With Memorial Day behind us, it finally feels like I can say summer is here. And that means outdoor entertaining. I don’t think there’s anything better than enjoying an evening on the patio with family and friends. When we moved into our house 7 years ago the interior was, for the most part, done. They yard on the other hand left a lot to be desired, but it had potential. Being in MN, we spend every single minute we can outside during the warmer months. We definitely don’t take this weather for granted and that’s why I wanted to make our backyard something special. It’s become my happy place over the past few years, and we’ve thrown many parties. With that much entertaining, I’ve become efficient at setting up the space and no longer spend the whole day prepping only to be exhausted by the time guests start to arrive. I thought I’d share what I do to prep and make the event go smoothly.

First, designate your spaces. Think about the flow of your guests, don’t crowd everything to one table. Create stations so your guests will mingle and have anchors to hang out near. I like to create a bar area, food table, and (if applicable) dessert table.

Second, don’t offer too much of anything. Meaning, you don’t need 16 different drink options or so much food you could feed a small country. I like to choose one or two wines, maybe one premixed cocktail and water. This usually pleases everyone and you won’t spend the night fetching more of something specific or tending bar. Same with food, I like to choose a theme for the food and then create a few dishes or appetizers. For example, I’ve done a French theme complete with ham and cheese mini baguettes, a cheese board with meat and fruit included, and maybe macrons or crepes for dessert. Simple, but the theme ties it together and makes it feel like you did a lot more.

Third, dress your space. You don’t need to spend a fortune to make your space look magical. Cut flowers and branches go a LONG way to making the space feel special. I like to use milk bottles and pitchers filled with flowers from my yard. I place them on each of the tables and around the space to tie it all together.

Finally, set the mood with music. We have a small bluetooth speaker we set on the deck to create ambient background music. Choose a playlist that fits the energy you want to evoke, but remember to keep the volume low. You want it to be in the background, not so loud your guests will have to shout to speak to each other.

And there you have it! You’ve just thrown a successful and stress-free backyard party! Let me know what other tips you use to make entertaining outdoors easy.

Here are few of my favorite summer wines and cocktails:

• Any Rosé from Côtes de Provence - but a favorite of mine is Fleur de Mer.

• White Wine - I love a good Chardonnay and Rancho Vinēdo from Rancho Ontiveros makes a delicious one. Another good option that pleases a crowd is the white blend from Tablas Creek.

• Premix a summer drink like red or white Sangria, Gin/Vodka Lemonade Punch or margaritas

• You can find more of my favorite cocktails here and they can all be made in large batches for big gatherings.