When the British summer is playing ball, there’s no better place in the world. Long, warm evenings, the smell of newly cut grass, Pimms, strawberries and cream – what’s not to love? Unfortunately, as every organiser knows, this isn’t always how it pans out. The weather is one of the few things you have absolutely no control over, so when you’re planning your summer party, how do you make sure all your hard work doesn’t go to waste?
Indoor option
You can’t hold a summer party without having some sort of covered area, be it a room inside or a marquee in your outdoor area. Always imagine the worst-case scenario and plan for your guests to spend the majority of their time in this space. Before you commit to a venue, ask yourself, does it work on its own if your outside area needs to be completely abandoned? Every outdoor event booking at Regent’s comes with a beautiful, ivory marquee which resides on our York Lawns throughout the summer season. Its sides can be rolled up or down, allowing you to either let the weather in, or shut it out.
Activities and entertainment
Practical considerations might prohibit some of your activities – donkey rides and softball matches, for example – from coming inside, so ensure you have a range of fun and games that will keep guests entertained wherever they end of spending their time. Before the day, you’ll also need to speak with any external suppliers and your venue staff about their rules and regulations as far as inclement weather goes. They might have policies in place which will take decisions out of your hands and you need to be fully aware of them. At Regent’s, we have a full wet weather plan agreed with all clients before the event, so there are no surprises.
Rain
A light drizzle on a warm day doesn’t mean your guests need to head inside. Be prepared and supply umbrellas – tied in with your colour theme or branded to make a feature of them. A sea of colourful brollies might not be exactly what you had in mind when you were planning the day, but it will look great in photographs and shows your guests that you’re considerate hosts.
Heat
Everyone has a friend who’s always cold. (You know the sort. Insists on having the heating on all year round and wearing their coat in the car.) Keep them in mind as you consider the comfort of your guests. Being cold is miserable, especially if it’s for any length of time and even on the hottest British summer day, it only takes a small amount of cloud cover to plunge the temperature into the ‘not pleasant’ zone. Be generous with your allocation of heaters, fire pits and warm indoor space. It’s also worth supplying a number of shawls for your female guests as they are likely to have bare arms.
Little extras
Your guests might appreciate hairdryers in the bathroom. Even fine drizzle can cause havoc with temperamental hairstyles. It’s also a nice idea to serve hot drinks later on in the evening – warm cider or hot chocolate – to thaw out cold guests and inject a second wind into flagging party goers.
A helping hand
The events team at Regent’s hosts dozens of summer parties every year and has the expertise to offer support with any logistic or creative decisions you might need help with. Get in touch today to discuss your ideas.
For booking enquiries please call the number below, or use our online booking form
