Summer is coming, and we all know what that means — backyard barbecues. Oh, the excitement! The tantalizing smell of smoked meat and roasted garlic on the grill, the cheerful hum of guests chattering away, and the gentle breeze meandering across your perfectly curated backyard — it's what we look forward to all winter.

After you're done prepping the outside of your home, you'll want to celebrate! Let's go over some ideas on how to make your backyard barbecue the talk of the summer.

Inviting Guests the Old Fashioned Way 

We are quick to take advantage of technology today to communicate with our friends, but this is not always the best way. With the hundreds of emails we deal with on a daily basis, one more email may be overlooked or taken less seriously, even if it's for your event.

Skip the impersonal email, text, or Facebook event. Give your friends a call, one-by-one. Invite them to your gathering using your voice. This may seem like a small gesture, but in today's society where everything is a step removed from direct contact, a phone call will mean so much more to your guests, and they'll be compelled to attend.

Don't Be the Hero 

Hosting a gathering of any kind can be quite stressful when you realize just how much needs to be done. If your guests can bring something to make things easier, ask. They can bring their own chairs, glasses, or even plenty of ice. Depending on how hot it is the day of your barbecue, you may go through ice faster than you expect.

Don't ask people to bring food, though. You'll end up with a mixed spread of Costco platters (or 18 versions of a potato salad), and your guests might be stressed out by having to think about what to bring.

Simplify the Drink Menu 

You know your friends best, so you'll know what they like to drink. Don't go crazy trying to accommodate everyone's individual taste, though. Choose a featured cocktail for the evening — a special for the evening, if you will — and stick to it. In addition to this, select one red and one white wine, and one beer. Try to match selections to the food you're serving if you know a bit about pairing, and allow your guests to serve themselves.

Remember that you aren't a local pub, and you don't need to have every option available for your guests. This will reduce your need to buy everything, which can easily add up to a large cost you maybe weren't expecting.

Speaking of Drinks—Which Drink Is Mine? 

Be sure to offer some sort of identification system for your guest's drinks, even if it's just fancy coloured tape with names written on it. Attach to the stem of wine glasses like a mini flag, or wrap around the base of a beer or highball glass. Drinks end up everywhere at parties, so this will be a great way to reduce the number of orphan drinks throughout the day.

Outdoor Makeshift Theatre 

Will your barbecue be over dinner? When the sun goes down, consider playing a movie outside using a rented projector and a bed sheet draped over a clothesline. If you plan to do this, be sure to ask your guests to bring a blanket so they can remain nice and cozy as the evening cools off. Pop some gourmet popcorn (homemade flavours are the best) to go with the movie and your barbecue event will be one they'll talk about all summer.

Whatever your plans are for your next backyard barbecue, think about how it can be memorable. Everything you do can be taken one step further, from the food served, to the beverages, from the music selected, to the after-dark activities with outdoor entertaining features. Don't be afraid to get creative, and remember that even the smallest of details can set your gathering apart from all of the others this summer.

Photo credits: grilling, punch, food table