is a garden reception a silly idea?

catwoman

We are having a garden party for our 10th wedding anniversary on 6th June, I've got a 6x3metre gazebo and local butchers are doing a bbq for us. I've made table centepieces and going to make a cupcake tower as a cake. I'm hiring glasses from Morrisons (which is free!) and waiting for deals on booze at the bank holiday weekend. I can't wait.

flea72

homebase have party gazebos for £79 at the mo, and theres usually discount codes around

F

Angela84

Hi Lolly,

This is what we are doing for our wedding reception, apart from its not our garden, its a friends who lives next door to the village church.

Things I have planned (80 guests) are getting jam jars with tea lights in (or possibly frosting them so you can't see through and putting glowsticks in) for path lighters. Lots of jam jars with wire round the top to hang in the trees. I'm making lots of white bunting to hang around the trees, marquee, fencing etc.
I'm asking my sons school to help make some white paperchains as well to hang.
Look at these... http://www.coxandcox.co.uk/products/paper-fiesta-bunting/in/outside-party-accessories

As we've got 80 guests I'm hiring toilets, and going to have to have a generator as got a marquee, caterers, DJ etc. Also I think its almost essential to have some covering for the guests, sadly England's weather so unpredictable!

We were umming and aahing about going MSE and buying 2 large marquees off ebay for about £1000 altogether, and then putting them back on there afterwards to hopefully regain a chunk of money, but OH has decided to splash out on a proper marquee now with all the trimmings. Going to have a crisps, nuts and sweetie 'pick and mix' when we get to the field, and then we've got caterers coming who provide their own tent to do a posh BBQ about 5pm. About 9pm we're giving a cheese and pate board to each table. Also planting some bulbs in some terracota pots for tables and painting our initials and wedding dates on the sides for guests to take home.

Maybe you could do a drive around with a van one day and borrow everyones garden chairs for the weekend?

Good luck, PM me if you fancy a 'Garden Party' chat!

jackieglasgow

B and Q also have those party gazbos they are 9m X 3m and 79.98 but they have an extra 15% off everything this weekend, which would bring them down to £68 each, which is fab (originally £150) and you would be able to sell them on I would imagine!

celtic_curl

I have lots of parties in my house and garden. neither are particularly big but with a bit of planning it can work brilliantly.

My suggestions are - do you know anyone involved in scouts/guides etc? If so they have huge party tents that are waterproof and they might lend you (possibly for a small donation) and will also have tables and chairs.

You could also ask friends who have patio sets (particularly folding ones) if you can borrow them for the day, also neighbours (my cousin did this for his daughters christening.

Don't be shy about asking people - most are happy to help.

If your house is too small to lay out the buffet put in a separate gazebo and leave plenty of lighted citronella candles in there (scares the bugs away)

You could use paper table cloths but would need to add corner weights to keep them from blowing away or go to a fabric warehouse and buy some cheap fabric to suit your style and colour scheme. Measure tables and pre cut. If you can't sew and don't know anyone that does either use the iron on web hem stuff or mix some pva with a bit of water and paint along cut edges to avoid fraying.

Ask a friend who is a good cook to take charge of the buffet for you - you don't want the hassle on your big day. If you know any reliable teenagers chuck them £30 each and ask them to act as waiters/table clearer/drinks fillers etc.

you could keep the food extra simple by making it an afternoon tea - fancy sandwiches, fresh scones with jam and cream and lovely cakes. I did this when I had a gathering at Easter and it went down a storm.

Get a friend with a good music collection to pre-mix you some CD's that you can play on your own system - or an Ipod list.

Save unusual shaped bottles or jars clean off all labels and place a few simple flowers in them for table centres.

Serve Pimms on arrival/for the toast instead of bubbly. Morrisons had an offer last week of £10 for a litre - don't know if that is still the case. But once made up with lemonade, ice, fruit, cucumber and fresh mint will go a long way.

Make sure the loo has plenty of spare loo rolls, soap and clean towels.


These things really can come together and be really fantastic and often better than the predictable big hotel / restaurant events as they are more personal.

I hope some or all of these suggestions are helpful to someone.

Finally and this might seem a bit weird. I LOVE preparing buffets. I have catered endless parties and business lunches for friends and famliy. I am a vegetarian (although do prepare meat for others) and I think this makes me more creative in my ideas. If anyone lives in or near Nottingham and would like me to prepare their buffet for them (I am not a professional just a talented amateur) who could offer me some sort of practical skills swap I'd be more than happy to hear from you. I am not looking for exchange money just skills.

Good luck to everyone with their events.

lolly1981

hello
thanks for all those ideas they are fab

Ive had a change of plan since the start of this thread..its still going to be outside, but at an aunts house, she has a huge back garden, even enough room to park about 20 - 30 cars.

she has offered to plan it all and organise it all..and pay for it it will still just be a simple BBQ with some buffet food, but im so happy and excited she will make it look beautiful