Top tips for hosting a fabulous summer garden party

What transforms a simple summer get-together into an absolutely fabulous garden party?

Not entirely sure? Well, we’ve got you covered.

With our fun ideas (and dreamy garden furniture), you can wow your guests when you throw a summer bash. Take a look at these top tips and get party planning…

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1. Serve up drinks in style

With any summer garden party, you can guarantee the drinks will flow. And whether it’s mocktails or one too many glasses of fizz, why not serve your guests their drinks with a twist? And not just a slice of lemon…

Instead of walking around to top up your guests, you could serve up your drinks in style on a garden drinks trolley. With shelves and drinks holders, it’s easy to wheel around your selection of beverages – and you’ll look like a cocktail extraordinaire in the process!

So instead of grabbing as many cans and bottles as you can, you can give your arms a rest and glide your drinks around with ease.

Galaxy Garden Drinks Trolley

2. Gather around the fire pit or bowl

Nothing says ‘summer garden party’ like a good old-fashioned fire. As the sun sets and the temperature cools, you and your guests can stay cosy and chat around the warm flames. After all, who wants to call time on all the fun just because the sun’s gone down?!

A fire bowl is perfect if you’re a fan of a traditional fire. Throw on a few logs, set them alight, and you can bask all night next to the crackling flames. Why not toast a few marshmallows and sing a few songs for that true campfire feel?

Or if you’d prefer the minimal upkeep of a gas fire, a fire pit is ideal. Guests can enjoy watching the dancing flames for up to around 7 hours at a time – and once it’s time to head inside, you won’t need to sweep up any ash or dust.

Cook King Bali Fire Bowl

Maze Rattan Round Gas Fire Pit

3. Keep it simple with pizza

You obviously don’t want your guests to go hungry… but you also don’t want to spend hours prepping food or ignoring your guests while you man the BBQ.

So what’s the ideal solution? Make way for an outdoor pizza oven!

When you fire up an Ooni pizza oven, it can be ready to make an authentic woodfired pizza in as little as 60 seconds. So grab the dough (you can get premade store-bought dough if you fancy saving even more time!), scatter your favourite toppings, and wow your guests by making the perfect pizza.

It means you won’t need to spend any more time away from your loved ones than necessary. Unlike a BBQ, it also means you’re finished cooking in no time – so you can enjoy your own party instead of fussing over food!

Ooni Karu 12 Wood and Charcoal Fired Portable Pizza Oven

4. Pop up a garden pod

Want to throw the ultimate insta-perfect garden party? Then you’ll need this summer’s must-have garden accessory: the garden pod.

With a garden pod, you can always throw a fabulous summer garden party, whatever the weather looks like. Rain or shine, a pod will provide a safe spot from the weather and get the guests talking.

If you’re hosting a summer birthday bash or baby shower, they make for a picture-perfect way to store gifts. Team the pod with a balloon arch and it’s also a great way to welcome your guests – they can leave their jackets and bags as they arrive.

So whether you’re using your pod as a stylish seating area or a space for gifts, the possibilities are endless. And even when summer ends, you can keep inviting your loved ones over for garden parties – your garden pod will keep you and your guests toasty all year long.

HypeDome Garden Pod

5. Catch up on a U-shaped sofa set

If you’re hosting an intimate gathering, a U-shaped sofa set is the perfect way to get everyone together. With everyone in earshot and facing one another, all your guests can join in with the conversation. And with comfy outdoor cushions, they can sink back and relax with a drink or two – your guests won’t ever want to get up and leave!

Even if you’re planning a big summer bash, an outdoor sofa set means guests can flop down and rest their dancing feet. Top tip: scatter a few cosy woollen throws about so your guests can wrap up warm and stay cosy all night long.

Psst… the New York U-shaped sofa set from Maze Rattan is ideal for summer parties. With luxury deep filled cushions, your guests will feel like royalty. And there’s no need to worry about any damage – as the cushions are both waterproof and UV-resistant, you can sit back and relax in any weather.

Maze Rattan New York U-Shaped Sofa Set with Rising Table

6. Keep the drinks chilled (and nearby)

When your summer party is in full swing, the last thing you need is to rush around topping drinks up. Or worse yet, leave your selection of drinks outside in the sun to get warm…

That’s where furniture with built-in ice buckets comes in handy. With the Keter Cool Bar Table with Lights (below), you can keep drinks chilled and in reaching distance of your guests. So you won’t need to keep dashing to the fridge to fetch the next bottle of bubbly!

Keter Cool Bar Table with Lights

Or the sofa set by Maze Rattan (below) also has an integrated ice bucket. With a two-seater sofa and matching armchairs, it’s ideal for cosy catch-ups with a glass of fizz.

Maze Rattan Georgia 2 Seat Sofa Set with Ice Bucket

7. Wow your guests with showstopper food

If you’re a foodie and you love to impress, you can’t go wrong with a BBQ smoker.

Since you’d rather not prepare food inside while your guests enjoy your garden party, a smoker is the perfect way to cook outdoors while you catch up. And since you’re cooking low ‘n’ slow, you can just leave your food to slowly soak up all the flavours while you have fun – without worrying you’re burning anything to a crisp!

With a digital BBQ smoker from Masterbuilt, it’s never been easier to wow your guests. You can simply set the temperature from your phone, and allow this nifty grill to do all the hard work. Plus, with handy wheels, you can easily move this grill to wherever you like.

From smoked brisket to cheese, there’s plenty of treats you can smoke… your guests will be begging for seconds!

Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker

All you need to throw a fabulous summer garden party…

From garden furniture to outdoor cooking and heating, our garden section has all you need to throw a fabulous garden party.

Got a question about our furniture? We’re here to help on +44 (0) 1305 231231 or you can send us an email.

Nathalie

With more than 8 years’ experience in providing advice and support to parents looking for their perfect kids bed, mother of 2, Nathalie Davis is passionate about helping children develop. In her role as Director of Product Procurement at Cuckooland, Nathalie has helped thousands of parents improve their children’s sleep and sleeping habits through the beds and mattresses she sources and the articles she writes. In her spare time she teaches her Golden Retriever to be a responsible vegetarian and is often spotted sifting through clothes at her local Charity Shops.

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