While you may never be on the Martha Stewart or Ina Garten level of home entertaining (after all, we don’t all have a home in East Hampton with a lush backyard), there’s no reason you can’t aspire to these mega-hostesses’ easy, breezy entertaining philosophies.
And while you’re at it, you can aspire to host for less — making Friday night dinners or Sunday brunch for the friends you call family affordable, digestible and eminently enjoyable affairs. After all, the pleasure is not so much in the pudding (though it can be!) as it is in the company. So instead of going in the red to fund an all-out backyard barbecue or intimate outdoor cocktail party — or perhaps worse, giving up on the idea of hosting altogether — check out these savvy and simple ways to save money on your summer shindig.
