Summer means outdoor entertaining. Whether you’re hosting a wedding reception, a family reunion or a birthday party, you’ll want to make the backyard get-together memorable. Here are some quick DIY ideas to help you get ready for a fun, stress-free gathering.
Lawn prep
A healthy green lawn is an inviting setting for outdoor activities. If your lawn isn’t quite up to snuff, a little last-minute maintenance can help. Following are some tips from Grass Seed USA, a coalition of American grass seed farmers and academics:
Creating the ambiance
Beyond the table arrangements (linens, tableware, flowers) you’ll want to think about creating a comfortable ambiance for your guests. Here are a few ideas to consider:
Choosing activities
Your get-together likely already has some built-in activities (eating, for one!), but depending on the type of event, you may want to have a few additional distractions planned, especially if there are kids at the party. Try a few of these:
One of the great advantages of entertaining outdoors is that it’s usually easier and less stressful than trying to fit a large group into your home. So keep things simple and don’t worry if you don’t have time for elaborate preparations, your backyard will naturally do most of the decorating and ambiance creation for you, and you’ll have plenty of options for outdoor activities for kids of all ages.