Summer is here in all its glory and there’s probably nothing you want to do more than ignore all the work you have and just sit back in the shade and relax. Luckily, we all have some time off work at this time of the year and are free to go swimming, sunbathing or drinking with friends. One of the things you can do when not working is throw a barbecue party in your yard and invite all your friends. Add some good music and beer and there’s a great afternoon! However, there are a few things you can do to make sure your BBQ party is going to go well, so take a look at some of our suggestions.
Keep it simple
We all know you’d like this party to be perfect and that is why you feel like you should go the extra mile for practically anything. There’s no reason for you to try that hard for every aspect of the party, especially when it comes to food. Don’t go overboard with a bunch of new and exotic recipes. You can pick a couple, but make sure to still have the classic stuff everyone’s expecting. Many people have different tastes or food allergies and that is why you need to make sure they have an alternative. The experiments shouldn’t be your main course.
Pick a theme
Choose a theme for your party – the choices are many. After you make the decision, make sure to carry this theme through, starting from decorations to food and drinks. You can even get personalized T-shirts for the chefs and special hats for other guests. As far as drinks are concerned, you can prepare your own cocktails and let the theme of the party inspire their names and looks.
Prepare the music
Don’t leave the choice of music to the guests. They probably have different tastes and as soon as you let everyone choose the music, chaos arises. Suddenly people are fighting over songs and randomly playing all kinds of music. In order to avoid this, create a playlist for your party in advance. Of course, make sure the playlist is good and try to please the majority of your guests while creating it. You can even ask them for suggestions in advance, but not at the party.
Plan activities
A BBQ party can last for quite a long time, starting from the afternoon until possibly late at night. Simply sitting down and chatting may become boring at one point. This is why it’s important to also plan a few activities that may or may not be done, but you should have them to spare. You can play Charades or Pictionary, or if you prefer being physically active, football or some other games that involve running and throwing the ball.
Dessert
Desserts during a BBQ party? Perhaps you wouldn’t agree that this is suitable. However, a dessert that fits your theme and doesn’t take much time to prepare can be quite refreshing. It can be very simple, such as ice-cream, or you can find a recipe for a summer cake or some fruit desserts that are good for a summer party.
Initiate
Don’t expect your guests to do all the work. You organized the party, so you need to direct the course of your own party as well. You should know when it’s time for drinks, food, games and desserts. Don’t be bossy, but take the initiative when you see an opportunity for it. If your guests are cool, they’ll love your ideas and go for it right away.
All in all, the most important part of your party should be your guests. Invite friends who already get along and would fancy attending this kind of event. Don’t invite people who are not into this kind of activities, not everyone likes the same things. If you have good friends and a good atmosphere, it will be an amazing party. In that case, you don’t need to worry about any potential bumps in the road while preparing for a good time.
Photos by Karen and the Author