Although autumn may be fast approaching, there are still some glimpses of sun every now and then, so why not enjoy them and host a BBQ? Ensuring your BBQ goes smoothly can require a fair amount of planning, so follow these simple steps to ensure you have an evening to remember. 

Pick A Theme?

This one is completely up to you, but if you decide a theme is what you want, then it’s the perfect place to start. Choosing a theme for your BBQ will affect your choice of food, activities, decor, and even music so put some thought into it. If you don’t want a theme, but still want a professional, put-together vibe, then perhaps you could pick a colour scheme instead and have your tablecloths and attire matching this colour scheme. 

Send Out Invitations

A letter invitation is probably a bit too much for a BBQ, and you may not even have enough time to send them out with this unpredictable autumnal weather, so why not go digital and send out E-vites instead? If you decided on a theme or colour scheme, then this can be used when designing your invitations. Alternatively, you could always just create an event on Facebook, which is much easier to manage, and could save you some hassle. This would be the right time to check if any of your guests have any dietary requirements or restrictions that you need to know about.

Plan The Menu

Burgers, hot dogs, steaks, and any other meat that could possibly be grilled are all typical BBQ food that you can consider putting on your menu. If you picked a theme, then try incorporating this into your food. As well as the typical beer and wine options, you could also consider making a signature drink for your BBQ to add a personal touch. Also ensure you have ice machines available for the evening, to keep all of your guest’s drinks cool, on the odd chance that it is actually sunny. Ensure that there is something that all of your guests, such as those who are vegetarian or have an allergy, will like and will be able to eat, to avoid leaving anybody out.

Have Fun Activities

Although your guests will probably enjoy having a good chin wag while you’re cooking the food, once they’ve eaten, you’ll want to keep them entertained. You can host games related to the theme of your BBQ, traditional activities like badminton or football, or even trivia quizzes or card games. Cards Against Humanity is fun to play with a group of adults, especially when they’ve had a few to drink, just ensure there are no little ones in earshot. Speaking of little ones, you’ll need to make sure that they’re entertained too. Provide them with some water pistols, an arts and crafts table, or garden games like mini ten-pin bowling or snakes and ladders.