Entertainment will set your pool party apart from all the others. Without some form of music the party will fall flat. While live music is always better, it’s rarely a budget-friendly option, Thompson says. If you can’t hire a live musician, try to hire a DJ so guests can interact with the party rather than just leaving an iPod on shuffle.

Thompson stressed food served at a pool party must be clean, light and absorbent – for those not-so-sober guests. Make sure you don’t serve food that will spoil in the sun or anything greasy. The best dishes to serve are salads and sandwiches, he says. You can also “challenge” your guests to bring something original to eat or drink – and even give prizes to the best, or most original, item.