The night is beautiful. The company is superb. The drinks are chilled and plentiful. It’s the perfect recipe for one of the best things summer has to offer, an evening spent outdoors with some of your favorite people. While casual outdoor gatherings may seem easy-as-pie, most experienced hosts (and pastry chefs) agree, there is more to hosting than meets the eye. In reality, a successful cookout or other outdoor gathering at your home takes some planning. By covering these key details ahead of time, you can sit back and enjoy a stress-free evening under the stars.

Plan, stock up and set-up these details ahead of your outdoor gathering, so you and your guests can enjoy a stress-free evening in your porch, patio or other outdoor living space.

1. Count your seats: You should have enough seating for all your guests, but that doesn’t mean you are restricted to four or six guests that comfortably fit around your existing patio table. Outdoor seating options include:

• Set up a few guests on your outdoor sofa or sectional, with an outdoor end table or two for them to rest food and snacks.

• Invest in quality outdoor folding chairs or stackable outdoor chairs that you can tuck away and then easily pull out as needed for entertaining.

• Bring indoor seating outside for an evening.

• Move your outdoor swing, glider or bench from its normal spot on your porch to a cozy spot in your backyard for the evening.

• Set out blankets and outdoor pillows for a casual gathering, picnic style.

2. Consider a patio heater: If you plan to entertain early in the spring, late in the fall, or just late into a summer evening, you may want to invest in an outdoor patio heater. The same patio heaters used by restaurants and bars are now available for your personal, year-round enjoyment.

3. Upgrade to a fire table: There’s nothing better than enjoying the company of a few close friends around some open flames. Unless, that is, you move your company and roasting sticks from a fire pit to a low-maintenance and safer outdoor fire table.

4. Late night sweets: If you are gathered around a fire table, s’mores are the perfect late-night snack. Try switching up the normal cracker-chocolate bar-marshmallow-cracker recipe with one of these s’mores hacks:

• Slit a banana peel the long way, and stuff it with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows before roasting the whole thing over a fire.
• Add strawberry slices, peach slices or another favorite fruit to your typical s’mores sandwich.
• Switch out the normal milk chocolate bar with a favorite chocolate treat—try peanut butter cups or mint patties.
• Use chocolate chip cookies or fudge striped cookies en lieu of the graham crackers.
• Skip the roasting and prepare a favorite s’mores bars recipe ahead of your gathering.

5. Light up the night: The party doesn’t have to stop when the sun sets. Light up the evening and create a beautiful ambiance for your late-night shenanigans by stringing white lights around your porch. Add some outdoor lanterns, and you’ll be set to carry the conversations well into the night time hours. Another fun option for three-season patios or covered porches? Artificial LED trees in unique varieties like willow trees and apple blossom trees will add some whimsy and serve as a conversation piece.

6. Cuddle up with blankets: Set up your space for the coziest of gatherings by placing a basket of outdoor blankets close by for friends to grab as needed.

7. Keep the drinks cool: Drink coolers are a classic choice, but why not take it up a notch. An ice bucket end table is stylish and unexpected. Your guests are sure to be impressed as you offer them ice cubes to fill their cups, and keep the drinks coming. To keep things simple, consider serving a selection of beer, wine, and a pitcher of a pre-mixed, refreshing cocktail, such as watermelon mint mojitos or a summery sangria.

8. Ban those bugs: Nothing can ruin an evening under the stars as quickly as uninvited guests…mosquitos that is. Be sure to set out a can or two of bug spray, and light plenty of citronella candles in cute candle holders or line your outdoor space with tiki torches. Natural repellant options may include lemon eucalyptus oil, lavender or cinnamon oil—although you should look into proper usage and age restrictions for use.

9. Let the games begin: Yard games are a great way to get people to relax and mingle in the early evening. Cornhole/Bean bags, bocce ball and ladder toss are classic options, or you can purchase a “giant” game, like Tic-tac-toe, Connect Four or Jenga to bring out your guests’ competitive sides.

10. Add a projector: Make your party an evening to remember by turning your back yard into the snuggest outdoor theater around. You can purchase a low-cost projector and screen set online, and many projectors hook up to your favorite streaming platforms for a whole new twist to your normal night of Netflix.