Plan

Kasey Aune, Harvest Moon Events (harvestmoonevents.com): “Pick a theme. Think of it as a planning guide for your event. It can be something literal—a luau, a fiesta, or an ’80s party—or something vague that simply defines the style. For example, if you plan to sit around an outdoor fire, I’d go with an upscale Western cookout.”

Meredith Parsons, Bluebird Event Destinations Management (bluebirdmc.com): “Use one of Park City’s free summer concerts as a backdrop. Arrive early with blankets and stake out your space. Pack a basket with a bottle of wine and food for each guest or couple. Bring ottomans or folding chairs for your friends to regale in luxury while listening to the music.”

Decorate

Kristina Pluta, PUREfourhundred (purefourhundred.com): “I’m all about the table—make it beautiful and special. Blush pink is the hottest color of the season; pair it with white, soft blue, and emerald green.”

Chris Lavoie, Silver Summit Event Design (silversummitutah.com): “Rent china, glass, and silverware rather than use disposables. It’s better for the environment and not that much more expensive! Diamond Rental offers glassware for as little as 85 cents per glass.”

Eat

Kristin Spear, Soirée Productions (soireeproductions.com): “I love ordering food from my favorite local restaurants and serving it in my own chafing dishes or platters. It looks great, and you don’t have to cook a thing.”

Lavoie: “If hiring a caterer isn’t an option, then I follow the Barefoot Contessa’s philosophy of ‘homemade, store bought, and assembled’ for any gathering.”

Drink

Pluta: “Create a festive bar cart with mixers for cocktails, wine, ice, flavored sparkling water, and glassware. Vida Tequila cocktails, like the El Movito, are my favorite for summer.”

Aune: “Beer cocktails are all the rage. The newest craft beer variety is the Gose. It’s a salty and sour beer that is surprisingly refreshing and easy to drink. I use Uinta Brewing’s version, called Flamingose, to make Flamingose on the Beach, a yummy variation on the classic Sex on the Beach.”

And Be Merry

Lavoie: “I’m a big fan of large-scale lawn games like Connect Four, Jenga, or Lawn Chess.”

Emily White, Haute Hostess and Wish Boutique (1635 W. Redstone Center Dr, 435.575.9474, haute-hostess.com): “Incorporate a theme not only into your décor, but into your food, beverages, and entertainment. For a ‘Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!’ kids’ party, I had live birds and reptiles, and for favors we gave out binoculars and animal ears to wear throughout the night.”