How to Host an Unforgettable BBQ Party

The goal of a party is to make sure all guests leave full, happy, and more than excited to come back another time. However, many may underestimate just how difficult it can be to pull off the party of the month of the year. The good news? There’s so much stellar advice out there to make sure that every party you throw is one for the books. If you want every barbecue to be a hit, here are some excellent pointers on how to host an unforgettable BBQ party.

Create an Outdoor Space That Compels Your Guests to Stay Outside

Half the battle when it comes to throwing a great barbecue is making sure that you have all the tools you need to grill your dishes to perfection. The other half? This is making sure that you have an accommodating outdoor space that keeps your guests relaxed and entertained. For example, having a deck or a patio area filled with comfortable seating, outside heaters or open fire pits, and plenty of lighting makes all the difference in what people think of your barbecue as a whole. If you’re really looking to impress, you may want to add a few custom touches here and there like your own personalized outdoor plaques. You can also install products like speakers or televisions to wrap it all together!

Get the Proper Supplies to Keep Your Guests Happy and Protect Your Furniture

If you’re going for a themed party or want to save your finer dinnerware for more intimate occasions, party supplies are a must. Besides helping you develop a certain aesthetic that matches the event and catches the eye of your guests, party supplies also serve to keep your furniture protected from accidental spills. Just a few of the products that you’ll likely need for any party are disposable tablecloths, colored party cups for pitcher drinks, napkins, and products for the food itself like plastic plates and utensils. Once your guests are done, just have them dispose of their plasticware in one of the trash bins that you have outdoors.

Stock Up on Your Guests’ Favorite Drinks

At the minimum, a fridge or cooler full of essentials like bottled water, tap water, seltzer water, sodas, and juices are good enough to make sure that all of your guests have something that they like to drink. However, some other guests may also like to have alcoholic beverages on hand. If it’s an especially warm day, you can go for hard seltzers and beers and keep them on ice. If it’s a finer occasion, buying wine or champagne that everyone enjoys can help you toast to the person or event in question. Pitcher drinks like sangria or margaritas may be a crowd favorite as well!

Make Sure That You Have Entertainment Planned for the Evening

Entertainment is a must for all parties, but not all parties are going to benefit from one specific type of entertainment. If you’re having a casual get-together party with friends who you haven’t seen in a while, you may want to hire a DJ for the evening. If you’re going for a more formal event, a live band may be the perfect option. If you’re having a party where everyone may like to kick back, relax, and watch a sports event or movie, creating an outdoor theater can even be one avenue you may wish to pursue. As long as everyone is engaged and not itching to go home, your party is going to be a success. Don’t forget to capture the fun with a camera, or set up a photo booth area, as well!

Come Up With a Mouthwatering Party Menu

Finally, you can’t have a great barbecue party if you don’t have a great barbecue spread waiting for your guests. When the party first begins, you should already have appetizers laid out for them so that they don’t go hungry while they’re waiting for the main courses to make an appearance. A few excellent appetizers to put out include hot wings, grilled loaded nachos, and cheeseburger sliders with french fries or even chips.

After the appetizers have come out, you can begin working on the mouthwatering dishes that you will be feeding to your guests later. This may include grilled chicken and steak, tender ribs or pulled pork, or even something out of left field like kabobs. Along with this main dish, you could serve grilled potatoes, vegetables, and other sides that serve to really bring your plates together.

All the Elements Have to Be There for an Unforgettable Party

An unforgettable barbecue party consists not only of the food on your grill but the environment, entertainment, and design as well. If you’re tired of throwing subpar parties that no one is excited to attend, all of the planning tips and tricks above will give you everything you need to make sure that your next barbecue party is a blast.