When my roomie (Ryan) and I realized how intimate (and spacious) our backyard was, we knew we had to throw an outdoor party. By the end of July, we’d settled on hosting a harvest party and made a massive to-do list that would push us to knock out a number of home improvement projects we’d yet to tackle.
For the party, we both had a specific vision for what it would look like.
My Requirements:
– real invitations (no FB events or group texts)
– a single table that wasn’t too wide that guests couldn’t hear each other
– including harvested corn in tasteful ways
– real dining plates, glasses, silverware, and napkins
– red wine
– romantic lighting
– antique wooden chairs
– an actual seating chart
Ryan’s Requirements:
– serving something that he could make on his smoker (he adores that thing)
– mulching around the yard
Clearly, one of us knew what the party would look like more than the other. 😉
With our luck, it naturally rained all week giving me only one night to finish painting the fence. It also rained consistently throughout the day of the party and only let up 45 minutes before our guests starting showing up. Luckily, a few friends came early to help set up and my suggestion that guests wear rain boots saved the day!
We were able to put out the three handcrafted tables, homemade light poles, and the photo spot by late morning. The steady mist was refreshing while we covered the tables in tarps and hung the string lights I snagged from the Target clearance aisle.
It was important to me that our guests – Ryan’s friends pre-me, my closest high school friends and their (wonderful) spouses, sorority sisters and their loves, my siblings, etc. – all had a chance to get to know each other but still felt comfortable. That’s where my seating chart and place cards came into play. A giant Jenga game and bag set also helped with that before the sun slid down and dinner began.
A quick toast by the roomie and I kicked off the meal and gave us a chance to give a nod to the farmers that are out in the fields harvesting the food that feeds the world in October. We also paid tribute to local farmers by serving Iowa sweet corn and using corn in vases, candles, and as a photo backdrop.
For food and drinks, everyone was assigned a different item to bring ranging from a bottle of red wine to a side dish. My best friend helped coordinate side dishes so we had no repeats. Our main dish was a bunch of smoked meat made that day—brisket, pork, and chicken quarters.
Wine bottles, pitchers of water, and sauces lived on the long dining table to let us enjoy the meal and conversation instead of busying ourselves refilling water glasses and fetching wine.
With easy listening music, good conversation, and inviting lighting, the night went off without a hitch—despite the full day of rain! Celebrate agriculture and strong friendships with an outdoor harvest party of your own.
Have you thrown a party lately? What went right (and not-so-right)? Let me know in the comments.