The August Bank Holiday is summer’s last great excuse to throw a party. So use it.
Whether your bank holiday party is a long garden lunch, cocktails that accidentally become dinner, or a full-blown celebration that carries on long after the sun disappears, there’s one thing we know after almost 40 years of creating events: great parties don’t just happen.
They’re thought about. Choreographed. And then made to look completely effortless.
So, before the first bottle is opened, here are our TLC golden rules for throwing a bank holiday party people actually want to stay at.
1. Start With the People
Forget the flowers for a minute.Who’s coming?
The best parties start with the right mix of people. The storytellers. The listeners. The ones who’ll get everybody dancing. And perhaps one or two who should never really be seated next to each other. Think of your guest list as casting.
Because you can have the best food, biggest bar and most spectacular setting in the world, but people create the atmosphere.
TLC Tip: Don’t invite 50 because you feel you should. Twenty fabulous people will beat 50 polite acquaintances every time.
2. Don’t Decorate. Create an Atmosphere.
A garden is a garden. Until the lights go on.
Lighting is one of the quickest ways to completely change a space. Festoon lights overhead, lanterns through the garden, candles everywhere. Suddenly your everyday terrace feels like somewhere else entirely.
And don’t be afraid to push an idea. We’ve previously transformed a client’s tennis court into a candlelit Moroccan paradise, complete with Berber rugs and oud-scented lanterns.
If guests walk in and gasp, you’re doing something right.
3. Give Them Something Better Than a Burger this Bank Holiday
We love a barbecue. But Bank Holiday entertaining can be so much more interesting than standing around waiting for somebody to announce whether the chicken is cooked.
Think food stations. Sharing dishes. Mini lobster rolls. Gazpacho shots. An Eton Mess bar where guests create their own dessert. Food should be part of the entertainment, not simply something you serve halfway through it.
TLC Tip: Bring some theatre to it. Let guests see food being prepared, finished or served. It’s another reason to gather and talk.
4. Give the Bar Some Personality
A signature drink immediately makes a party feel considered.
It doesn’t need to be complicated. Pick one great cocktail, give it a fabulous name and serve it properly. And give the non-drinkers the same treatment. Nobody wants to be handed a warm orange juice while everyone else is drinking something spectacular.
Our only non-negotiable? Champagne belongs in a glass.Always.
5. Sort the Soundtrack Before the Doorbell Rings
Music changes everything.
Start relaxed while people arrive, then gradually turn things up as the evening moves on. Better still, bring in something live. A jazz trio. Acoustic singer. DJ. String quartet playing something nobody expects.
It doesn’t have to be a headline act. Music colleges are full of brilliant emerging performers and even a short live set can completely change the energy of a party.
6. Have One Trick Up Your Sleeve
This is the bit people remember.
A magician appears between courses. A crêpe cart arrives after dark. Espresso martinis appear around the firepit at midnight. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
In fact, one of Liz’s golden rules is: Luxury is in the surprise, not just the spend.
7. And Please, Enjoy Your Own Party
Possibly the most important rule.
Nobody wants to watch their host disappear into the kitchen for three hours before emerging furious because somebody has used the wrong serving spoon.
Cheat.
Buy the nibbles. Put them in fabulous bowls. Decant the dips. Light the candles. Pour yourself a drink. Nobody needs to know.
Your guests will take their cue from you. If you’re relaxed and having fun, chances are they will be too.
The Golden Rule of a Bank Holiday Party
Don’t spend so much time creating the perfect party that you forget to be part of it.
Plan it. Style it. Add a little theatre. Then when the first guest arrives? Stop organising and start enjoying.
Because summer isn’t quite over yet.
And frankly, that’s reason enough to open the Champagne.
Need more party inspiration? We’re just getting started. Explore more TLC ideas, advice and real events across our website, then come and give us a brief to play with.