chairs, ask people to bring their own or make picnic-inspired seating areas with blankets and cushions.
Consider repurposing indoor items for a few hours to help you create enough room for everyone to kick back
and relax. When setting up these different spaces, think about height. You don’t want people sitting on chairs
next to people on picnic blankets if you can help it. That doesn’t facilitate the best conversation opportunities
as one looks down and the other cranes their neck.
game time
Lawn and water games are a fun way to get everyone involved. For lawn games, put them in the shade and
make sure they are close enough to each other so people can talk as they play. If people will be in the pool, put
floats, noodles, and pool games in an easily accessible place. If your group is competitive, consider giving out
fun prizes to the winners.
beat the bugs
Unfortunately, we do have to worry about the bugs in Southwest Florida and they can put a damper on the
festivities. Consider placing a few bottles of bug spray in a basket so everyone can use them as needed. There
are plenty of options that will protect the air around your party. If classic citronella candles don’t appeal to
you, something like a Patio Shield Repeller (available at target.com) is a great way to keep bugs away from
tables and seating areas.
For a more
formal outdoor
party, dress
up your
casual tables
with runners,
lighting, and
plants. You can
also use craft
or butcher
paper to make
cleanup easier.
YOUR HOME MAGAZINE | 21
Give guests
the option to
customize their
food. You can
create a burger
or pizza bar, or
set out meat
and veggies
and let people
make their
own skewers.
Everything
tastes better
on the grill!
/target.com