The team at CasaSugar helps us celebrate outdoors.

If you’re planning on hosting a party for Fourth of July festivities, you’ll want to make sure that your backyard is up for the challenge. Choosing decorative elements that are multifunctional is key, but it takes a bit of preparation. To ensure that your Fourth of July bash is a beautiful success, get organized with this list of backyard entertaining essentials.

• Shop for extra seating that can be easily stashed once the party is over. Folding wooden chairs, benches, and garden stools can be stored or repurposed in other parts of the house after the party is over.
• Add a pretty and protective service to outdoor tabletops with tablecloths. Oilcloths are offered in a variety of patterns and colors and are ideal for easy cleanup.
• Set down the bug spray and keep mosquitoes at bay with beautifully packaged citronella candles. We especially love the classic, subdued elegance of glass votive citronella candles.
• Make sure your yard has ample lighting by adding temporary options that can be taken down at the end of the season. If you have trees, arbors, or other tall structures, use string lights. If not, look for tiki torches or stake lanterns.
• Avoid having guests make multiple trips in and out of the house for a cold drink by shopping for stylish tubs to fill with ice and beverages.

• Instead of washing dishes throughout the night or dumping plastic and paper dinnerware, consider using biodegradable versions that can be composted.
• If you’re expecting warm weather, be sure to provide shading so that your guests don’t overheat. Umbrellas, tents, and DIY canopies go a long way.
• Let guests know it’s a party by decorating with festive touches like flag bunting, tissue pom-poms, or balloons.
• Trays are a fantastic way to transfer and organize items, but they can also provide extra table surface. Look for trays that can rest on stands or be removed when you have to haul something.
• To avoid confusing beverages, provide a way for guests to mark their drinks. For a hassle-free but stylish way to identify drinks, set out a roll of cute washi tape and a sharpie pen and let guests mark their own drinks. Or set out tags with ribbons for wine glasses and bottles.
• For double-duty centerpieces, assemble shiny red apples in glass vessels or pot pretty blooms to set at tables.

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Images: CasaSugar

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