With summer upon us it’s the perfect time to gather the gang and plan a BBQ. Whether you are hosting your party in your own backyard, a local park or beach side nothing says summer like friends gathering for a BBQ.

We just hosted our first BBQ of the season, so before the gang joins you for some summer fun here are nine tips to throwing the perfect BBQ. I should know, our party was just that – perfect!

Add Flair – It’s not a party without festive décor. The key to throwing a bash to remember is to pick the perfect location and theme – patriotic, pool party, tiki, whatever floats your boat. Pick something fun and run with it!

Plan the Tunes – Remember when planning a party meant making a party mix? HA! Forget that, log onto Pandora and create your own party station to set the tone for your shin-dig.

Go Fly a Kite – On a breezy day, nothing provides a bigger, cheap thrill than a good, old-fashion kite. Skip the fancy ones, unless you are a professional the simple, plain ones fly just as well.

Feed the Birds – Don’t pitch those stale crackers in the pantry that have past their expiration date, save them to feed the birds. Nothing makes kids (and adults) giggle more than when feeding a flock of hungry birds. (It also makes for a great photo opp!)

Feed the Crew – If your motto is the more the merrier, then serve up food that’s sure to please and is easy to make burgers, hot dogs and a few turkey or soy burgers are sure to do the trick for the main course. Add some potato salad, pasta salad, fresh fruit and chips and you have the perfect party meal.

Banish the Bugs – Don’t let pesky bugs ruin your picnic. Make bug control part of your party prep with Cutter Backyard Control. Citronella candles make for lovely party ambiance and provide another layer of protection for your guests.

Extra Protection – Even if you spray the yard neighboring buggies may find their way to your party, ward off flying insects: mosquitoes, gnats and more with Cutter Natural or Cutter Dry.

Shutterbug – Your party is going to be a smashing success, but will probably be too busy to notice. Assign a friend to be the party photog and capture all those great party moments for you. After the party you can relive the fun and make a photobook.

Sweet Treats – After slaving over the grill, offer your guest an array of colorful Popsicles to cool off Popsicle. This drippy yet refreshing treat is perfect for an outdoor party.

Take this party recipe, add some good friends and ta-da the perfect summer BBQ! Have a great summer and a great party.

Did I miss something? Feel free to share more tips in the comments below.

Disclosure – This post is part of a series of posts brought to you by Cutter, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Memorial Day may not be the biggest holiday in terms of celebrations (I think most people would probably miss it entirely if it weren’t for the day off work), but this year we’ve been looking forward to the holiday weekend for months. Not only will we kick off summer with our first trip to the beach for the season, it will be baby Syd’s very first trip to the beach. Squee!

My parent’s place (on Florida’s west coast) has been under construction since early fall, after a broken water line left the house soggy and the walls and floors ruined. So while Eater is normally our first trip to the beach, our annual Easter trip was cancelled. We were all sad to miss our favorite tradition, K most of all, but Mimi promised a big celebration to christen the newly renovated house for Memorial Day weekend. That party is almost upon us.

The best part about a beach weekend is that the party last all weekend long. And that means lots of time sitting on the back porch watching the sunset. Sitting on the porch is beautiful, but it can also be buggy. It’s Florida, so there are mosquitoes (of course), but even more prevalent are the biting gnats. I itch just thinking about those little buggers. This year, I am bringing back up. I am bringing a suite of Cutter products to ward off bug bites.

Am I the only one who loves the smell of a citronella candle? I really do. But Cutter Citro Gaurd isn’t just a scented candle, it is actually made with citronella oils to repel bugs! This candle burns for 40+ hours – that’s a LOT of summer parties! (Oh, and I want to add that I was able to peel off that ugly label cleanly, which left behind a pretty candle holder that totally disguises its buggy purpose.)

I can’t wait to try the new Cutter Dry. Not only is it not supposed to be greasy, it is unscented. A huge plus for a gal (like me) who HATES the smell of traditional bug sprays. But I think I am most excited about Cutter Natural. This DEET-free repellent is made with geranium oil, and I can’t wait to see if it works as well as the traditional stuff. I am so careful about exposing my girls to chemicals, and while bugs can carry awful diseases the spray is so icky. Cutter even makes a Natural fogger and spray, if the repellent works I will definitely try these next.

If you are planning a Memorial Day shin-dig that is in need of some bug protect, here’s a printable $1.00 off one Cutter Product coupon.

One last party preparation before heading to the beach this weekend… What’s a party without decorations?!

Going with the red, white and blue theme K and I made rockets that will be perfect for our Memorial Day beach weekend and when we go back for the 4th of July!

Disclosure – This post is part of a series of posts brought to you by Cutter, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.