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Summer Party Ideas – Page 2
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Plan Your Summer Parties

Volume 4 Issue 6
In This Issue
– Southern Drawls and Bendy Straws
– 2013 Summer Party Trends
– Have S’more Fun
– Camping Party in Style




Southern Drawls & Bendy Straws
Backyards seem to be the perfect setting for spring and summer parties. Read More »


Summer Party Trends for 2013
It’s that time! It’s time to start planning your summer parties. Read More »

Have S’more Fun
Planning a kid’s birthday party can leave mommies scratching their heads. Read More »


Camping Party in Style
When you think of camping, you immediately think of it being a party for little boys.  Read More »

Planning a Summer Party?

Follow These Tips for a Successful Party

Summertime parties are such a blast! There are so many themes and party ideas you can go with. However, there are a few tips you must keep in mind. So, Wedding and Party Network is here with 4 tips for planning a summer party.

  • Know Your Budget – It’s important to know how much you can spend first. That will help decide who to invite, theme and logistics of your party.
  • Who’s Invited? – Depending on your budget, it can be a big or small party. If it’s small, invite your closest friends. However, if it’s on a larger scale, invite the neighborhood!
  • What’s Your Theme? – Summer offers plenty of party themes. Just remember your budget when you start picking a theme.
  • Backup Plan – Weather is so unpredictable during the summertime. One night, you’ll have a hot night, the next it will be cool. One hour it will be pouring rain, while the next you’ll have sunshine for days. Always have a backup plan.

We want to hear about your weddings and parties!
Share them with us!

You’re Engaged! Now It’s Time for Photos

Engagement photos should show your two different personalities, but also capture the personality of you together as a couple. So, the outfit you wear will really make an impact on the way your photos show off your personality.

  1. Don’t be too matchy-matchy. Pick colors that coordinate.
  2. Choose colors that compliment your personality. If you’re fun and outgoing, go with bright colors. Maybe you’re not such a bold person. If not, go for pastels.
  3. Have fun! Don’t be afraid to wear loud jewelry, colorful shoes, and pretty hair accessories. Keep in mind, the more YOU your photos are, the more you will love them for years to come.

Your engagement photos should allow you to look back on the time when your photos were taken. You’ll be able to remember how much fun you were having, and you won’t remember any stressing about picking an outfit.

Read more about Engagement Photos

Set Your Spirit Free with Fragrant Acres’ Butterfly Farm
Picture it. Your wedding day. Standing at the altar in front of your adoring friends and family. With eyes locked, you both say the words “I do.” Suddenly, you are surrounded by dozens of fluttering butterflies. Read more about Fragrant Acres’ Butterfly Farm
For More Than Just a Party – BeYond Balloons
Great parties only happen occasionally, and for that, you want to be transported to a place that is anything but ordinary. Read More about BeYond Balloons
Let Pipers Photography Capture Your Wedding Day Story
One of the most important vendors to consider when planning a wedding is your photographer. Your photographer will give you lasting memories of every detail of your special day. Read More about Pipers Photography
Celebrate in Style at Na’kayshions Wedding & Event Center
Searching for a picturesque site for your wedding? If you are located near Cedar Hill, Texas, or anywhere in the Dallas area, Na’Kayshions Wedding & Event Center is your picture perfect venue. Read More about Na’Kayshions Wedding & Event Center


Colorful Event Decor
Crossroads Centerpiece,Creative Hand’s Flowers & Gifts
Balloon Columns, Crossroads Florist

Baseball Birthday Cake
Fresh Fruit,Catering by Georgianna
Entertainment, Event Envy


For more vendors in your area, visit Wedding And Party Network for all of your wedding and party planning needs!

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Summer Party Trends for 2013

It’s that time! It’s time to start planning your summer parties. What will you do this year? What themes will you choose for your summer parties? There are many trends to choose from this season. So, Wedding and Party Network has brought to you our favorite summer party trends for 2013.


Party Photobooth
Say Cheese Photo Booth
Vintage Inspired Party Decor
The Cupboard
Citrus Arrangements
Elizabeth’s Garden Santa Barbara Flower Shop

Neon Accents
Going “Green”
Plant a Memory
Fun Party Details
The BASH! Party Rentals and Sales

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Create a Simple and Stunning Dinner Party

It’s all about the little details that go into a dinner party that makes it truly stand out. Summertime is all about bringing the parties outdoors. It’s definitely time to use your outdoor space efficiently. However, do you think it might be a lot of work to bring your dinner party outdoors? Well, it’s definitely not and Wedding and Party Network has a few tips and ideas to create a simple, yet stunning outdoor dinner party.

