1. Flag-Inspired Color Palette

"For decor, I plan everything around the flag," Nass says. That means more red, white, and blue color palette than it does actual flag motifs, though there are a few. She anchors her table setting with a blockprint-style red and white floral tablecloth and tops it with Blue Willow dishes. Plates in this ubiquitous pattern can often be found, reasonably priced, at vintage shops or online retailers such as replacements.com.

Blue glassware and a cherry red cloth napkin (remember, dining outdoors doesn't automatically mean using paper napkins) add even more variations on the color palette. Nass' napkins are monogrammed, but yours don't have to be. "If you’re going to invest in something new, make it a statement napkin," she says. 

Stockton Johnson/Courtesy of Rizzoli New York

2. Showstopping Desserts

Apple pie may be the all-American dessert, but Nass' go-to pavlova hits all the right notes. She loves the pillowy meringue treat for its sophisticated looks and its versatility. “You can do it with berries in the summer; you can do it with caramel sauce and apples in the fall, and cranberries for winter,” she says. 

Another festive dessert, patterned sugar cookies, have been a signature offering since the start of her catering days. They’re also one of her impressively easy tricks. The pattern comes from an edible cookie topper applied to round cookies iced in white. You can find similar flag dessert toppers on Etsy.

Scott Suchman/Courtesy of Rizzoli New York

3. Fruity Sippers

“Sangria is so festive with the natural colors of the fruit,” Nass says. “I like it for all sorts of summer gatherings.” It’s also make-ahead and big-batch friendly. To make this red-and-blue version: In a pitcher or drink dispenser, combine blueberries and sliced strawberries, a bottle of dry white wine, and 1 cup each of vodka and cranberry juice; top with sparkling water. "This has been my go-to Fourth of July cocktail since it was legal for me to have a cocktail," Nass says. "I love how easy it is to batch, and I love all the fruit!"

Camila Giraldo/Courtesy of Rizzoli New York

4. Fun Party Favors

Pull-apart crackers aren't just for Christmas. They're also an easy and fun craft for the Fourth or any holiday, since it's easy to make them fit any party theme based on what you put in them and the paper you cover them with.

To make a cracker, line up three cardboard tubes (use toilet paper tubes or cut a paper towel tube into three) side by side and cover them as a single unit in decorative paper or wrapping paper, taping the paper in place. Fill the center roll with trinkets and candy. Then carefully pull the rolls apart, within their paper covering, about a half-inch, and cinch the area between the rolls with a twist tie. Add a ribbon bow to the cinched area. Trim any excess cardboard tube that shows beyond the paper.

Scott Suchman/Courtesy of Rizzoli New York

5. Elevated Menu

A seafood tower is a sure way to dress up the holiday, but Nass says you can really only pull this off safely if you're entertaining at home, where refrigerators are at the ready. Plus, it can get expensive. Even if seafood isn't on the menu, borrow a trick from this impressive-looking display and use one or more multi-tiered servers. If you don't have elevated platters, you can make them yourself by putting a plate on top of an overturned glass and adhering the two with a couple of adhesive foam squares. Even traditional burgers and hot dogs look more festive when they're served on an elevated surface.

Courtesy of Rizzoli New York

For more tabletop ideas and party recipes for dozens of different themes and occasions, check out Stephanie Nass' book Swing By!: Entertaining Recipes & the New Art of Gathering.