(BPT) - Summer entertaining is all about keeping things easy — and making it feel effortless. And this year, it's less about over-planning and more about simple setups that guests gravitate toward while alleviating the burden for hosts. Think build-your-own drink stations with easy upgrades that make them feel more modern, low-lift food spreads, and a few clever finishing touches that quietly pull everything together.
"The goal is a relaxed, good-time vibe where nothing feels forced — just easy hosting that feels fun, social and totally stress-free," comments Stephanie Moraine, marketing director at Ole Smoky — the most awarded moonshine and flavored whiskey brand in the world*.
kAmw6C6 2C6 96C 7:G6 D:>A=6 E:AD 7@C DF>>6C D@4:2=Dik^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m`] {6G6= FA J@FC =6>@?256k^DEC@?8mk^Am
k5:G DEJ=6lQ>2I\H:5E9i e__AIj H:5E9i e__AIjQmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^:>286D^`egff3gc\d3h5\cf__\hchf\6`3`5e2b_e2c];A8Q 2=ElQ?F==Q H:5E9lQe__Q 3@C56ClQ_Q ^mk^5:Gm
k5:G 4=2DDlQ{:DE:4=6r2AE:@?Q DEJ=6lQ7@?E\D:K6i ``AIjQmk^5:Gm
kAmk^Am
kAm{6>@?256 :D E96 F?@77:4:2= 5C:?< @7 DF>>6C — 3FE E9:D J62C[ 8:G6 :E 2? FA8C256] p55:?8 D@>6 >@@?D9:?6 42? EFC? 2 32D:4 A:E496C :?E@ D@>6E9:?8 E2DEJ 7@C E96 25F=ED 2E J@FC 82E96C:?8] ~=6 $>@<J >2<6D :E 62DJ H:E9 56=:4:@FD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^@=6D>@<J]4@>^4@==64E:@?D^>@@?D9:?6Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm7CF:E\7@CH2C5 7=2G@CDk^2m =:<6 q=24<36CCJ |@@?D9:?6[ $EC2H36CCJ |@@?D9:?6 @C E96 4=2DD:4 (9:E6 {:89E?:?V |@@?D9:?6] t249 @?6 3=6?5D D62>=6DD=J :?E@ =6>@?256 H:E9@FE ?665:?8 2 C64:A6 — ;FDE A@FC[ DE:C 2?5 D6CG6] (96E96C :EVD 2 324<J2C5 32C364F6[ =2<6 H66<6?5 @C A@C49 92AAJ 9@FC[ E9:D D:>A=6 EH:DE 3C:?8D DF>>6C A2CEJ 6?6C8J] kDA2? 52E2\@=<\4@AJ\D@FC46lQ|6DD286q@5JQmWq=24<36CCJ |@@?D9:?6 a_T pq'[ $EC2H36CCJ |@@?D9:?6 ba]dT pq'[ (9:E6 {:89E?:?V |@@?D9:?6 d_T pq'Xk^DA2?mk^Am
kAmu@C 2? 677@CE=6DD 6?E6CE2:?:?8 :562[ D6E FA 2 3F:=5\J@FC\@H? =6>@?256 32C 2?5 =6E 8F6DED 4FDE@>:K6 E96:C @H? 5C:?<D] %9:?< 3:8 A:E496CD @7 =6>@?256 — 2?5 2 76H ~=6 $>@<J |@@?D9:?6 @AE:@?D 6I4=FD:G6=J 7@C 25F=ED[ 2=@?8 H:E9 D=:465 =6>@?D[ 7C6D9 36CC:6D 2?5 A=6?EJ @7 :46 7@C 2==] xEVD =@H 677@CE 7@C E96 9@DE 3FE 766=D E9@F89E7F= 2?5 76DE:G6]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8ma] |2<6 E96 7@@5 :?E6C24E:G6[ E@@k^DEC@?8mk^Am