Create a Beautiful Setting

Beautiful Outdoor EventIt’s all about creating a nice ambience in your backyard. So,what do you need to do to create this setting? Do you know someone who has a nice, white tent? If not, you can always create your own. Just find 4 poles and drape white fabric in the middle of it. Doing this in a nice rectangular area is nice to create room for that long dinner table. A white tent truly adds a bit of elegance to your outdoor dinner party and immediately helps set the tone.

Now that you have a beautiful white tent, it’s time to jazz it up a bit. Yes, this tent could definitely stand alone. However, what about draping some lights or even finding a chandelier to hang from the middle of the tent?

Another nice detail that will definitely help the tone is candles. Candles are an absolute must. You can either go with various types of candles. Set up tiki torches, lanterns to light up the pathway, hang clear plastic cups with fishing wire with led lights, string Christmas lights throughout the trees and scatter tealight candles down the table. It’s all about the lighting for this party.

Choosing the Right Colors

Now that you have all the basic elements, it’s time to choose your color scheme for this party. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any color combination for this party. If you’re definitely going for a formal affair, go with black. From there, you can pair black with anything. Choose white, pacific blue, hot pink, red or even a fun yellow. All of these colors would work.

Once you have chosen your party colors, you can start buying decor. Don’t think you have to go all out with the decor. Focus on finding vases that go with the theme and style of your dinner party. You can even take the vases or talk with your florist about the type of vases you would like and discuss them making an event centerpiece. All dinner parties need a beautiful arrangement to display.

Lets not forget about the tableware. Think about mixing and matching patterns. Find a striped black and white table-cloth and patterned tableware. You can go to your local party store and find acrylic plates and bowls. Mix and match the colors and patterns to create a beautiful statement on the table.

You see, it’s all in the details when creating a simple, yet stunning dinner party. It’s all about the details.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Decorations.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find party decorations near you!

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Exciting Party Games For Kids

Whether you are throwing a backyard party or a birthday party; kids need entertaining. Games are what make any party exciting, and kids love playing games and getting into it. However, what type of games do you feature at your party that aren’t overly done? Well Wedding and Party Network has a few games that will absolutely put the fun in any party.

Let Them Create Their Own CupcakesBackyard Scavenger Hunt – What kid won’t love running around the backyard searching for treasure? Children will love it! No matter what type of themed party you are having, you can create a scavenger hunt that goes with it. Hide little trinkets around the yard and have clues to go with them to reveal where the little trinkets are hiding around the yard.

Create Their Own Treats – Instead of creating treats for them, let them create their own treats. This will be a fun activity right before they have dessert. You can let them create their own cookies by having the dough already rolled out for them and letting them choose a cookie cutter and then decorate them with sprinkles and icing. However, you can also create miniature cakes or cupcakes and let them ice and decorate them as well. They’ll love creating their own treat and will absolutely enjoy eating it too!

Run An Obstacle Course – Turn your backyard into a fun obstacle course that the kiddos can run through. Again, this is a simple activity to set up, it just requires some planning on your part. Use hula hoops, foam pool noodles, rope, swing sets and kiddie pools to create your obstacles. You can definitely research some fun ones to set up online. Remember to get medals for the closing ceremony. An obstacle course is great for this summer, especially with the 2012 Summer Olympics right around the corner.

Let Them Get Artistic – If your child loves getting creative, let the kids paint a mural in their very own backyard. Prep your backyard with a large roll of white paper or even scatter canvases everywhere. Don’t forget to get washable paint and paint brushes and maybe even their own little art palette. Let them get together as a group and choose a theme, you can have one planned out, create a paint by numbers or just let them do their own thing. Whatever they choose, it will definitely be a work of art.

Create Stations – Instead of just choosing one party game, why not set up various stations around the yard that they can visit? You can set up jewelry making stations, friendship bracelet stations, lego table, art table, sand or water table. There are many options for stations. Just keep in the age group and what the kids enjoy to do. These stations will definitely keep everyone entertained throughout the party.

When wanting to create exciting games for the children, these 5 games will definitely do the trick. Just keep in mind what your child, as well as their friends, enjoy doing. You want to find games that fit their personality, as well as letting them do something fun and unique.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Decorations.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find party decorations near you!

