Invite Them to a Garden Party - Part II

It's summertime and we've decided to have a garden party to celebrate a special event, Mom and Dad's anniversary. Garden parties are a great way to entertain. They're casual, elegant, fun to attend - so much better than that drab neighborhood or local church hall - and as we discovered last time, it's easy to do with just a little planning.

We've already taken care of the preliminary arrangements. Once Mom and Dad were on-board we planned our menu, arranged for a tent, tables, chairs and the kitchen ware for serving. We took care of those details as soon as we could.

Now, the big day is getting closer. And it's time to talk about finishing our party plans. Start carrying around a little notebook with your "things to do list." It's handy for taking notes as you call around for quotes or visit merchants. And, when a gal you work with reminds you to arrange for several coolers and ice, mark it down right away; chances are you'll remember to do it.

What to do a month before:

Send out the invitations. Ask for a reply so you can get an accurate head count. Find out if anyone needs a hotel room.

Invite your neighbors. Telling them ahead of time will give them a heads up on the extra people in the neighborhood and the extra noise level that will surround your property. It's almost always appreciated and it helps create a friendly atmosphere.

Double check your order with the rental company. Arrange for the tent, tables and chairs to be set up two days before the party. This is a good hedge against rain soaking the ground the day before. If friends and family are bringing food, contact everyone and keep a list of the dishes tracking who is making what. Remember, it's ok to tell people what they should bring. Leaving the menu to chance will likely result in four pasta salads, many bowls of cole slaw and no meat.

Contact your lawn maintenance service. Make sure they cut the grass and trim the hedges before right before the tent goes up.

Hire a neighborhood teenager or college student to help the day of the party. Select someone who can be responsible for parking cars when guests arrive and later help with chores such as making sure that the ice is replenished and the dirty plates and silver are stowed away unobtrusively.

Ask someone to chauffeur the guests of honor. It's their special day. Make sure that they don't have to worry about having a good time and driving home.

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