Essential summer party planner

Planning a hot summer party? Celebrate, don't stress! This season, summer is about a return to old-fashioned good times. Think: easy, unfussy food and drinks, casual decor and unpretentious simplicity.

Easier said than done? Not really: read on for our party-planning tips guaranteed to help you make merry, not have a party meltdown!

Step 1: Atmospheric essentials
Setting the mood at a summer party is pretty easy: strategic candlelight, music and a nice tabletop pretty much set the mood. The sultry weather, starlight and great company take care of the rest.

Here’s an "ambiance checklist" so you can get started:

• Safety lighting: Ensure safety with path lights or landscape lighting (if you don't already have them) along paths and near decks and patios.
• Mood lighting: Use torchieres, hurricane lanterns, votives and/or twinkling string lights to create a winsome mood.
• Music: Set speakers outdoors for better sound quality than from ye olde boom box. Create mood-by-mood digital play lists in advance so you won't stress over music during the party. TIP Start the evening lively and begin chillin' out as the night wears on.
• Furniture placement: Group your seating into a series of conversation pods. Do not, repeat do not, create a large "circle" for everyone to hang out around, lest anyone have flashbacks of kindergarten! But seriously, let people meld and mingle naturally (and as host, be sure to broker introductions to keep people circulating). Natural conversation areas indoors and out include:

Living room seating

Dining table (if not used as buffet station)

Kitchen bar or table

Standing room in kitchen

Deck seating and deck standing room

Patio seating or lawn seating. Throw an indoor carpet on the grass with some floor cushions for a casual "beach-seating" area. Asian rug skews bohemian, IKEA-style cotton rug skews coastal-chic.