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Outdoor Party Games for the Whole Family

Since you are spending more and more time outdoors, you definitely want to have some entertainment while you do. Well, there are tons of party games that you can take outdoors, some you may never thought could have been taken outdoors. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few games that the family will love playing outside.

Corn HolePatio Scrabble – Who doesn’t love a good game of scrabble? Well, this is a great game that you can put on your back patio and actually create it yourself. Pour concrete into a wooden frame and score to create the lines of the board. However, you could also use tiles as well. For the game pieces, all you need is baseboard trim wood, black vinyl lettering and wood stain to create the scrabble pieces. If you plan and get the right measurements, it’s a pretty simple game to put together and everyone will love it.

Outdoor Kerplunk – This game is definitely for the family to enjoy. Again, you can even create this fun game yourself. All you need is some wire fencing, lumber, plastic balls, plant stakes and some friends to help you create this game, as well as play it with afterwards. Here’s a link that will show you the DIY instructions on this fun game.

Outdoor Twister – Such a fun game and a super easy one to create in your very own backyard. Find spray paint or some washable paint and some circle patterns. Then spray away to create the game board. Such a fun game to play with everyone!

Corn Hole – Anyone can play this game. You don’t even have to create this game on your own, you can go to your local party store and buy it. However, you can also make this and create your own corn hole theme with your favorite sports team, since this game is popular at tailgates. You just need some bean bags, measure off the right distance and gather up a team to start playing this fun game.

Deck Boardgame – Create a unique boardgame or your favorite game on your very own deck. Use masking tape and then come up with some dice and creative names for each space. However, if you don’t want to create your own custom boardgame, stick with the classics like Monopoly.

These 5 outdoor party games are great for everyone! Of course, your guests will enjoy sitting around the patio and laughing. However, liven things up a bit and entertain everyone with some fun and festive party games.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Decorations.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find party decorations near you!

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5 Delicious Cupcakes for Summer

Cupcakes are an essential part of any party now. They truly are stand out and unique things are being done to cupcakes now. So, why not showcase some unique cupcakes at your next summer party. Skip out on the cake, which risks melting in the hot summer heat, and opt for cupcakes which is an easy dessert to serve. So, Wedding and Party Network has some must have summertime cupcakes.

Cheeseburger CupcakesThe Cheeseburger Cupcake – Summer is all about the BBQ’s and grilling out. Therefore, why not create a cupcake that resembles just that with a cheeseburger cupcake. Cheeseburgers are definitely staple pieces during the summer. They are easy to make, everyone likes them and they’re just yummy. These are also super simple to make.

All you need to do is make a vanilla cupcake, chocolate brownies, cut the vanilla cupcake in half, use a circle cookie cutter to cut patties out of the chocolate brownie and place that in the center. Of course, you need the condiments for the cheeseburgers. You can dye shredded coconut green for the lettuce or just dye icing red, yellow and green for the condiments. Assemble and you’ll have a cheeseburger cupcake.

Ice Cream Sundae Cupcake – Start with chocolate, strawberry and vanilla cupcake. Layer the batter in a cupcake liner to create a Neapolitan ice cream like cupcake. All you need to do to finish off the cupcake is to place whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry on top. For an extra special touch, add a fun little straw to the cupcake.

Margarita Cupcake – A refreshing margarita during the summertime is a must. However, why not switch it up a bit and go with a margarita cupcake instead. Basically, you take your basic vanilla cupcake, add some lime juice and top it off with some lime flavored icing, rim the cupcake with sugar and add a lime wedge for the finishing touch.

Ice Cream CupcakesWatermelon Cupcake –A juicy piece of watermelon during a hot summer day is always a delightful treat. So, why not infuse the flavor into a cupcake. They are really simply adorable and super easy to create. Again, you just take your favorite, basic vanilla cupcake and add a bit of watermelon flavoring to it. You can even add a bit of green food coloring to make it stand out. For the icing, use your favorite buttercream recipe and add a bit of pink and red to the icing until you get that watermelon color. For the watermelon seeds, just use black sprinkles. This will be a big hit at your next outdoor party!

Snowcone Cupcake – Snowcones are such refreshing treats to cool off with in the summer. Who wouldn’t want a snowcone cupcake? They are so cute and a great treat for summer. So, how do you make them? Prepare your cupcake batter and choose 3 colors that you would like to feature in your cupcake. Divide the batter into 3 bowls and use your food coloring to color the batter. Next, find cute cupcake liners and place the batter into the liner side by side. Just imagine how a snowcone looks.