k5:G DEJ=6lQ>2I\H:5E9i e__AIj H:5E9i e__AIjQmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^:>286D^e4_d4464\_hha\cg5a\2_d`\4fg_h22b64ba];A8Q 2=ElQ?F==Q H:5E9lQe__Q 3@C56ClQ_Q ^mk^5:Gm
k5:G 4=2DDlQ{:DE:4=6r2AE:@?Q DEJ=6lQ7@?E\D:K6i ``AIjQmk^5:Gm
kAmk^Am
kAm!6@A=6 =@G6 2 sx* 7@@5 >@>6?EP !C@G:56 2? 2CC2J @7 E2DEJ :?8C65:6?ED 7@C 3F:=5\J@FC\@H? D<6H6CD[ E24@ 3@2C5D[ D=:56CD @C D?24< 32CD 2?5 =6E 8F6DED 4FDE@>:K6 E96:C A=2E6D] p D6CG6\J@FCD6=7 D6EFA =@@<D 6=6G2E65 2?5 H:== 96=A <66A 6G6CJ@?6 >:?8=:?8[ 255D 2? :?E6C24E:G6 6=6>6?E E@ E96 A2CEJ[ 2?5 >2<6D 6?E6CE2:?:?8 766= 677@CE=6DD]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mb] v2C?:D96D 2C6 E96 ?6H E23=6D42A6k^DEC@?8mk^Am
k5:G DEJ=6lQ>2I\H:5E9i e__AIj H:5E9i e__AIjQmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^:>286D^ce3bd_bg\a3hg\cdbh\h_dc\76cd6h3c_2gg];A8Q 2=ElQ?F==Q H:5E9lQe__Q 3@C56ClQ_Q ^mk^5:Gm
k5:G 4=2DDlQ{:DE:4=6r2AE:@?Q DEJ=6lQ7@?E\D:K6i ``AIjQmk^5:Gm
kAmk^Am
kAm%96 72DE6DE H2J E@ >2<6 2 42DF2= DAC625 766= AF==65 E@86E96C :D E9C@F89 82C?:D96D 2?5 7:?:D9:?8 E@F496D] u@C 25F=EDY[ 4@?D:56C 255:?8 ~=6 $>@<J |@@?D9:?6\x?7FD65 !62496D @C r96CC:6D E@ 4@4<E2:=D[ D6CG6 |@@?D9:?6 !:4<=6D 2=@?8D:56 3FC86CD @C D=:56CD[ @C 6G6? FD6 E96> 2D A2CE @7 2 D?24< 3@2C5 E92E 5@F3=6D 2D 564@C] %96D6 G6CD2E:=6 255:E:@?D 3C:?8 2 3@=5[ D=:89E=J F?6IA64E65 EH:DE E92E <:4<D D:>A=6 A2CEJ 7@@5 FA 2 ?@E49 2?5 255D 6IEC2 7=2:C[ 4@=@C 2?5 7=2G@C H:E9@FE C6BF:C:?8 2?J 6IEC2 677@CE :? E96 <:E496?] W|@@?D9:?6 !62496D a_T pq'[ |@@?D9:?6 r96CC:6D d_T pq'[ |@@?D9:?6 !:4<=6D a_T pq'Xk^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mc] (2E6C>6=@? l :?DE2?E DF>>6C 6?6C8Jk^DEC@?8mk^Am
k5:G DEJ=6lQ>2I\H:5E9i e__AIj H:5E9i e__AIjQmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^:>286D^fe66b7g2\heh4\ch65\hg5`\73f234_f37c`];A8Q 2=ElQ?F==Q H:5E9lQe__Q 3@C56ClQ_Q ^mk^5:Gm
k5:G 4=2DDlQ{:DE:4=6r2AE:@?Q DEJ=6lQ7@?E\D:K6i ``AIjQmk^5:Gm
kAmk^Am
