How to Use Your Backyard as an Event Space
One of the best ways to save money on events that you’re planning (such as parties, work events, and weddings or receptions) is to have a yard that you can use as a venue instead of spending money on renting a space.
If you are a homeowner with a yard, you already have the capability to throw terrific outdoor events. In this writer’s humble opinion, a backyard is the best part of even having a home, and so it should be used to all of its potential.
However, you aren’t ready to throw an outdoor event simply because you have a large plot of grass. Getting your yard ready to host an event takes a bit of planning, and no shortage of creative ideas.
If you’d like to have your yard serve as a better social space when the warmer season gets here, check out this list of ways to get your backyard ready for throwing events…
Find the right event for your yard
The first thing thing that you need to do decide is what kind of events you are planning on hosting in your backyard. If you have a family wedding coming up, then it’s probably a good idea to come up with ideas for that.
Or if you’d just like to have your backyard serve as a fun spot to get together with neighborhood friends, such as for a barbecue or outdoor movie viewing (here’s some tips on how to do that), then that works too!
However, if you’re doing something more like a wedding or business event, which may require a theme and certain aesthetic considerations, it’s typically better to get that figured out, earlier.
Keep up on your landscaping
If you want people to enjoy being in your backyard, then you’ve got to make sure that it is a hospitable place for people to be in.
This means keeping your yard healthy and luscious, especially not letting any weeds take over your beautiful lawn, as well as making sure that you are filling your yard with enjoyable amenities.
These amenities can include gardens, flower beds, water features, and even spas or pools, depending on how fancy you want to get. The main idea is to keep your yard looking aesthetically pleasing, and to give people a nice place to be during your event.
Serve food inside
One useful tip that many event hosts could take advantage of for outdoor events is to keep the food inside, and just have people dish up in there.
Doing this can help keep the food from getting cold or stale, too quickly, and also keeps insects and flies away. After all, flies buzzing around any burger will make it seem less appetizing.
Of course, this may not always be possible, depending on how you are cooking the food and how large the event is. However, if you can, it’s typically better to keep the food inside.
Use A/V Equipment
If you do happen to be throwing a larger event with lots of people, you’ll need a way to keep the party organized, or at least give it a semblance of organization.
For this reason, if the event is larger than just a small get together with friends, it might be worth it to get yourself a good PA system that will help you communicate with everyone at the event.
You can actually make more use out of A/V equipment than just a PA system, though. If you want music to be playing during the event, or have a video or slideshow to play, then getting decent A/V equipment should be a must for your event.
Although getting your own supply of this equipment can be expensive, it is rather affordable to rent. Or, if you decide you’d like music at your event, you can just get a DJ, who will have their own equipment (DJs can help with a variety of events, as this article here shows).
Find fun ways to light the night
Although you could just have your event during the daytime, there are plenty of times that you’ll want to use your yard to host an event that goes into the evening. And why wouldn’t you!
Summer nights are cool and relaxing, and one of the best parts of the season. However, nobody likes eating and drinking in the dark (well, maybe somebody does). For this reason, you’ll need to find ways to get ample lighting in your yard so that people can continue to interact.
Ideally, this means coming up with a better idea than blasting a bright and uncomfortable work light across your yard.
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Category: Family Finances