For the cupcake icing, prepare your favorite recipe and again use those same 3 colors you used for the batter. How do you put the icing on? Again, just imagine how a snowcone looks with the round top and imitate that on top of the cupcake with the icing. Use colored sprinkles on top to create the ice look that you get with snowcones.

These 5 cupcakes will definitely be a must at your next summer party. They are all truly easy to make and represent everyone’s favorite treats of summertime.

This post is brought to you by Los Angeles Cupcake Bakeries.Not in Los Angeles, CA? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find cupcakes near you!

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Top 5 Best Picnic Foods

The sun is shining brightly, the weather is warm and you are looking for something wonderful to do on a Saturday afternoon. However, what do you want to do in this beautiful weather? Well, only one thing comes to mind and it’s a picnic with your family. This is a wonderful time to head out to the park and spend quality time with everyone. The main thing that comes to mind when planning a picnic is what do I pack. So, Wedding and Party Network has our top 5 best picnic foods to pack.

Delicious SandwichesFirst off, when packing for your picnic, remember that the foods needs to be easy to transport, the recipes should be simple to prepare and your picnic food needs to be fresh, simple and fun that’s infused with seasonal flavors.

1. Drink it up. Create a unique drink to carry with you to your picnic. Of course, stick with the basics like water, lemonade or soda. However, mix it up a bit with a refreshing punch or sangria. Try a punch recipe with some refreshing fruits that will quench your thirst. This is definitely appealing since it can be made a day or so ahead of time and really the longer it sits the better so the flavors have time to combine.

2. A refreshing salad. No picnic is complete without a salad. There are so many salads that you can fix and all are simple to create. You can go with a potato salad, dill potato salad, German potato salad, Asian inspired salad, Caesar salad or even create little salad singles. For a no plate, eat with your hand salad, use a leaf of lettuce and wrap the toppings inside, like a lettuce wrap. Simple to make and easy to transport with various ways to prepare.

3. Finger sandwiches are a given. Sandwiches are so simple to create and can be prepared several ways. You can either bring a variety of bread, meats, cheeses and condiments so everyone can create their own sandwich or you can make one big sandwich to bring at home. There are so many sandwiches you can come up with like, egg salad, chicken salad, avocado and tomato sandwich, Italian sandwiches, mini grilled cheese sandwiches and even meatball subs. You can even let everyone pick out their favorite sandwiches and make sure to bring all the supplies so they can create it. Sandwiches are a definite must.

4. Fruit is a great snack. Of course, you’re going to need snacks. Again, there is so much you can do with fruit. You can soak various fruit in wine, create fruit kabobs or just serve it on its own with a refreshing fruit dip. You can even do cut outs with fruits and stick it on a popsicle stick to create a unique fruit popsicle. Just slice off pieces of fruit and use cookie cutters to make different shapes. Fruit is just a great treat to snack on throughout the day.

Fruit Kabobs5. Dessert in a jar. Right now, the trend is all about food in a jar. So, why not jump on the bandwagon? It’s simple and creative. You can create cupcakes in a jar, brownie trifle in a jar, banana pudding in a jar or even cookies in a jar. This is just an easy dessert to transport and everyone gets their own personal serving.

These 5 picnic foods are all simple to transport and you have various ways in which you can prepare them. With so many options, everyone will be satisfied. However, if you’re still unsure or have no idea or you just don’t want to hassle with packing a picnic, you can always talk with your local caterer and they’ll have plenty of food ideas. So, spend your Saturday with a delicious and eventful picnic.

This post is brought to you by Cambridge Caterer.
Not in Cambridge, MA? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find a caterer near you!

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Lets Have A Picnic

The weather is beautiful and it’s time to get outdoors and have a celebration. You want to get your family outdoors and especially host parties outdoors as well. There are many great ideas and activities that you can do outdoors. A great activity that serves as wonderful time for the family and even makes a fun party is a picnic. You’ll find many ideas that you can do when creating a fun, outdoor picnic. So, Wedding and Party Network has a few tips to make your picnic a hit.

