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Warm weather at last! Almost immediately many of us begin to think of summer gatherings, time spent tending a grill, and hours of fun with our friends and family. These are often casual affairs with everyone bringing their usual dishes to pitch in. Sometimes, however, you want your party to be a bit special. You don’t need to be celebrating anything in particular. Many of us just love hosting an event that will make our guests feel special. Why not go all out this year and throw a summer party they’ll be talking about until next year?

Create Atmosphere

It’s a party at your house so there is nothing surprising about your venue. Presumably your guests have all been invited to your home before. To make this party special, you need to transform at least the party portion of your home so that it immediately sets the tone for the event. You don’t need to completely change your décor. Simply adding a few key decorations can make all the difference.

Embrace a Theme

There are so many ways you can celebrate. Pick a theme and go with it. You could celebrate a particular movie and set up cardboard cutouts of the key characters around the house. Your friends can have fun taking pictures with them. That acts as an immediate ice breaker to elevate your event to a different level.

Other theme idea is sports. You can play tribute to your favourite sports team, the World Cup, or celebrate the sport, in general. Images of the top athletics or team logos can set the tone. Then use the team colours to coordinate your other decorations and food.

It’s summer so perhaps a beach theme is the way to go. Get beach balls to kick around the yard and beach towels to provide extra seating on the lawn. If your party will include children, you can set up a sandbox and add typical beach play toys like plastic buckets and shovels for them to enjoy during the event.

How about a tiki theme? Embrace a mid-century love of tiki style with tropical drinks, tiki statues, hula skirts, and decorations. You might even gather some thatching to create your own tiki bar. Set up palm trees to make your own oasis of tiki. You can purchase artificial trees, paper trees from party stores, or even inflatable palm trees. Wrap tables in grass skirts to add that tropical feel. You can even have hula skirts available for your guests to wear.

Challenge Their Taste Buds

We all have a few recipes we have perfected enough to share with others. From simple burgers and hot dogs to your favourite fine dining masterpiece, your guests have probably previously tried your regular creations. Now is the time to step up and try something different.

Coordinate your food with the rest of your theme. A sports theme could be a chance to round up the food that is normally served at a game or meet. You can elevate it by matching the colours to the team or providing a cake decorated to fit your theme. You could even serve cupcakes decorated to look like baseballs or soccer balls.

A theme related to movies can be tied in, as well. Any food served in the film is an obvious place to start. Expand beyond that to offer food inspired by the location where the film is set. That could be as straightforward as a well-known cuisine from a particular country or as fanciful as food inspired by a movie set a long time ago, in a galaxy far away.

You don’t have to be an expert in a different type of cuisine or spend your whole event cooking rather than socialising. Make a plan to prepare as much as possible ahead of time. You can also use take out food. That could be the best way to let your guests enjoy authentic ethnic cuisines while saving you time and stress.

There are many different options for foods you can pick up and most cities now have delivery services that will deliver food for you. That can save you time while you’re getting ready for your event. You could also consider purchasing food that will reheat well later or can be served cold so that you don’t have to worry about the timing of the food delivery.

For most people the ideal approach may be to combine a few items of food they cook themselves with prepared food purchased from a restaurant. Throw some meat on the grill and then pair it with side dishes and desserts purchased from elsewhere.

Keep in mind that if you plan to serve an exotic cuisine, it might be a bit too exciting for some of your guests. Have a few less adventurous foods on hand so that there is something for everyone. Ideally your guests will be able to sample small amounts of the different foods so they don’t feel pressured to eat a large serving of something they may not like. This will also help you avoid wasting a lot of food.

To make things easier for your guests, put out labels for any exotic food items so your guests know what each dish is and what is in it. That will help make them feel more comfortable trying something new. This will save you the trouble of having to explain what the dishes are to each of your guests.

Make It Sound Special

We tend to add music to our events by turning on a local radio station or streaming music. We may rely on our usual supply of favourite tunes or the latest songs. Instead, pick out music that will fit with your theme. If you are doing a theme based on a specific time period, the music options might be more obvious. Blast disco for your 1970s party or the Downton Abbey soundtrack and other turn of the last century music for your Downton Abbey party.

For a sports theme you can compile a collection of songs typically played at the stadium. A beach theme is the perfect chance to gather together classic summer songs like those sung by the Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffet. You could even play a recording of waves crashing against the beach so that guests can feel like they’ve been transported to the ocean.

Add Interactive Elements

Often parties seem to automatically revert to the usual conversations and interactions. You can break that pattern by providing new ways to add excitement and change the dynamic. Setting up a volleyball court can make everyone think of good times at the beach. Leave out a few hula hoops so that your guests can practice hula-ish moves. Lawn bowling or other outdoor games can be other ways to have fun.

Lifesize cardboard cutouts can provide plenty of chances for selfies and group pictures. You can even provide festive headwear for your guests to encourage them to get into the theme. Putting up a backdrop and having items to poise with will help inspire your guests. Let your guests try on hats, fake moustaches, and other accessories to use while they take pictures.

Let There Be Light

For any outdoor event that will last until later in the day or into the evening will require lighting. You can put tiki torches out (local laws permitting) to add to your tiki or beach theme. String up strands of Christmas lights to provide delicate lighting in the trees or along the parameter of your house. Solar-powered pathway lights could be set up to add to the festive atmosphere and make it safer for your guests as the sun goes down. Set up electronic candles on the tables and light a fire in your firepit.

Say Cheers to Interesting Beverages

Instead of the usual beer or wine, you can use beverages to help add interest to your party. Serve tropical drinks to go with a tiki or beach theme. Obviously, no James Bond event would be complete without martinis that have been shaken, not stirred. If your theme is related to a particular time period, research the types of drinks that were traditionally served then. You can learn how to make several different cocktails to offer your guests or make a punch that is appropriate to the time period.

For themes based on a different location, offer the beers, wines, or other beverages from that locale or create your own. You can find inspiration to make your own special beverages for your guests to try. In addition to the flavours, the type of glass you use and any decorative elements like umbrellas or fruit can make a difference in the festive feel of your event.