kAm}@E9:?8 D2JD VA62< DF>>6CV BF:E6 =:<6 H2E6C>6=@? @? E96 E23=6] xEVD D:>A=6[ 4C@H5\A=62D:?8 2?5 :?DE2?E=J >2<6D 2?J DAC625 766= DF>>6CJ H:E9@FE ECJ:?8 E@@ 92C5] $6CG6 :E D=:465[ 4F365 @C 8C:==65 7@C D@>6E9:?8 2 =:EE=6 5:776C6?E[ E96? 255 7F? E@AA:?8D =:<6 4CF>3=65 76E2[ 7C6D9 >:?E[ 32=D2>:4 8=2K6[ A:4<=6 ;F:46 @C %2;:? 2?5 =:>6 7@C 2 56=:4:@FD EH:DE] v6E :?G6?E:G6 2?5 >:I E9:?8D FA H:E9@FE @G6C4@>A=:42E:?8 :E] %9:D H:== <66A DF>>6CVD 72G@C:E6 7CF:E 766=:?8 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 :?E6C6DE:?8 E92? ;FDE A=2:? D=:46D @? 2 A=2EE6C]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8md] r2??65 5C:?<D 42? 36 J@FC 4962E 4@56k^DEC@?8mk^Am
k5:G DEJ=6lQ>2I\H:5E9i e__AIj H:5E9i e__AIjQmk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^HHH]3C2?5A@:?E4@?E6?E]4@>^:>286D^b6ae63cf\2a25\c534\h23_\5a7g`4a3`a52];A8Q 2=ElQ?F==Q H:5E9lQe__Q 3@C56ClQ_Q ^mk^5:Gm
k5:G 4=2DDlQ{:DE:4=6r2AE:@?Q DEJ=6lQ7@?E\D:K6i ``AIjQmk^5:Gm
kAmk^Am
kAms@?VE DA6?5 E96 H9@=6 A2CEJ DEF4< A=2J:?8 32CE6?56CP p D64C6E E@ DEC6DD\7C66 9@DE:?8 :D DE@4<:?8 2 >:I @7 42??65 4@4<E2:=D[ D6=EK6CD[ DA2C<=:?8 H2E6C 2?5 C625J\E@\A@FC 5C:?<D D@ 8F6DED 42? 96=A E96>D6=G6D 2?5 8C23 H92E6G6C 7:ED E96:C >@@5] z66A 6G6CJE9:?8 49:==65 :? 2 3:8 :46 3F4<6E @C 5C:?< EF3] z66A 2? 6J6 @FE 7@C ~=6 $>@<JVD ?6H C625J\E@\5C:?< |@@?D9:?6 $A2C<=:?8 {6>@?256 =:?6FA :? 7=2G@CD :?4=F5:?8 3=24<36CCJ[ DEC2H36CCJ[ H2E6C>6=@? 2?5 =:89E?:?V =6>@?256]k^Am
kAm%@ <66A E9:?8D 7C6D9 2?5 @?\EC6?5[ 4@?D:56C :?4=F5:?8 2 >:I @7 7F?4E:@?2= 36G6C286 @AE:@?D — =:<6 252AE@86?\:?7FD65 5C:?<D @C 9J5C2E:@?\7@CH2C5 A:4<D DF49 2D @wJ — H9:49 42? 6?92?46 9J5C2E:@? 2?5 >2<6 C64@G6CJ 2 3C66K6P %96 <6J :D E@ <66A E96 G:36 C6=2I65[ >2<6 D6EFA 62DJ 2?5 @776C 2 G2C:6EJ E@ 6?DFC6 E96C6VD D@>6E9:?8 7@C 6G6CJ@?6]k^Am
kAm%96 36DE DF>>6C 9@DE:?8 5@6D?VE ECJ E@@ 92C5 — :E ;FDE H@C<D] (:E9 2 76H 62DJ FA8C256D[ 2 =:EE=6 4C62E:G:EJ 2?5 J@FC 72G@C:E6 8@\E@ :?8C65:6?ED :? E96 >:I[ J@FVG6 8@E 6G6CJE9:?8 J@F ?665 7@C 2? 677@CE=6DD DF>>6C 82E96C:?8] yFDE =6E J@FC 8F6DED A@FC :? 2?5 6?;@J E96 >@>6?E]k^Am
kAm!=62D6 5C:?< C6DA@?D:3=J] {62C? >@C6 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ]@C8Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm#6DA@?D:3:=:EJ]@C8k^2m]k^Am
kAmYk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^@=6D>@<J]4@>^A286D^2H2C5DQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm9EEADi^^@=6D>@<J]4@>^A286D^2H2C5Dk^2mk^Am
kAmYp5F=ED a`Zk^Am
