You know summer is here when the air become fragrant and warm, you see the flowers blooming and when you smell the scent of barbecue wafting in the air. Barbecuing is a wonderful past time many people enjoy during this cheery season, so if you’re planning to have a fun celebration at home, why not make it a BBQ party? Your guests will enjoy the delicious food, the fun activities and socializing under the sun!

Planning a BBQ party may seem simple, but for it to be successful and memorable, you have to make sure everything is well-covered, from the invitations you send up to the giveaways you give out at the end of the party. After all, it’s all about making your summer fun and unforgettable!

Here are several helpful ideas for a wonderful and enjoyable BBQ party.

Summery BBQ Invites

Many hosts don’t bother sending invitations to BBQ parties, since it’s usually a casual event. They just simply call up the guests and tell them to come over for the celebration. If you want your party to be extra special, then you can prepare invites.

You can buy or download ready-made blank invitations with summery decorations all over them. Get ones with summer colors like yellow, orange and peach or those with summer-related images, such as flowers or the sun. Print the details on them, and they’re ready to go.

There are also homemade invitation ideas you can try out. Just get colorful construction paper, coloring materials and prepare them yourself. This takes some creativity and patience, but it’s worth it.

Another fun invitation you can send is wooden utensils. Find a craft store that sells cheap wooden spoons and fork. Pair them up, tie them together with a ribbon and then attach a tag to it, along with the party details. Not only is it an invitation, it can also serve as your giveaway.

Decorating For The BBQ

Since you’re going to be roasting meat and because the warm and delightful summer weather is too good to miss, most BBQ parties are held outdoors on the patio or in the garden. This gives you an advantage since the plants and other garden décor essentials you have already provide your party with a beautiful and cheery look.

If you want to vamp it up more, here are other décor ideas you can try.

• Red and white tablecloths are are classic but homey addition to any BBQ party. Cover all your tables with these. Then, put a colorful flower arrangement in the middle for a lovely centerpiece
• Drape crepe paper over low hanging tree branches. Red and white are great color choices. You can also get summery yellow and orange hues.

Drape crepe paper

Provide canopy tent

Buffet table with food

• If you’re setting the party at dusk, hang white twinkling lights all over the place. Including the patio railings and the fence. Tiki lamps are also great.
• If there’s room, set up a canopy or a tent.
• If you’re having a buffet table, encircle it with netting for a graceful look.

What To Wear

Unless you’ve decided that the barbecue is a semi-formal event, you shouldn’t worry much about what your guests will wear. You can simply advise them to dress up in light, colorful clothing, like simple t-shirts or polo shirts and jeans for guys and light sun dresses and sandals for girls. It’s summer and chances are the weather will be too humid for you to be comfortable in extravagant, showy party clothes.

Here’s another fun BBQ idea: why not ask your guests to dress up in cowboy clothing? Have a fun cowboy-themed BBQ celebration! Everyone can wear cowboy hats and boots, jeans and have a great, roaring rodeo time at the party!

A Delicious BBQ Feast

This is one of the most crucial factors when planning your party. What kinds of food are you going to serve? Barbecues, are after all, mostly about eating and savoring delicious dishes.

• Appetizers – Curb your guests’ hunger with simple, but tasty appetizers. It can be as simple as breadsticks and dip or fries, or as exquisite as grilled cheese marinara or grilled shrimp with feta. Just make sure you can prepare it, but you won’t waste too much time on it.
• Meat – This is the centerpiece of your BBQ party and you should make sure there’s enough to go around. What sense is a barbecue party if your guests don’t get to savor any barbecued meat? The wonderful thing about this is you can try different meat-cooking styles, depending on what your taste prefers. Looking for Carolina-style meat? Then roast pork chops in a spicy, vinegar-based sauce. If you want a Kansas City meat flavor, then you can opt for pork ribs, slathered in a molasses-infused sauce. If it’s Texan flavor you want, then try beef brisket cooked over low heat and lots of smoke. Try out different barbecue recipes.

Shrimp apetizers

BBQ with sauce

Juice drinks

• Barbecue Sauce – Add some spice to your meat by whipping up several different barbecue sauces. These come in different styles, flavors and types, depending on what your taste buds prefer. If you lack time, you can easily get canned barbecue sauces at your local grocery, but if you can, come up with your own homemade sauce. Try sweet mustard sauce, bourbon sauce, Cajun barbecue sauce and maple barbecue sauce. These will add a tangy taste to your main course.
• Veggies – Your meat-loving guests may enjoy the meaty spread you’ve prepared, but what about the vegans and vegetarians? You have to consider vegetable dishes they can eat and enjoy. Prepare delicious grilled vegetables and meatless salads. Here’s one easy idea: skewer red and green bell peppers, zucchini and eggplant, brush them with a little olive oil, then cook them directly on the grill. It’s healthy and tasty, but without any meaty guilt.
• Side Dishes – No matter how yummy your grilled meat may be, it’ll look lonely sitting by itself on a plate. Besides, your guests might easily get tired of the food if you don’t have a lot of flavors on the spread. Prepare simple, but delightful side dishes to complement your main course. Baked potatoes, baked beans, corncobs and cole slaw are popular and yummy choices. You can also try grilled portobello mushrooms, crab potato salad, and tortellini with herb dressing.
• Drinks – After the savory meal, you need to have equally delightful and refreshing drinks to quench your guests’ thirst. Soda, fruit juice and punch are easy choices. If you want to put in a little extra effort, try making milk shakes or fruit shakes. These will be a sure heat in the summer heat. Red wine is also delightful for a more classy party. For the guys, get some beer. They’ll surely enjoy it!
• Dessert – A sweet treat will certainly be an appropriate ending to a delicious feast. Ice cream is a great choice to cool the guests. Cheesecakes, pies, puddings and tarts are also wonderful. Get several different flavors to satisfy any guest’s craving.

One reminder: Make sure you’ve prepared more than enough food for the party. You’ll never know how many guests will go for a second or even a third helping—especially if the food you prepared tastes great!

Games And Activities For The BBQ

It’ll be a shame if you don’t enjoy take advantage of the beautiful weather during your BBQ party. Besides, your friends and family members are all with you, so you should liven things up! How about playing badminton or fun sports like volleyball, croquet and horseshoe throwing? A three-legged race is also a great idea. To make it more enjoyable, pair the grown ups with kids. Everyone will find it hilarious.

If you want an enjoyable game that’ll help you beat the summer heat, have a water balloon toss contest. Water balloons can be bought at any craft store at an inexpensive price, so even if you have many participants, it won’t be very costly for you.

If your BBQ party is held in the evening, have a bonfire. Prepare some marshmallows and make s’mores. You’ll not only enjoy yourself, but you’ll also make a delicious dessert.

BBQ Party Favors

The coals have cooled, the food has been devoured and the games have all been played. It’s time for your guests to go home. Don’t let them leave just yet! Give them a little something to remember the fun day they had. A memorable giveaway will make your event unforgettable.

A potted bonsai plant is a good idea. Buy small inexpensive ones and attach a little thank-you note to each plant. You can also give out summer memorabilia, like a jar filled with colorful and fragrant flower petals or even soap with a summer flower scent. How about something edible, like a box of cookies or a jar of your homemade barbecue sauce? Your guests will definitely appreciate it.

Just remember this: summer and barbecues are all about having fun! Make sure that amidst your planning, you still get to enjoy yourself during the party. Go ahead, try these ideas and have a fabulous time at the event!