Summer is for Parties!

Here in the Hudson Valley, summer is the season for hosting great parties at home. After waiting all winter long, it’s finally time to open up those sliding doors and let your guests spill out into the best room in the house...your outdoor room.

Text by Katie Navarra

Time to showcase the outdoor living spaces you’ve created with succulent flowers, decorative patio stone, and maybe even a complete outdoor kitchen. Perhaps you’ve even opened your pool up during the Memorial Day weekend. You’ve looking forward to the July 4th weekend for your next gathering and then bam… the summer kicks in and your next reason to have people over isn’t until Labor Day. Oh no! Bring your guests back and keep the outdoor parties fun. Dare to be different and wow them with a unique party. Enjoy the “just because” reason to celebrate!

Wine Tasting Socials 

A super easy way to create more excitement around a party staple. 

Regardless of whether your guests are experienced oenophiles or are new to the world of wine, a wine tasting social brings friends together for an afternoon or evening of entertainment

“Try to think of the type of guests that you will be having,” says Tedi E. Plate, Assistant Marketing Manager at Millbrook Vineyards and Winery in Millbrook, NY, “if these are budding oenophiles, then choose something different and exotic like Chilean Carménères.” For a group that is fairly new to wine choose a varietal or regional wine that people already know a little bit about, for example, New York State Rieslings.

“Generally, I say to stay between five and eight for a wine tasting,” Plate says, “any less than five doesn’t give enough variety, but over eight, your guests will have a hard time deciphering the last few.” 

If you choose white wines, have a wine holder with ice available to keep the wine from getting warm. If you are tasting reds that need to be canted, be sure to do so before your guests arrive so the wine has ample time to open up.

Plan at least one and a half to two hours for the tasting to allow guests time to talk in between each wine without having too much time in between. Provide plenty of chairs for guests to sit, enjoy, and contemplate their wine.

Have information available on each of the wines and provide guests with pen and paper to write down their thoughts as they have them.

If you decide on a blind tasting, place each wine in a paper bag and unveil the wines once the tasting is complete. To add a little fun, maybe even allow people to guess the wines before the big reveal. Then, award a winner via a raffle. You can do one winner and choose the bottle that was either guessed correctly the most number of times, or even better, the bottle that was guessed correctly the least number of times. 

For a more formal atmosphere, consider hiring a sommelier. Culinary schools may also be able to facilitate a tasting. “Most of all, don’t try to take it too seriously. Enjoy the good food, good wines, and most of all good company,” concludes Plate.

Outdoor Spa Bash 

Bring the girls together and create a day—or night—of relaxation and fun. Bring the kids along too—they will love it!

Select refreshments based on the time of day you’ll be holding the event. Wine and cocktails are perfect for a late afternoon or early evening gathering whereas tea sandwiches and light fare such as veggies and dip are more likely to hold up to the heat of mid-day. Serve healthy food that compliments a spa experience and use herbs and aromas from your gardens. “Mint is great for flavoring teas and cocktails,” says Weber-Garnot.

Music is one of the most important aspects of creating your outdoor spa. Select soothing music to encourage your guests to relax. “Yoga music is very relaxing and Pandora has a great Yoga channel,” suggests Weber-Garnot

Finally, to ensure safety, Weber-Garnot points out, “when hiring a professional, make sure they are certified and licensed to perform the services you have hired them for.” Cheers to relaxation!

Pamper yourself and your closest friends with an outside spa bash. This is a fun way to celebrate a birthday, a bachelorette party, a baby shower, or to simply provide a little rest and relaxation. 

Select a venue on your property. “It can be poolside or under your favorite shade tree,” says Marlene Weber-Garnot, owner of Marlene Weber Day Spa in Poughkeepsie, NY. “If your yard has a hill, plan the party up on the hill and create an oasis on your own property.” Regardless of the setting, you’ll need chaise lounges, lawn chairs and stools, and umbrellas or awnings to provide shade. “Hang sheets between each guest to make it feel really professional and private,” adds Weber-Garnot.

Limit the guest list to six. “This allows each guest to enjoy a sampling of two or three services,” she suggests. And what exactly are the services? As an example, Marlene Weber Day Spa provides two technicians that offer 15-30 minute services that can include mini-manicures, mini-pedicures, neck rubs and foot massages, facials, or basic hair styling. Structure the services so that guests can enjoy light snacks and drinks in between each service.

Depending on your budget, you can hire estheticians or cosmetologists from local salons to provide the services. For a lower-budget option, guests can take turns pampering themselves and each other. “It can be fun to find out who in the group gives the best massage” Weber-Garnot notes.

Welcome guests with a freshly steamed hand towel. Mint leaves placed in between each towel keep the towels smelling great. Soak inexpensive hand towels in a dish with hot water before the guests arrive to create a first impression they won’t forget.

Interactive Cooking Party

Learn new cooking tricks with your friends and family. 

Spice up your next gathering with an interactive cooking experience for an unforgettable culinary experience. Cooking parties in your outdoor kitchen are a delicious way to enjoy time spent with friends, learn new skills, and explore exciting cuisines in the intimacy of your own outdoor kitchen. 

