How to Create the Ultimate Backyard BBQ Party

We tapped a professional party planner for insider tips.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist
Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist
We independently source all of the awesome products and experiences that we feature on Thrillist. If you buy or book from the links on our site, we may receive an affiliate commission — which in turn supports our work.

Remember that dinner party you meant to throw last summer but didn't? Well, a mere 12 months later, it’s looking like that moment has arrived. Congratulations, your time is now. Which is to say: Stakes are high (no pressure). 

Here’s the upshot, though: After you break the seal, we fully expect you’ll keep on throwing al fresco ragers. It’s all about the long game. To help you pull it off, we tapped Alexis Schwartz, a professional party planner and a wine and food impresario, who's got ample hosting secrets to ensure that your friends will still like you after your ice-breaker soiree. 

The Space

To start, let’s talk about the space itself. Whether you’re opting for a backyard, a stoop, a rolling pasture, or a picnic bench in your local public park, the same rules apply: “Give the space a sense of tidy vivaciousness,” says Schwartz. “Sweep away any stray leaves or branches, water any neglected plants, and pluck away old leaves. It's about tending to the space to energetically make it feel happier. When you're outdoor hosting you want the space to feel raw but welcoming.” Naturally, this is made all the more difficult if you’re in a public space, but take a second to contemplate good lighting, seating and standing arrangements, and, of course, the centerpiece: consumables. 

Beverages   

In the realm of food and drink, Schwartz is something of an alpha. Beyond her string of food-forward soirees, she also hosts a wine club (eponymously titled Thirsty Thirsty), and pens a corresponding newsletter. But whether you’re planning on opting for a bathtub full of canned beverages or a roster of fine wine pairings, her advice remains sound. “I keep all the wine bottles on a table or stoop step for self-service, but I keep an extra special bottle in my hand,” she says. Naturally, one of the great pleasures of hosting is refilling folks’ glasses. But for the most part, people will want to help themselves. So, make sure there’s plentiful ice, accessible booze, bottle openers of all kinds, and for non-drinkers or pregnant friends, a solid non-alcoholic option. “A great dinner party will always include non-alcoholic beverage options. Simplest is filtered water,” she says. Plus, it goes without saying that, whether you’re on the wine train or not, hydration is a positive. 

The Meal

As for food, the secret is, apparently, family-style. For the most part, when you’re going the backyard BBQ route, you’re not in it for the delicate plating. You want tasty, large-format, self-serve foods (of the variety that invites folks to go in for shameless seconds whenever they feel so inclined). “I often go for large-format, discreetly vegan dishes that feel hearty. I want all of my friends with food restrictions to feel accommodated,” she says. “If you have a grill, marinate meat for the carnivores, then put everything out on the table for the taking.” No need to spend your evening serving or portioning (plus, full-on sit-down meals limit mingling—one of life’s great, lost pleasures).

For dessert? Grilled fruit. It’s light enough to leave potential for post-meal dancing, easy to prep, dietary restriction-friendly, and decidedly aesthetically pleasing. 

In any case, whether or not you intend to stick to the Alexis Schwartz bible on al fresco etiquette, we can certainly still help you out on the product front. Ahead, with Schwartz’s aid, we’ve compiled a roster of your backyard BBQ must-haves, from outdoor lanterns to industrial coolers and even grills. 

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Polaroid Go

Price: $99.99
Not only will a kitschy set of Polaroids memorialize your garden party as 17x more charming than it actually was, but keeping one of these around will do some good work to discourage the limitless use of phone cameras (the hallmark of a good party is the accidental absence of cell phones).

