by Millie Tulle

Created on: July 19, 2010   Last Updated: July 27, 2010

Fall is just around the corner, and before you start preparing for school and stashing away those summer dresses, you want to give summer a proper goodbye. The best way to do this is to throw an end-of-the-summer party. This is your last chance to truly immortalize the season. Here are some guidelines to throw a great party and pay tribute to summertime.

1. Whom to invite?

Think about who you've spent time with this summer, and invite those who have really made it special. You want this to be an evening filled with people you love and have fun with. This is also a great time to get reacquainted with friends who went to camp or travelled over the summer. Now make a decision. Do you want a more intimate get-together with some of your closest friends or do you want a big summer bash a la American Pie? Consider that the latter will require a bigger venue, and a lot more planning. A bigger party definitely has a different feel to it, but if you envision a wild and spirited night, now is the time to make it happen!

2. Set the date, and get the word out.

The best time to have the party is two weekends before school starts. At this point, most of your friends are back from vacation, but still not out of “summer mode”. Don't schedule it too close to back-to-school as it might interfere with people's fall preparations. Once you've decided on the group and the date, send out invitations. Do this a couple of weeks before the party, giving people time to plan around it. For an intimate group, try e-vites. It is a great way to keep everyone in the loop about who's coming, and what to expect. For a bigger group, try flyers, or use social networking sites like Facebook to generate some buzz.

3. Venue and mood.

The pool is a great place to host both small and large parties. A backyard pool is especially ideal as you have much more freedom than at a public beach, for example. Since you are seeing off the season, make an effort to maintain a summery feel for the event. Check the weather, and pick the perfect breezy night. Create ambience by setting up tiki torches around the pool. These are cheap and have the added bonus of keeping bugs away. Get out the Christmas lights in July! Most importantly, get the music going. It is the best way to achieve the ambience you're going for. If you want to invite dancing, make a mix of music that is easy to dance to. Keep it light and upbeat. Ultimately, use your space well. If you're expecting a large party, don't be

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