Hiring a professional cooking party company takes the guesswork out of planning an event. “We bring all the food and labor, you just need to provide the basic utensils and a cooking range,” says, Anthony Moustakas, owner of Gourmet to Go in Millbrook, NY. 

Gourmet To Go and similar companies provide a chef, labor to assist with set-up and clean up, the ingredients for the meal, recipes, and cooking tools. Moustakas adds, “we typically bring in enough knives and cutting boards for each person at the party.”

Typically, companies that lead interactive cooking parties offer you several seasonal or themed menu options. Menus can be selected based on the season or the participants’ skill levels (or both). And to ensure a smooth gathering, prior to selecting a menu, check with guests for any dietary restrictions or allergy concerns.

When planning an interactive cooking party in your outdoor living space keep the guest list small. “Stick to 10-12 guests,” Moustakas says, “a small group provides more intimacy and most people don’t have a big enough home to have a larger group for this type of party.”

A smaller group also allows for step-by-step individualized instruction and hands-on demonstrations throughout the entire process. Guests not only eat, laugh, and share the meal they have created together, they can also learn and/or improve techniques from the correct way to hold a knife to grilling, sautéing, frosting, and more.

Worried about the varying cooking expertise levels? Moustakas says that “people most enjoy the camaraderie and friendship. Some guests will really get into it, while others will sit back and enjoy the cocktails and the food.”

Outdoor Movie Night 

This party can be thrown for any group of guests - kids, girls night, boys night (baseball game anyone?), couples, family, you name it! 

Warm summer nights are perfect for hosting outdoor movies. An outdoor movie night appeals to any crowd, simply select a movie appropriate for the audience, along with complementing food and drinks.

Consider the equipment available in your outdoor space. If you already have a drop-screen, large television, or a projector screen in your exterior space, you already have the equipment you need!

Even if you don’t have a built-in entertainment system, don’t rule out an outdoor movie night. You can string a sheet up in the backyard to serve as a screen or rent an inflatable movie screen to recreate a theatrical feeling. Sound is key! You can rent speakers to make your party a success.

Comfortable seating is another essential. Mix and match lounge sofas and individual chairs to offer guests ample seating choices. Ask guests to bring a blanket or sleeping bag for lawn seating for a fun throwback to childhood or when throwing this event for little ones.

Determine the guest list by the atmosphere you’re looking to create. If you’re looking for an intimate night with close friends, limit the invite list to eight to twelve people. However, if you have the space available and are looking for a casual “drive-in” movie feel, invite as many people as your backyard can hold!

Carefully choose lights for illuminating a path to snacks and bathroom breaks. Candlelight provides just enough light for safe passage without interfering with the movie.

Set up a refreshment table for guests to grab popcorn, candy, coctails, and other treats before the movie starts. Have plenty of ice available to keep beverages cool.

Depending on how close your neighbors are, be courteous and let them know your plans ahead of time. Consider inviting them in on the fun too!

Photo Party 

Spice up a gathering with a professional photographer!

Photo parties are an innovative and affordable way to arrange for a professional photo shoot. Make it a girls night, family get together, or just another reason to spend time with your friends on a Saturday.

Consider the features in your outdoor living space to select a spot with a beautiful backdrop. Pick an area that is free of distractions like overhead power lines, storage sheds, or other items that can take away from the individual in the photo or the beauty of landscaping in your yard. Water features, gardens in blooms, old shade trees, outdoor fireplaces, and other areas can provide an eye-catching backdrop.

Natural sunlight is the best lighting source for stunning photos. However, mid-afternoon sunlight can be harsh and create shadows on the people in the photo. Look for a space in your landscaping with light shade that is close to the natural lighting. Don’t worry if the planned day turns out to be cloudy. Cloud cover naturally diffuses harsh sunlight and enriches the colors in the picture.

For a fun twist on an outdoor photo party, consider a photo booth or backdrop. Backdrops can also be sophisticated and elegantly simple. 

“We have an antique polaroid booth from the 1950’s,” says Cynthia Delconte, owner of Delconte Photo in Rhinebeck, NY. Guests sit in front of a backdrop with antique wallpaper and can choose from a number of props for a vintage photo. 

“The Polaroid is popular because it’s retro,” Delconte adds. Guests receive a Polaroid picture as a favor matted in a folder with the event and date on the front. “Guests love it!” she notes, “and it makes a really nice party favor.”

Have your guests bring their own wardrobe and then encourage them to bring their own props and plan to provide your own in case some get lost or broken.

In between the photo shoots and the mingling, your guests will be hungry – be sure to coordinate the food and drinks. Also, you’ll want to ensure the music is appropriate to the mood you’re creating. 

Do plan carefully to organize the session schedule and share it with everyone in advance. This will allow your guests to ensure proper timing of wardrobe changes, makeup application, and anything else they need to do to prepare for their shots! 

To help with the budget, it is acceptable to share the cost of sitting fees!