With the weather warming up and the festival season beginning, you might be starting to think about your summer plans. If you’re planning to host a garden party, there are a lot of things to consider. From decorations, and garden furniture to themes and food preparation. We’ve created this blog to guide you through some tips and hopefully help you with your summer garden party planning.

Decide on a Theme

First of all, you need to decide what kind of party you want to throw. Is it going to be a low-key gathering with a few drinks and snacks or an elegant sit-down meal? This should help to give you a few ideas for an appropriate theme.

It’s important to think about what type of atmosphere you want to create and whether this matches the rest of your house. Gardens are an extension of our indoor spaces. So consider how you can insert your own personality, and perhaps link your theme to your interior style. Maybe your home interior is inspired by Biophilic Design, in which case it is easy to continue that into your garden. If your kitchen is decorated with bright reds or yellows, try to add these colours to your garden decor and party accessories.

Decorations

Now that you have decided on a theme for your garden party, it is time to think about decorations. You might not want to spend too much time or money on decorations, so think about some budget-friendly and easy-to-use options. For example, bunting and paper lanterns are relatively cheap, can be put up in 10 minutes, and instantly transform your garden into a classic British summer party!

Depending on how creative you are and how much time you have, you might want to add a personal touch with some homemade decorations. Check out this homemade bunting tutorial.

If you have a bigger budget and want some larger decorations, think about adding a photo booth with props, a garden bar, a flower wall or even a balloon arch!

Lighting

Arguably one of the most important elements of your party decor is the lighting. If done correctly, good lighting has the power to transform a space and there are so many options to choose from.

Some popular choices for a cosy garden party are fairy lights, hanging lanterns or candles. You could also consider a more eco option by using solar-powered lights. The great thing about some of these options is that they can be intertwined with your existing furniture and decor. For example, fairy lights can be wrapped around trees and fences, or candles and lanterns can be scattered on tables.

Furniture and Seating

The amount of seating you need will depend on the size of your guest list as well as the theme of your party. If you’re planning on cooking dinner for your guests, you will need to make sure you have a table and chairs big enough to seat everyone. However, if you’re going for a more laid-back cocktail party with a few snacks you can get away with more casual seating.

It also depends on the kind of atmosphere you want to provide. Perhaps you’ve decided on a tropical beach theme, in which case some deck chairs and picnic blankets might work. Whereas using some garden sofas or even a hanging egg chair will provide a more luxurious and comfortable ambience. Painted garden benches are also a great option if you’re going for a more rustic, personalised theme!

Summer garden party furniture. Garden sofas with hanging lights above

Different Zones

Depending on the size of your outdoor space, you might want to split your garden party into different zones. For example, you might have a cocktail area or bar where your guests can grab a drink, a seating area for food, and then a cosier seating area around a firepit for when it gets colder in the evening.

Consider the small details of these areas to make sure they are optimised for your guests’ experience. Place the music speakers in the bar area and away from the seating areas where your guests might be talking more. Add blankets and pillows to the firepit area to make it more cosy and comfortable. Add extra lighting around the food area so your guests can see what they’re eating!

We hope we have inspired you and helped you with the planning of your garden party. If you enjoyed this blog, have a read through some of our other blogs here!