Hostess anxiety may not have an entry in the Physicians' Desk Reference, but the symptoms are obvious: fear that no one will show up, worry that those who do will stand around and blink at one another in silence, utter certainty that your guests will stop at 7-Eleven on the way home and hungrily devour a box of Hot & Spicy Cheez-its to fill the hole that your party food didn't.

When you're the hostess, your perfectionism spikes like a fever, but meeting your own high expectations (and the lesser ones of your guests) is not impossible. And you can probably get away with a lot less work than you think — a little artfully arranged takeout here, a simple flower arrangement there, a bottle of red, a bottle of white, and you've got yourself a cocktail party.

Summer is a great time for casual, inexpensive entertaining, and these tips from caterers, event planners, etiquette experts, and party givers of all stripes should help cure your hosting anxiety. After all, why shouldn't you have as much fun as your guests?