Top Tips for Entertaining this Summer

The warmer weather is finally upon us! Why bring that summer heat inside while you’re cooking up a storm when you could be taking advantage of that cool sea breeze? Let’s start thinking about how you might host your next outdoor gathering. Here are some top tips to get you started.

1. Keep it cool

The sea breeze will help to keep things cool later in the afternoon/evening but let’s look at other options in case it’s late coming in. If you’re using an undercover outdoor area, think about installing ceiling fans for additional air circulation. If that doesn’t work for you, pedestal fans will work just as well. Also, make sure you have plenty of ice, you don’t want to have warm drinks on a hot day.

2. Stand up or sit-downs?

Whatever you decided just make sure you have adequate seating and tables. If you want to keep things casual, think about outdoor lounge chairs or bean bags. If you have a nice lawn area, oversized cushions and picnic blankets make a nice touch. Foldout tables and chairs can be hired if you need extra room for a full sit-down event.

3. Uninvited guests – Mosquitoes and flies!

Citronella candles are probably the most effective way to deal with mosquitoes throughout the night, however, using an outdoor fogger to start things off right before guest are due to arrive will help. Flies are a little trickier to get rid of, using fans to circulate the air around will help keep the files to a minimum but you can also place lavender oil dropped on sponges to keep them at bay around the food.

The last thing you need to think about is lighting. You don’t want to be eating in the dark. So run some fairy lights around the back yard or add some outdoor lanterns. If you can, use halogen globes or down lights over the food preparation areas, you can soften the light by adding candles too.