Spring has arrived, the weather is great and your friends are starting to wonder when you plan to invite them over for your first cookout.
Maybe you’re like me and it’s those gatherings with the people who really matter in your life that makes spring and summer complete. You aim for perfection, but you know there’s always some nagging little hurdle to overcome.
Having long ago accepted the inevitability of the unexpected problem cropping up, I tend to prepare in advance of any outdoor gathering. Just before the event I ensure the grill has plenty propane available (even purchasing a spare tank if things are questionable) and I test light it and let it burn for 10 or 15 minutes.
I run through a quick check-list to cover available beverages and food (always buying a bit extra for the additional guest who may accompany one of my planned visitors). Finally, I check the fuel in my tiki torches and test light them.
Did he just say he tests his tiki torches? Yes he did. Though you may think that’s a bit unusual, setting a mood is one of those subtle but critical elements to hosting a great party and I’ve been unpleasantly surprised by my lighting choice in the past by torches that wouldn’t light, so they’re part of the check list.
It’s the little things that get you in the end. Though there isn’t much to tiki torches beyond a wick, fuel reservoir and the stick to hold them up, these deceptively simple critters can suffer from performance anxiety for several reasons. The obvious one being lack of fuel, but that’s not the only reason. So, lesson learned, I test them.
But is all really lost just because a few lousy torches wouldn’t light? Of course not, but my goals won’t be met as lighting plays such a critical part in the overall design of my yard.
A dramatically accent-lit yard pulls everything together. Whether its a tropical paradise (what I’m shooting for), or painting with light in a formal setting elegantly lit by professional landscape light ing, you really lose something when it’s missing.
It’s a little like erasing Mona Lisa’s hint of a smile or fixing the foundation under the Leaning Tower of Pisa. What you’re left with is still beautiful and artistic, but diminished for the absence of that special something that makes it memorable. The devil is in the details, folks.
And that’s just the day-of prep. For advanced, dig deeper. This is the opportunity to look beyond the food you’ll be serving and think about atmosphere.
Lighting, particularly in-ground lighting, requires taking the time to plan. Do you want something classy? Perhaps the mysterious or fanciful is more your speed. Whatever setting you’re going for, try to make it an escape from everyday life for both you and your guests.
Evening events depend on lighting both for the safety of your guests but also for the atmosphere the lights create. I use tiki torches because I want to set a tropical feel, but in-ground, low-voltage lighting can amazing results. Invest the time to learn about various lighting techniques such as accent lighting and moonlighting and then build your paradise.
In taking the time to plan and carefully implement your landscaping and outdoor lighting objectives well in advance of entertaining guests, you present an event that becomes supremely memorable.
Rather than just raving about your mastery of the grill, your guests will leave your event feeling they’ve just enjoyed a vacation from their everyday lives. And guess what they’ll be daydreaming about the following Monday at work. Providing, of course, you remembered to test your lighting before they arrived.
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