Better Living Blog

Everyone says that food tastes better when we eat outdoors, and with the warmer weather on the way you can take advantage of the longer nights and plan an outdoor party. And don’t just limit yourself to a barbecue. With a little planning, you can make any outdoor event into a special occasion.

Whether you are planning to entertain family, friends, collegues or neighbours, an outdoor party can be great fun. But of you think that a few plastic plates and a burger will suffice, think again! With a little effort and planning you can produce a buffet style table setting that is as elegant as any formal dinner party.

There are a few basic guidelines that apply to any outdoor party. Here are the important points to consider.

• The weather. Unless you are lucky enough to live somewhere where the sun can be guaranteed to shine ( and if you find the spot, let me know!), you will need a back-up plan in case the weather lets you down. If you are throwing the party at home, that is an easy one – simply move everyone indoors. If you have headed for the mountains, it ´s not so simple. Your contingency plan might be a canopy, a hotel or any other venue offering shelter from the elements.
• The insects. Take repellent with you, and make sure that everyone, especially kids, uses it. A good idea is to make each table centrepiece a large citronella candle to deter the mosquitoes! A small first aid box is also a good idea to treat the inevitable scrapes, bumps and stings that will happen.
• Let people know the appropriate dress code. Be sensible; soft ground and stilettos do not go together!
• Take plenty of sunscreen in a mix of different factors, and make sure that your guests apply it.
• Remember the basic rules of food hygiene. Keep hot food hot, and cold food cold. Use coolers and ice packs and keep food in the shade. Serve hot foods immediately, and don´t leave food to stand in the sun.

There are some great ideas for themed parties that you can hold outdoors or at the beach, including a Mexican Fiesta, Hawaiian Party, traditional barbecue..just use your imagination. All these themes have one thing in common. They lend themselves to a buffet table setting, meaning that your guests can serve themselves and you are free to enjoy as little more of the party!

However, informal though the occasion may be,there is nothing to stop you putting a little thought into the table setting to make the party an event to remember. Try these ideas for creative table decoration centerpieces for a party to remember:

1. Twinkling lights can give a touch of magic to any outdoor occasion. If you are having the party at home, use fairy lights and string them in the trees. Or edge the buffet table with a rope light. If dining further afield, use votives or storm lanterns. Be aware of any fire risks and restrictions though.
2. Choose table cloths that match the theme. Weight them down at each corner, or clip securely to the table to prevent the corners blowing up. Staple the cloth to the table for extra security. Remember, paper does not have to equal “cheap and cheerful”. Many manufacturers make a wide range of quality matching cloths and tableware to give your party an upmarket feel.
3. Use themed disposable plates and cutlery for a colourful event and for easy of clean up. Don´t forget to take along plenty of refuse sacks for the clear up though. Consider having several refuse bins scattered around the site, and re-cycling boxes if you want to do your bit for the environment!
4. If you choose to use plastic cutlery, make sure that there is plenty. And take along the other essentials. Scissors, a sharp knife and a bottle opener are the most useful items. Plastic cutlery does break easily and is difficult to use on some foods, so consider hiring sufficient silverware instead, or asking friends and family to bring some along.
5. Dress the tables up for a great atmosphere. Depending on the theme, you could try using tropical fruit centrepieces or coconut shells for a Hawaiian theme, potted cactuses for a Western or Mexican theme … and all the centrepieces have the added advantage of helping to weight down the cloth! This site has some great ideas for stunning traditional and themed centrepieces, so have a browse and get some ideas.
6. Scatter some table decorations around, but be careful that they don´t end up littering the area if dining in a public place. Try sea shells, leaves, or even biodegradeable confetti for a colourful touch.
7. Have plenty of seating in a mixture of sun and shade. Tie helium balloons or ribbons onto the back of the chair for extra colour.
8. Keep the buffet queue moving by having a separate table for cutlery, plates , napkins and condiments. This keeps people out of the food queue when they only want a dollop of extra sauce.
9. The buffet table setting should encourage people to move along, so have several smaller tables that can be accessed from all sides. That way you avoid one long table with one long queue!
10. Place scented fingerbowls on the tables, with a few floating flower petals in them, to allow the guests to clean their hands. This is very handy if you are serving a lot of finger foods. Also consider placing a pretty dispenser filled with baby wipes on each table for the inevitable spills.

These top tips should help your outdoor buffet party run like clockwork and be an event to remember. The key is to deal with all the practicalities first and then dress up the occasion into a stylish summer night´s entertainment that every guest will enjoy.

Tags: buffet style table settings | buffet style table settings | tropical fruit centrepiece | tropical fruit centrepiece | buffet table settings | buffet table settings | table centrepiece | table setting

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This entry was posted on Monday, June 2nd, 2008 at 6:10 pm and is filed under Lawns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.