7 Tips to Take Your Backyard Party Up a Notch

My brood and I love hosting friends and family at our house and during the summer season get-togethers seem to happen almost weekly. Today I am sharing my 7 tips for taking your patio space and outdoor entertaining to another level.

Light it Up

Keep the party going long after dark! Use lanterns and candles on the table or hang around your outdoor space. Or string plenty of twinkly hanging lights wherever you can — in trees, along fences, throughout foliage, under coverings or umbrellas. It allows guests to feel comfortable once the sun goes down, creates a cozy feeling throughout your outdoor space and also sets an ambiance where everyone feels (and looks) their best!

Deal With Pests

Set out a pretty pail offering sunscreen and repellant for your guests, they’ll feel taken care of and appreciate the gesture… and it doesn’t take long to add this special touch. To take bug repellent to the next level, create your own luminaries that smell great (for us!) and keep bugs at bay.

Items needed for these DIY Bug Repellant Luminaries:

Lemongrass or Rosemary Essential Oil
Small Jars
Tea Light Candles
Fresh Lemons or Limes
Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary, Basil, or Lavender
Water

To Assemble:

Start by slicing your lemon and limes. Place a couple slices in each jar.
Place two sprigs of the herb of choice in your jar and add water to about 3/4 of the way full.
Add 10-15 drops of essential oil and swirl to mix.
Add more water to fill the jar.
Place a tea light candle on top.

You can use these for a few days, so make a day or two before your outdoor event for a fresh, bug repelling scent and be prepared ahead of time!

Make it Cozy

Don your outdoor space with soft pillows and blankets. Set up seating areas to encourage conversation. If you want to go even further you could invest in some nice white shears and hang them around your patio.

Have Drinks at the Ready

This is where you can have fun and create a signature drink for your gathering, or set up a station to make each guest feel like their own mixologist. Recently we’ve been loving our soda stream machine and even the kids get into making fun drinks for themselves and our guests. Elevate your drink station even more by having trays for essentials, like empty glasses, toppings and mix-ins nearby. Bowl of sliced fruit, simple syrups and fun straws are always an appreciated extra touch.

Make it Fun

Use butcher block paper or craft paper rolled out on the tables. Besides keeping the look casual, it makes the center of your entertaining area crafty. Add in some crayons and even the adults will have a good time at the table, now matter what the conversation. Plus, it makes clean up a breeze!

Spruce up the Table

While you’re at it, it doesn’t take much to spruce up the table by switching out plain paper plates for cute tableware! I like to choose stylish design with the everyday unbreakable functionality… especially when outdoors and with kids!