Planning a party - Be a good sport!

Starting with the football World Cup there is just no getting away from it, the nation will be going sport crazy this summer. Love it or loathe it, if you are planning a party between now and September chances are that somebody will want to watch the sport. The World Cup clashing with weddings is a four-yearly problem and we have already shared our advice with brides who have fallen foul of the fixtures here. In this blog, however, we are going to look at how you can be a “good sport” and embrace the sporting excitement without actually having to watch it. Whether you are arranging a birthday party, family event, hen-do or just want an excuse for a get-together, sporting events can provide fantastic inspiration. Make sure your invitations let your guests know any arrangements you are making for the sport and reflect your theme. There are two sporting events coming up that play to our love of fashion and summer living. Be inspired by the fashions of Royal Ascot (June 17th to 21st June) and get the girls together in best dresses, hats and heels and sit in the park drinking bubbly. Many race courses now have a ladies day, so if you are arranging your hen do later in the summer look out for Newmarket in July and York in August. The great British tradition of Wimbledon starts at the end of June. Whether it is the rippling muscles or strawberries and cream, tennis at Wimbledon has more appeal than many sports. We hope Andy Murray will give us the chance to get the flags out and celebrate with a Wimbledon inspired tea-party. All you need are scones, strawberries, cream and Pimms (or a good cup of tea) and some umbrellas. Invite the family and I can guarantee that when rain stops play granny will sing Cliff Richard songs like a trooper and shout “Come on Tim” even without the tennis on TV! Then there is Le Tour. Up until Britain became good at cycling and a Brit actually won it, the Tour De France was a bit of a continental mystery to us. Now the biggest annual sporting event is coming here. I will be out there on the streets wearing my best yellow lycra as the route goes virtually past my house. Given that the peloton (even I’m catching the lingo) will go past in the blink of an eye, I will also be packing up my baguette, brie and Beaujolais and heading off for a French-styled picnic with family. Yellow and green will be the colours of the summer. Annoy the fellas by having an alternative footie party – you can take all the good bits of Brazil – sun, samba, spicy chicken, cocktails- and party without having to watch the match. Then we hope a bit of Jamaican lightning will hit Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games – Jamaica’s colours: yellow and green; most important jerseys in the Le Tour – yellow and green. There’s a bit of a theme here. So if you want to party this summer embrace the sport. Some of your guests will actually like the sport and want to watch it, let them know and plans you’ve put in place for viewing - they are more likely attend the whole party rather than sneaking off to the pub or arriving late.