  1. Beautiful Picnic AreaMake you picnic interesting. Picnics are meant to be fun and a great time to spend outdoors. The essential idea for having a great picnic is creating unique food. Come up with creative finger foods, salads, sandwiches and dips. You can create an assorted cheese and fruit platter, create a sandwich and salad bar and research fun finger foods. It’s all about the food at your picnic.
  2. Don’t forget about the things you need to avoid at a picnic. Avoid bringing anything that may melt, unless you have plenty of ice to keep it cool. However, try to avoid ice cream and anything that is fragile when transporting, like layered cakes.
  3. Simplicity is key. Of course, you want to feature some unique dishes. However, keep most of the food pretty simple. You want simple prep, easy to transport, easy to eat and simple to clean up. Also, don’t forget to use plastic or paper plates and disposable utensils.
  4. It’s best to create a few good food items. Remember, you have to transport these items. Even if you are having a backyard picnic, you still have to transport the food outside and the more items you have, the more trips you have to make. So, make a few items well that are a favorite among everyone.
  5. Sometimes when you’re hosting a party, food is ready at different times. However, it’s best to stick with items that are ready to serve almost anytime and at the same time. Sandwiches, chips, dips, chilled appetizers and pasta salad.
  6. Plan ahead for your picnic. It’s always good to plan ahead for any party you’re planning. Plan how much food and for how many guests you are making it for. You don’t want to make too little or even too much.
  7. Keep everything chilled. Get your cooler ready with ice, ice packs and food containers. You don’t want anything to spoil or any condiments. So, make sure you have a cooler with plenty of ice. You may even want to pack two coolers, one for drinks and one for the food.
  8. Plan out what you must and mustn’t take with you to your picnic. Make sure and remember the items other than food, like hand wipes, bug spray, sunblock, sunglasses and bags to take stuff home in. However, it may be a smart idea to leave the radio, fire hazards and your family pet, especially if they aren’t trained on a leash.

A picnic is a great time to get outdoors and share this time with your family and friends. If you follow these few steps, your picnic will be a breeze and everyone will enjoy the quality time that you all spend together.

This post is brought to you by Houston Caterers.
Not in Houston, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find a caterer near you!

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Is Your Backyard Party Ready?

It’s that time of year again. The weather is beautiful and it’s time to get out of the house. Now is the ideal time to host all those wonderful outdoor parties with close family and friends. However, is your yard party ready? Since you’ve been indoors during the winter months, your yard may not be ready. Therefore, Wedding and Party Network has a few quick steps that will help get your yard party ready.

  1. Outdoor PartyChoose Your Colors – Just like everything else, you add accents to make your yard represent you. You want to bring your indoor style to your outdoor space as well. Therefore, it’s good to choose one or two colors that complement each other when picking out your outdoor accessories. Once you have your colors, you can pick out your outdoor accessories and plants according to the colors to help make your yard look more cohesive.
  2. Find The Right Lighting – Lighting truly sets the tone of any special event and it’s no different when it’s outdoors. If your spring or summer party plans to extend into the wee hours of the night, you’ll want to create a fun party atmosphere with lighting. There are so many options to choose from, like tiki torches, string lights, outdoor lanterns, candles and even citronella candles that can help keep the bugs away. Choose the right lighting that will fit well with your style.
  3. Don’t Forget The Flowers – Flowers truly add a bit of a punch to any yard. They are absolutely beautiful and can definitely add a bit of color and decor to your yard. Buy flowering annuals in large pots that represent your outdoor style and set them around the yard and patio. Don’t forget to think about your colors when picking out your flowers and pots.
  4. Seating Is Important – Don’t forget about the seating at your party. Yes, people will stand and mingle throughout the night. However, they will definitely like to give their feet a break once in awhile. Therefore, make sure there is enough patio seating. You can have different styles of chairs and even benches.
  5. Home Textiles – When you are planning your outdoor space, there are so many elements that you can add to it to represent you. You can choose from patio furniture, lighting, decor and even textiles. Therefore, throwing some pillows around on the chairs creates a more inviting feel. You can even mix and match the patterns to create a fun style.
  6. Water Features – If you really like to have parties outdoors, investing in a water feature will really add style to your backyard. Listening to a beautiful oasis at night can truly be relaxing. It can either be a pond, pool or even just a simple water fountain. However, a water feature definitely adds style to any outdoor space.
  7. Water & Fire – Now that you have a water feature, now it’s time for a fire feature. It can get a bit chilly at night, so having a fire pit is such a fun and useful item. Just imagine you and your friends sitting around the fire telling ghost stories or roasting marshmallows.
  8. Fun Dinnerware – If you’re going to be entertaining outdoors, having fun dinnerware, drinkware and service pieces are a must. You can get a bit more creative with your outdoor accessories. Mix patterns, prints and colors to create a unique dining experience.
  9. Outdoor Sound – Again, if you want to spend the money and you spend a lot of time outdoors, installing a sound system outdoors is a great ideal as well. It doesn’t have to be too loud that the neighbors complain, however, having background music definitely helps drown out the silence. It can also make for a fun dance party in the backyard.
  10. A Full Setup –You definitely don’t have to go all out, yet if you truly do make use of your outdoor space, a full setup might be necessary. You can purchase everything from outdoor dining table, love seat, couch, coffee table, lamps and whatever else you can think of to take outdoors. It will definitely be your own personal living space outdoors.

