So you’ve got the beautiful patio area with the lighting, barbecue, outdoor lounge, and lush decorative greenery. Now it’s time to test out your outdoor entertaining area with a few spring barbecues and alfresco dinner parties. This week, we run through 7 quick tips to ensure your next outdoor entertaining event runs smoothly.
1.Keep it simple
The great appeal of outdoor dining is its simplicity. A great alfresco dinner party doesn’t require anything more than fresh food and good company, let the gorgeous natural setting do the rest.
2.Make weather contingency plans
As every Melbourne resident knows, our part of the country can be quite unpredictable when it comes to weather and sometimes, not even checking the weather report a week in advance can save you from an unexpected downpour. The best way to manage unpredictable weather is to make sure you have a wet weather contingency plan and keep your table design simple so that everything can be picked up and transported inside if need be.
3.Create an eclectic playlist
Play to everyone’s musical tastes and create a welcoming atmosphere with an eclectic playlist that mixes up a few different genres. There is an endless array of garden party playlists available online as well as guides to create your own.
4.Keep the bugs at bay
Bugs are a fact of life when entertaining outdoors, but you can keep them at bay with a little bit of preplanning. Light a few citronella candles or tiki torches to keep the mosquitoes from irritating your guests and set a fan running at a low speed over food serving areas to discourage flying insects.
5.Make sure everyone is cosy
If you’re planning to entertain from the late afternoon into the evening, keep your guests from getting chilled when the sun goes down by stocking up on some light blankets that they can put over their legs.
6.Opt for self serve dishes
Outdoor dining should be informal and laid back. The best way to achieve this is with simple, self serve sharing dishes that your guests can pick and choose from.
7.Set up a bar cart
Instead of rushing in and out of the kitchen to fix your guests a drink, set up a bar cart area with mixers or jugs of drinks so that you can relax and your guests can make themselves a drink whenever they like. If you run low on supplies, simply wheel the cart back inside to replenish. Make sure you also provide a jug of iced water so your guests can stay hydrated.
A Better Driveway specialise in installing decorative concrete surfacing for outdoor areas including patios, paths, and driveways in Melbourne. To learn more about our capabilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 03 5783 4746.