Summer is here, which means it’s a great time to gather your family and friends for a backyard party. While that might seem like a big undertaking, these tips can help make summer hosting easy and stress-free.

Pick a theme

Having a theme for your summer gathering isn’t just a fun way to get your guests excited about the event—it can also help you better plan the different aspects of your party. Let’s say you want to host a summer tea party. You can serve fancy finger sandwiches, set up a tea bar, and deck out your space with floral decorations. Lean as far into it as you want. Whatever theme you choose, though, be sure to send invitations sooner rather than later since the summer season can quickly get busy.

Set the mood

A party’s atmosphere is just as important as the food you serve. You want your guests to feel welcome and relaxed, so make sure to set the mood with music, lighting, decor, and even scents. Hang lights around your house or in the trees, have music playing on a Bluetooth speaker, and make sure table decor and flowers match your theme.

Offer sunscreen and bug spray

Summer is a beautiful season, but it often comes with higher temperatures and more insects. You’ll want to have a plan to fight both sunburn and bug bites during your event. Leave bottles of sunscreen and bug spray out for your guests to use as needed, and hang some mosquito-repellant lanterns around the yard. Thoughtful elements such as these can help your guests better enjoy the festivities.

Opt for a simple menu

To make hosting as stress-free as possible, plan a simple yet delicious menu. Consider choosing items that you can prep ahead of time, such as charcuterie boards, marinated meats and veggies, salads, and ice pops. When you prep the food in advance, you can dedicate more time to cleaning and decorating on the day of your event.

Plan a schedule of events

To keep the party going, it helps if you have a schedule. You don’t have to plan it minute by minute, but you should have a rough notion of what you’ll all be doing and when. This will give you a clear idea of the flow of the evening and provide an estimated time for when the party will wrap up.

Have fun hosting this season, and make it an event that your loved ones will be sure to remember.