When it comes to the warmer weather, having your outdoor space ready is a must. You may plan parties for the next night or want to have a full blown evening affair out there, therefore, your yard needs to always be party ready.

This post is brought to you by Miami Party Decorations.
Not in Miami, FL? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find party decorations near you!

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Tips For Your Next BBQ

It’s that time of year again. The warm weather is upon us, flowers are blooming and the sun is beaming down. This can only mean wonderful weather for all your outdoor parties. This is the time to get outdoors and get creative with your backyard and host some amazing BBQs. You may sometimes think hosting a big bash BBQ is a big event to plan and you don’t want to have one every weekend. However, it’s not that hard at all. Wedding and Party Network has a few tips  for your next backyard barbeque.

One Week Before The BBQOutdoor Party

  • Plan out a guest list. You can either send out invitations if you want a more formal affair or just make a phone call if it’s more of an informal event.
  • Plan the menu. There are so many different options for food. You can serve different appetizers, create hamburgers & hot dogs, have Mexican food or anything else you may enjoy. There are multiple barbeques that can be planned throughout the year, so it’s nice to switch it up a bit. Don’t forget to consider your guests when planning the menu, some may be vegetarian.
  • Go grocery shopping. Once you have a menu, write down everything that you will need and how much of it. This will help streamline your grocery shopping trip.
  • If you have close friends and family coming, ask them to help if you’re cooking for a bigger crowd. It can be a potluck party.
  • Don’t forget about the rental items. If this is for a bigger crowd, see if you need to rent tables or chairs for your outdoor space.

2-3 Days Before The BBQ

  • Start preparing all the essentials. Lay out all the platters, dinnerware, flatware and glasses that you need.
  • Now is the time to go grocery shopping with your list. It’s not too early or late so your food won’t get spoiled.
  • Lay out all your party decorations. Decide what you’re going to do or if you’re doing any DIY crafts, now is the time to start creating them.
  • It isn’t too early to start preparing some dishes that can be made ahead. If you’re creating some type of chilled dips, pasta salad, chex mix or other snack items, you can go ahead and start making these dishes, which will save you time the day of the BBQ.

The Day Before The BBQ

  • Pick up the ice for all the drinks. It’s always good to get more ice than you think you’ll need because some melts and it can definitely be used later. You never know how many drinks your guests will make.
  • Pick up the few last minute perishable items that you were afraid to get at the store. Don’t forget the condiments either. You never know what everyone likes so make sure and get a variety of condiments.
  • Start decorating and planning the layout. If it calls for no rain, you can go ahead and set-up the tables if you would like.
  • Thaw out any frozen items.

Oysters On The GrillThe Day Of The BBQ

  •  In the morning, set out the rest of the decor and utensils. Even start setting up how you would like your food table to look. It just depends on what type of BBQ you are hosting and what you need to do.
  • Start preparing the food. If you have any vegetables, start seasoning them. An hour or so before, you can get your meat ready.
  • Start setting on the drinks and set up a drink table. About 10 minutes or so before your guests start arriving, lay out the ice. Make sure the glasses, drinks and ice are all together.
  • About an hour or so before, start setting out the appetizers and side dishes. The meat and any warm dishes should be prepared last.
  • Once guests start arriving, throw on any meat or any casseroles or hot dishes you may need to prepare. There should be enough appetizers and starters to keep your guests satisfied.
  • Now, it’s time to have fun!

Planning a BBQ is a cinch. You just have to be organized and party ready. This checklist will help with all future parties and will make everything truly easy for you.

This post is brought to you by Houston Caterers
Not in Houston, TX? No worries, use Wedding and Party Network’s handy party planning directory to help you find a caterer near you!

Planning a Classic Halloweekend

The vibrant green of summer has given way cozy shades of autumnal orange and yellow. Pumpkins, pies, costumes, and classic jack-o-lanterns are trademarks of the new season, and the ways to celebrate Halloween are endless. Whether you’re a big party planner or like to enjoy a nice weekend full of fall activities, we have some tips for enjoying every minute of spooky season!