Hosting a gathering is a great way to bring your friends together and have a good time. It’s also a lot more complicated to organise than it may seem at face value. Sure, you could plug your favourite Spotify playlist in and have everyone enjoy a few drinks in the lounge room. But if you want your gathering to stand out and have a little extra pizzazz, you’re going to need to set the mood. That’s why we’ve put together this list of tips for creating a charming ambience at your next event:
Serve Quality Drinks
While asking guests to BYO may be more economical, offering some nice wine will go a long way to setting the mood. This can be done without breaking the budget by subscribing to one of the best Australian wine clubs. The bonus here is that you’ll have a variety of options, so you can select the bottle (or three) that best suits the mood you want to create.
Don’t Forget The Snacks
By the same token, the type of snacks you serve will also impact the tone that is set. Bowls of chips, for example, give a casual aesthetic, while cheese boards and small cooked items add an air of sophistication. Consider creating some canapés to have scattered around the room—they’re surprisingly easy to make, especially if you’re working with the best frying pans in Australia and a helper or two in the kitchen.
Lighting Is Everything
When it comes to setting the mood, lighting is everything. If you want a space to feel fresh and bold, bright cool lights are best. Meanwhile, if you’re trying to create a calmer, more inviting ambience, warmer lighting at a lower level will be perfect. We suggest making use of indoor and outdoor accent lights to create different levels. This adds considerably to the ambience.
Comfort Comes First
Another thing to remember when curating your space for a gathering is that you’ll need plenty of comfortable seating options for all guests. Cushions are a great way to do this if you don’t have enough seating for everyone. As a bonus, they can add a nice, relaxed vibe to the space. Bean bags can also be useful on this front, but it depends on what kind of event you’re looking to create.
Choose The Right Tunes
Yes, we know we promised we’d be going beyond the playlist, but selecting music isn’t just about choosing what you want to listen to. The right tunes can set the mood perfectly and completely change the vibe of a space, so it’s important that they don’t become an afterthought.
Instead of a set-and-forget playlist that’s at risk of dragging you down a strange musical rabbit hole, select your entire night’s soundtrack mindfully. Consider soft jazz, for example, to create a soothing and sophisticated ambience. To make the event more lively, opt for techno, minimal tech, or old-school hip hop.
Have Somewhere Secure For People To Place Their Belongings
Nothing kills the mood faster than someone losing their keys or coat. The easiest way to avoid this is to set up a safe and specific area for everyone to leave their belongings. We suggest a room or space close to the front door, so everyone remembers to grab their things on the way out.
Organising a gathering is a complex task with a lot of moving parts that must be in alignment to create the vibe you’re looking for. Be sure to select elements that align with the type of feeling you’re trying to create, and most importantly, have fun.
