Once the heat of the summer spills across the land, people scramble to find their next pool party invitation. One of the primary obstacles for pool owners to overcome in these warm summer weeks is keeping their pool party ideas fresh for adults. Today, the experts at Latham offer a few tips to make your next adult swimming pool party a splash.
Set the Tone
Whether you want to go all-out formal or just gather some friends to linger around the pool for an evening, the way you invite people to your party sets the tone for your event. Consider whether a group text, social media post or Facebook invitation will capture the imagination of your guests. In the event that you’re angling for a theme or formal party, sending real invitations through the mail is often a better choice.
Preparation
Once you’ve invited everyone to your adult pool shindig, it’s important to line up the activities and decorate appropriately. If you’re having a themed party, go nuts with decorating to suit that theme, but if you’re just having a bunch of people over, focus on making sure everything is clean and organized for your guests. It’s also worth remembering to have your pool cleaned and get any scheduled maintenance or lingering issues addressed before you have a patio full of guests.
Light it up
One of the keys to setting the tone for a great party is lighting. If your adult pool party is during the full sun of the day, this is a little less relevant, but for many of us, planning an adult party means starting in the evening and carrying on into the night. You can use a number of innovative techniques to give your pool party a perfect glow, including:
Menu matters
Consider the catering carefully. Buffet tables are great, but a series of snack stations on all sides of the pool will encourage people to mingle. If you’re stumped for easy foods to offer, consider:
- Melon skewers *add prosciutto for some extra flavor!
- Build your own Charcuterie board
- Two-Bite Deserts
- Cocktail/Mocktail Pitchers
Be sure guests are aware of the menu before you get started. And when someone offers to bring something, provide a quick response that gets you genuine help on the day.
Finishing touches
For a truly great adult pool party, think about the little things that make it so much easier to enjoy your time at someone else’s pool and consider:
- Dot the deck with towels, goggles, swim caps and sunscreen
- Put up a temporary cabana to provide extra changing space
- Offer simple games – variations on classics from ping pong to poker are available in floating varieties
- Choose a fun soundtrack – search “Latham Pools” on Spotify!
We hope this blueprint for an adult pool party inspires you to entertain. If there is anything a pool professional can do to improve your enjoyment of your pool this season, contact us today.
Editor’s note: Originally published 8/2015.
Join the discussion