Hosting the Ultimate BBQ Party

If you’re someone who takes their fun seriously, it may not be enough for you to have just a BBQ party, but to have the best and ultimate one for your friends and family. Your reputation as a host is on the line, and you don’t want to take planning the upcoming one lightly. Here are a few ideas for you to consider to take your gathering to the next level!

Plan early

Although a party is fun business, hosting the ultimate BBQ party demands a lot of time for deliberation and proper planning. Who are you going to invite? How long will the party be? Will it be in the day or evening? Where are you hosting the gathering? What kinds of meat and dishes are going to be served? What’s the budget? Is your best friend able to come? Do you have people from work you have to impress?

There’s a million things to consider and worry about, but as long as you start early, organise your thoughts and categorise different tasks appropriately, it should be much easier to handle.

Firstly, the who. How many guests are you expecting? Who will be coming? Are they close friends, acquaintances, family, colleagues? Try to confirm the attendance for your party as early as possible, as this will affect other decisions like location (whether there will be enough space for everyone), food (any dietary restrictions), budget (what’s the estimated total cost of feeding everyone), and so on.

Next, decide on time and location. If you have the luxury of hosting within your own house, you are able to decide for yourself when and where you can organise the party. If you are booking a pit from your housing management, or from a public park, make sure to nail down the timings and locations early to apply for relevant permits. Public park pits require you to book for a BBQ pit permit through the National Parks Board, for example. Additionally, if your location is outdoors, do plan for any case of wet weather, such as identifying the nearest shelter.

Thirdly, the food. Depending on your guestlist, decide what kind of meat is appropriate to be served to be respectful of your guests’ dietary needs. Also, consider the taste preferences of your guests, if you know them well enough. Adjust different flavours such as salt and spice levels so that everyone can enjoy the food to their liking, and choose dishes that may be their favourites to serve. Make sure to go grocery shopping or pre-order your food early so that you don’t panic a few days before the party, which would totally not be a vibe.

Lastly, with all this in mind, plan your budget and costs. Although we would all like to not hold back when treating our loved ones and having fun, money is a limitation we cannot forget. Do plan wisely so that you are able to deliver the best experience without breaking the bank!

Have a theme

Not all BBQ parties need to be laid back, no-frills gatherings. If you and your guests are feeling it, you may consider having a theme for the party as well!

You can decide to dress up according to different themes, such as your favourite superheroes, clothes from different historical eras, different movie themes, or even special holidays such as Halloween and Christmas, if your party occurs close to them. Wouldn’t it be an amusing sight to see Thor or Santa Claus working the grill?

To take it up a notch, you can even organise a voting segment during the day for the Best Dressed, to encourage everyone’s competitiveness and party spirit.

As for decor, you can choose to splurge a little on custom decorations that fit your theme, or even DIY to save costs. Your guests will definitely appreciate your dedication to the theme, and recognise your effort in making their experience as immersive and entertaining as possible.

Music make us move

Music adds much to a party’s atmosphere, and as such, your music choice is not to be taken lightly. You may consider the different music preferences of your guests, as some may prefer K-Pop, Chinese ballads, electronic dance music, techno, rock, pop or even lounge music. Make a custom playlist prior to the party, prepare a good speaker, and blast everyone’s favourite songs to your heart’s content. If you know that your loved one particularly likes a specific song, why not do song dedications throughout the night as well?

You can consider appointing one of your trusted friends as “DJ” of the night to control the music playlist, and your guests can have fun putting in song requests throughout the party for the DJ to play.

Party entertainment

While the food may be delicious, and music heart thumping, a BBQ party is not complete without party games and entertainment. It can be as simple as providing a TV to stream shows and movies, having card games like poker and UNO, board games, drinking games, charades, and so on.

If you want to take it up a notch, you can even hire professionals like hosts, magicians, clowns, and performers to your party for that extra kick. Better yet, why not have your guest take turns to perform their talents in an impromptu talent show? Don’t be shy to propose any fun idea that comes to mind! Having good food, great music and awesome entertainment would make your party the complete package.

Most importantly, what makes your BBQ party the Ultimate one for you and your guests depends on what suits you all. After all, if the company’s right and the conversation’s flowing, there is not much more to be desired in a party. You can definitely try to implement a few out of the box ideas for your next party, but don’t forget to enjoy yourself while in the midst of all the planning and organising. The party may be to impress, but it’s also yours to enjoy, so have fun!