One of our favorite things to do during spring is to have friends and family get together for a backyard party. Being the host of a party can sometimes be a lot of work, but we’ve put together a list of tips to make your job a little easier.

1. Send out invites whether it be on Facebook or mailed letters at least 2 weeks before the date of your party.
2. Once you know how many guests will be attending, make sure you will have enough seating for everyone to sit back and relax in.
3. Be bold with your decorations and pick out bright flowers for arrangements to place around different gathering areas throughout your party.
4. To get everyone in the mood for Spring and liven up the atmosphere, stream a Spring playlist to have as background music.
5. Who doesn't love BBQ and wine pairings?Fire up the grill and provide a fun burger bar for your guests. Don’t forget to also have turkey burgers and veggie burgers as options so there’s something for everyone. To give the classic burger a twist, try this recipe for Beef Burgers with Red Onion Marmalade and Blue Cheese.
6. Bring out the white wine! If you & your friends are red drinkers through & through in winter, it’s time to chill some bottles of K-J Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc and enjoy the change in seasons.
7. If time flies by and day turns into night, hang up strands of clear globe lights around your backyard, patio, or deck for ambient lighting.
8. Keep pests away with a lightly scented citronella candle, which will blend in nicely with your other lighting decorations and it will keep the mosquitoes from ruining a good time.
9. Be prepared for April showers by having a space available indoors to host your guests comfortably. For chillier weather at night, if you don’t have a fire pit, keep warm blankets around and offer your guests warm beverages.
10. Remember to give yourself as much time as you need to get ready and have everything set up 30 minutes prior to when your guests are expected to arrive.
11. Use empty, clean K-J wine bottles to serve your guests water. Create a bottle tag using twine and a small placard that says “water.” Soak the label off of the bottle if you want to get really crafty! Use chalkboard paint and write “water” on the new chalkboard “label.”

One last tip – have fun! Join the party and enjoy yourself. Raise a glass to the warmer days and great company.

For wine serving tips, visit the Entertaining section of our website.