Everything you should know before attending a Southern social event
We’re on an entirely different level
Attending any social event comes with some sort of stress, whether it’s picking an outfit or deciding who to go with. But the South boasts an entirely different level of social events – and it’ll blow your red and white checkered picnic blankets out of the water.
In the South, “casual” dress codes don’t always mean casual and crowds can make the “picnic” seem more like a music festival. Here’s everything you need to know about attending your first Southern social event.
This is what I should have worn
Don’t be underdressed
Even when you are told it’s a casual event, jeans or comfy clothes of any kind are not a good idea. Think white pants, white dresses and nice tops. Even the children playing on the inflatables will be in polos and khakis. Casual dress in the world of the Old South means at least dressed up enough to attend a fancy dinner. Pack accordingly.
A ‘small crowd’ doesn’t always mean small
Just as the words “casual dress” can be misleading at a Southern social event, the words “small crowd” may also have different meaning than what you might think. A “small crowd” for an outdoor event sometimes means at least two or three hundred people. The crowd might be a little overwhelming at first, but as long as you smile and say “hi” to all the people who wave, and you know the people you’re with, you’ll be fine.
This is not the crowd. Just a pretty picture of the mountains.
Expect good food
When you go to a party this big, you aren’t expecting the food to knock your socks off. It’s hard to prepare enough food for so many people and it’s especially hard to prepare good food. If you’ve ever attended an event with two to four hundred people, you’ll know how much food it takes to feed them.
Frozen food thrown in giant ovens for a few minutes seems like the way to go. Not in the South. Think big grills cooking up your burgers, huge smokers for the barbecue and endless wait staff making sure the cookie table and ice cream bar are well manned and stocked. The buffet is almost restaurant quality and will make you come back for seconds.
Expect extras
After the dinner, the band starts to play. The bouncy castles don’t come down until dark and the dancing doesn’t end until long after that. The fireworks start up around 10pm and you don’t get home until the wee hours of the morning. Expect lots of love and laughter and good old fashioned Southern hospitality.
Congratulations! You’ve successfully attended your first Southern social event. Time to find some white pants for next weekend.