6 easy makes and updates to make your summer party a success!

Set up a pop-up photo studio

Make memories by setting up
a photo booth and taking photos
of friends. If you have a tree, use it
to hang frames for friends to pose in, and pop the photos in a pretty
bag as a gift for them to take home.

Shoot and see the results straight away with FujiFilm’s Instax Mini 70
instamatic camera, £99, Jessops. It’s got a Selfie Mode that adjusts
the brightness for perfect self portraits, and you can check your
framing with the mirror next to the lens. The film packs are widely
available – a pack of 20 sheets costs £19.99 at Jessops.

With everyone’s smartphones at the ready, a budget-friendly alternative is the selfie stick!

Buy a set of props to add to the fun. Party Pieces sells themed photo
booth kits, from £2.99, including everything from princess tiaras and
pirate hats to superhero accessories.

Set the scene

Wax lighting tapers, £6.50 for 200g, Price’s range, John Lewis; for similar galvanised bucket try the Harris, £7.99, Homebase

Bring a touch of beach-barbecue
chic to your get-together with elegant tapers that will flicker in the
evening breeze. Fill two-thirds of a large galvanised bucket with fine
sand,
then insert the tapers before lighting.

Personalised pieces

Try Typewriter Letter stamps, £10, Hobbycraft

Use alphabet stamps to add messages or your guests’ names to wooden
napkin rings. Slip a rolled-up napkin inside each one and pop them in
a jug or flowerpot. Loosely tie knives and forks together with ribbon.

Host a garden movie night

Outdoor cinema screenings are big news this summer, but it’s easy to create your own in your garden.
Invest in a projector. A second-hand one will do, or go one better with Vivitek’s Qumi Q6 portable projector, £480, Personal Projector. Connect a video source (either
a DVD player or a laptop) to the projector, then plug some speakers into your video source, too.
Choose a dark area of the garden away from outdoor lights and your neighbours’ houses, then peg a white sheet to a washing line – it’s all you need for a cinema screen. Secure
it so it doesn’t move in the breeze.
Make a cosy viewing area by laying a groundsheet on the grass, then add blankets, cushions and beanbags to up the comfort factor.

Let guests help themselves

For similar ice bucket and stand try, Ice bucket with tray, £79.99, Wayfair

Create a relaxed atmosphere by setting up a drinks station where people can help themselves. Chill bottles in an ice bucket for cool drinks on a sunny afternoon.

Create a colourful centrepiece

For similar vase try Large Jar Vase, £30, Rockett St.George

Whilst flowers always brighten up the table, for summer long colour, invest in plants to create a an arrangement in a jar or terrarium that will last until party season next year!