Whether a Disney princess is taking center stage or an army of super heroes has taken over your backyard pool, kids seem to have all the fun. Their parties always feature a fabulous theme that gets them excited.
Meanwhile, the grown-ups are relegated to the sidelines in their shorts and tee shirts eating cake. Perhaps it’s time to make your next gathering one that gives your friends a chance to channel their creativity and create their own costumes!
Costume parties aren’t going to change the world, but they do great things:
- They spark conversation between people who have never met
- They set a party apart as more than just a regular poolside BBQ
- They create a little suspension of reality for the guests
- They build anticipation as people talk about who they are going as and what last item they need to pull the whole outfit together.
- They give that “Happy Halloween feeling” that harkens back to childhood
- Rock Star parties – even if you haven’t a musical bone in your body, there’s no one who wouldn’t want to be a rock star for a night. Rolling Stone gives this fun rundown of how to recreate 12 classic rocker looks. As the host, if you want to make it a bit easier on your guests, the instructions on the invitation can advise that everyone wear just one costume element that defines their rock star. Think big, glitter-covered glasses for Elton John or Sia’s face-covering bangs. You could have a contest for whoever correctly identifies the most rock stars.
- Karaoke parties – everyone thinks this is an annoying idea until they are the one holding the microphone! Or they’ve had a few beers! But these parties are just so much fun. Karaoke machines can be rented, but they are pretty affordable today so could be well worth the bucks to add to your party central collection. You could pick one up from Target for about $70. (Probably a good idea to invite all your surrounding neighbors as this gathering will be a loud one.)
- 1950’s Beach party – invite your guests to come in their bathing suits and cue up the ‘50s dance music! Spread blankets on the grass and around the pool. Buy a bunch of colorful, inflatable beach balls. Go simple on the food with big burgers and spiked milkshakes.
- Toga parties – we just had to add this to our list because togas were made iconic by the best party ever in Animal House. The other cool thing is that there are just three easy pieces to the costume: a sheet, a pair of sandals, a ring or sprig of green leaves to top it all off. You also have the perfect excuse to play the most obnoxious, but classic party song (“Shout”) so everyone can “get a little bit louder now”!
- Water Wars party – appeal to your guests’ sense of competition with a water volleyball tournament called something like Water Wars. Elect the coaches and have them pick names from a hat to determine the sides. If you have enough guests, you can even set up a few games in playoff fashion with multiple teams meeting and competing for the Water Wars Trophy. Just some friendly rivalry mixed with a good workout in the pool! This also begs to become an annual tradition to give the losing teams another crack at the championship.
There is nothing like a pool party, but you have to admit that the luau-themed one is sort of over. It’s time to infuse your summertime with fresh ideas.
And even if you don’t wish to go the theme/costume route, House Beautiful suggests some simple ways to add spice to your pool party with:
- An ice cream station
- A firecracker cocktail blend
- A delectable kabob recipe
- …and more!
One of the best things about a backyard pool party is that they are naturally casual so enable the host to enjoy the event as well. Here are a couple of our general party tips:
- Mail the invitations. It’s a nice touch that immediately makes the upcoming event just that more special. Both the Stationery Studio and Vistaprint have fun templates to customize. Most people have busy summers or are planning a getaway so try to mail them out with a good deal of advance notice.
- Create a Facebook page. Add the page link to the invite and then pre-party, you can show pics of the preparation and hints about the menu or details about the prizes the Best Costume or Best Karaoke Performance will win. Post-party, guests can upload all the pics they took to share the festivities from their perspective.
- Hire a cook. You don’t need Wolfgang Puck to whip up and serve his signature pan-seared beef fillets “au poivre” with red wine sauce. But you could hire someone to man the grill for a few hours to give you time to enjoy your own party.
- Assemble goodie bags. The kids go home with them all the time, it would be fun for the adults too. Your goodies could range from a Hangover Cure Kit containing a liquid-filled eye mask that can be frozen, a bottle of Gatorade, and a pack of Advil. Or it could be a Fun in the Sun Kit containing lip balm with a good SPF, a tube of sunscreen, and a koozie to keep their water bottle cold.
- Safety. Whether Uber or Lyft, encourage your guests to use a car service to and from the party.
We love when our clients send us pics of events like their inaugural BBQ or the backyard wedding they’ve hosted for one of their children. For us, it’s what makes our business an incredibly special one.
We love the difference we can make for your family by providing something that puts years of memories within reach. Call 877-754-5966 for more information.
