It’s hard to believe it’s already August…

..and yet here we are! While I definitely think that there is way more summer to come {especially when living in Southern California}, it’s definitely time to double down on your summer to-do list! As you know I’ve had outdoor furniture and decor on the brain lately and it’s definitely been making me want to do some backyard barbecuing {regardless of if we have our space properly decorated}. Today I’m sharing some summer bbq recipes that I love and some that I’ve been saving to try, along with some entertaining tips and inspiration!

Scroll down to get inspired, and feel free to leave your favorite summer entertaining tips and recipes in the comments below…

Here are more tips and ideas to inspire you for your summer BBQ

Create a Vibe

When it comes to the atmosphere of a backyard soiree, try to create a specific and cohesive vibe. I myself like my backyard barbecues to be cozy, intimate and comfortable. I like to make sure that there is plenty of comfortable seating, with lots of pillows, cushions and some blankets {for when it starts to get cooler at night}. Just make sure that it doesn’t feel too crowded in your space – you want people to be able to move around a bit as well.

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Lighting

Lighting is super important for me when it comes to any kind of entertaining! When it comes to the outdoors, I love some pretty string lights and lots of lanterns. If you can, get creative with hanging lights and lanterns as well as lighting on the ground and table. That will help give your space more dimension and a cozier vibe.

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Seating

When is comes to seating, I like to make sure that nothing feels to fussy or formal. If you don’t have a full outdoor seating set in your space, trying mixing up different chairs and benches and pulling it together with pillows and blankets. I also love the idea of floor seating when it comes to eating. It’s such an easy and inexpensive way to host a backyard dinner that feels casual and fun!

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Drink Area

It’s always nice to create a designated outdoor drink station or bar for your guests. That way it’s all in one place and people don’t have to keep going in and out of the house to your bar cart/fridge. Keep beverages cool in buckets of ice and keep an eye out for when ice and drinks get low, so you can go and refill/refresh them.

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Ending The Evening

I love the idea of ending the evening with watching a classic summer movie in the backyard. There are so many different and easy ways to set up a screening area and it’s great for kids and adults alike! Just add some blanket and cushions and bring out some popcorn!

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