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Funboy Retro Lawn Chairs

Price: $69.00
Never mind the fact that these lawn chairs look like they were styled after something Joaquin Phoenix wore in Inherent Vice. They’re light and easy to move for improved mingling. They’ve got a fun, vintage vibe, and they’ll be plenty easy to store come cleanup.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Sonos Roam

Price: $179.00
Naturally, a party without music is sacrilegious, so make sure you’ve got an outdoor music setup worthy of your celebration. In our humble opinion, Sonos is the creme de la creme when it comes to sound quality, so why not give its portable speaker a go? Just be judicious with your licensing of the proverbial aux chord.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Igloo Picnic Basket Cooler

Price: $49.99
Everyone loves a cold one (except for your friends with gluten allergies). So, pack this retro Igloo brand cooler with ice and portable, canned goods, then position her front and center. Oh, and if you’re venturing elsewhere for your get together,this picnic-basket-style, transportable container will feel like a real game changer.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Outdoor Bar Cart

Price: $189.99
Everyone deserves a great drink. Or seven. So, whether you’re serving your own premade punchbowl concoction or planning fora more DIY situation, a sturdy outdoor bar cart like this one is an easy way to position ice, limes, bottles, and mixers all within reach.

Advertiser Content From

Photo courtesy of Lone River

While the origin of the margarita, America’s most popular cocktail, is steeped in folklore, many agree that it was invented in the West. And it’s where the inspiration for Lone River Ranch Rita comes from—a premium brewed, margarita-style beverage inspired by its western roots. Ranch Rita’s deliciously light yet refreshing taste hits just right, thanks in part to a hint of organic agave nectar and lime—making it the perfect summer sipper for any occasion. 

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Heavy Duty String Lights

Price: $39.99
No matter how early you kick things off, folks will certainly linger until after dark. So, without having to a) migrate indoors or b) converse sloppily in the dark, keep the ambiance alive with some solid string lights. Just be sure to go for a pair that’s designated for the outdoors, like this set of sturdy, weather-resistant bulbs.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Balmuda Lantern

Price: $149.00
On the subject of lighting: It’s always helpful to keep a more concentrated light source on hand. Whether you want toposition it as your dinner table centerpiece or keep it grill-side, this ultra-bright, moveable Balmuda lamp will surely help to stave off many a stubbed toe (and/or many a charred hot dog).

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Pink Flamingo Lawn Ornaments

Price: $17.99
Yard flamingos, you know? An authentic staple of The Wild.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Citronella Jar Candles

Price: $45.38
Speaking of the great outdoors, we’d best address the flurry of mosquitoes inevitably in attendance. Without sacrificing your hard-earned aesthetic, distribute these cute, well-disguised citronella jar candles wherever possible. By which we mean literally everywhere. Your guests will thank you.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Pine Infused Sea Salt

Price: $48.00
We don’t mean to question your culinary prowess. But we do mean to suggest that any/all errors can be smoothed over with a high-quality salt. So this time around, maybe skip the multisyllabic, artisanal spice blend and go right for the good stuff: sodium.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Conservas Selection

Price: $115.00
The internet does not seem to be abandoning its overwhelming affection for tinned fish anytime soon. So do the righteous thing and serve the infinitely hip, convervas-style snack as an early-evening appetizer. This killer selection includes things like mussels in Escabeche, yellowfin tuna belly in olive oil, and razor clams. And even if no one eats them, you best believe someone will get a hell of an Instagram post out of the spread.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Floyd Outdoor Dining Set

Price: $1,260.00
When it comes to dining decor, you can either go simple and classic with your run-of-the-mill picnic table (and, we assure you, there’s no shame in this). But if you feel like going the boutique route, this weather-resistant number from beloved furniture purveyor Floyd makes for an excellent dining canvas.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

Weber Gas Grill

Price: $619.00
Ah, it would appear we’ve saved the best—and most essential—for last. But let it be known, we’ve given this one quite a bit of thought. And after plentiful research, we’ve surmised that this gas grill from Weber, with cast-iron grates, double food trays, and a built-in thermometer, is your best do-it-all option.

Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist

George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor Grill

Price: $124.99
That said, if you’re not exactly ready to drop $600 on a grill, this is most definitely a reliable budget alternative. It’s electric and it’s indoor/outdoor safe—so you’ll get plenty of use in the off-season (or, at least, you can tell yourself you will).

Eliza Dumais is a former staff writer at Thrillist. She now works as a lifestyle editor at Refinery29.
Want more Thrillist? Follow us on InstagramTwitterPinterestYouTubeTikTok, and Snapchat.