Whether you’re planning a celebration for kids or adults, and whether your tastes run more toward the elegant or the casual, an outdoor party can truly bring people together. Yet if you want to throw a party outside of the major holiday periods such as Christmas or the Fourth of July, it can be difficult to make your event feel cohesive. Here are just 4 fun themes for an outdoor party that is sure to impress at any time of year.
Diner Chic
Casual, simple to pull together, and incredibly chic, a 1950s diner party is perfect for guests of all ages. Decorate with old diner booths and neon lights. Bring the greasy foods of yesteryear into the modern day with upscale burgers, oven baked fries, and plenty of healthy salad. Ask your guests to dress in jeans or poodle skirts, and play the hits of the late 1950s.
Gangsters and Gun Molls
For a more upscale yet mysterious vibe, consider a prohibition party. Soft red lighting and a wooden bar will set the mood. Play songs from the 1920s, and clear out plenty of space to dance the tango and the Charleston. Serve a variety of classic cocktails and, for extra fun, use costumes, secret passwords, and even mob-sounding nicknames.
Hoedown
If you have a big enough space, an old-fashioned hoedown is just the thing to celebrate a long summer night. Serve BBQ at long wooden tables with benches. Ask your guests to wear jeans and cowboy boots, and decorate with hay bales, lanterns, and even tractors or trucks. Play a variety of old and new country music, and encourage your guests to try square dancing and line dancing.
If you have the room, consider bringing in some Old West flair, such as a jail set where guests can “lock” each other up, a photo station with old-fashioned costumes, and even a cactus ring toss game. These interactive elements are an excellent way to bring together people of all ages, such as at a family reunion.
Dessert Party
The biggest mistake most people make when hosting a dessert party is to serve a massive collection of rich, heavy desserts that leave guests feeling overfull and uncomfortable. To take a dessert party to the next level, the key is balance. Use floral notes to cut the richness of chocolate, or pair a light and fruity pastry with a dense cake. Divide all of the options into one or two-bite samples so that guests can graze rather than filling up on any one item.
Dessert parties are endlessly flexible. They can be casual or formal, energetic or subdued, or even part of a larger theme. Decide what vibe you want to put out, choose lighting and music that evoke the desired feeling, and then fit the dessert choices and serving methods to your chosen mood.
Boston Balloon Factory provides imaginative, affordable, one-of-a kind balloon decor for parties and special events. From sophisticated elegance to whimsical fun, if you can imagine it, we can make it happen. We love a challenge, so call us today at (781) 956-9836 to learn how we can enhance your special day.
