Plan a Backyard Party

When it comes to laid-back, warm-weather entertaining, look no further than your own backyard. Make your next outdoor party fabulous and fuss-free with tips and ideas from two clever pros.

By Melissa Macron

+ Enlarge Photo

– Shrink Photo

Roll Out the Fun

"Have drinks ready to hand to guests the minute they arrive," says Liess. Afterwards, the rest of the drinks can be self-serve and available at various stations in the yard, so guests don't have to wait for beverages or get clogged up in one spot. Use a brightly colored backyard staple, like a wheelbarrow, as a clever cooler for bottles of beer. Flowerpots and sand buckets are some more playful, summery places to stash icy bottles and cans. Photo courtesy of Lauren Liess.