to Handleforme team to arrange all for you and you can relax!
Conclusion
We hope these tips will be helpful to you as you plan a stress-free event. The most important thing is to have fun! If you enjoy yourself, your guests will enjoy themselves too. As handleforme, we are ready to provide the best options for your party, by providing the best services for your party. You can find out some options we are offering this link. For any customized request based on your needs, please get in touch with us for the details!
