A Pretty Backyard Dinner Party

The holidays are quite busy already with all of the hustle and bustle that goes on, that planning a party in addition to this could be quite intimidating. The best way to get through a party during the holidays is go simple. Simplicity goes a long way during this time of year when everywhere you go is already decked out with Christmas decorations whenever summer ends.

To help with simplicity, I used things already around my home, though I did go buy several spools of glittery ribbon and yarn to hang, and I kept the menu simple. It was also important to keep the gathering place together, so that everybody could sit down near each other and just enjoy one another’s company. Company is the thing that makes a party a party after all! Plus, add a few twinkle lights and candlelight and everybody is in the mood to celebrate! Can not you agree?

Until: Our garden. Some metal lawn chairs for seating and a classic picnic table surrounded by metal folding chairs.

Following: Taking a large space and creating and styling areas to make it feel more romantic and fancy enough for a dinner party.

The distance was divided into three areas for the dinner party: the food station, dessert corner, and dining table. Each region had a bit of styling and decoration to add more charm and to distinguish each and every one. I used a classic metal garden table and brought out a comfy chair for coziness.

For seats, I brought out more classic cafe chairs from inside the home as well as a long seat that would help provide ample seating for your guests. It’s very good to have a seat around for purposes such as this.

I brought out our dining table and lined it up with the outdoor to table to make you really long table.

1 long table, mismatched chairs, pretty flowers, simple place settings would be the perfect makings for a wonderful dinner party!

Benches help supply more seating when it’s necessary. Mixing benches with chairs give it a nice eclectic mix.

For the tablecloth, I used an extra large flat bed sheet. It covered both long sides of the table nicely to the ground. For the table runner, I just used some burlap.

Burlap was utilized for the table runner and mismatch plates located at the thrift shop gave everything a one of a kind feel.

The party favors were miniature pops I made and place on every plate, wrapped up in a little fabric scrap, and also added a little tag cut from kraft paper.

Mismatched dishes and mason jars which may be found at thrift stores are so ideal for dinner parties!

I desired a wintry feel, so for flowers I just got a bunch of baby’s breath and place them together in large mason jars. I also just collected the candles I’d scattered around my home, set them on two plates and it added the excess pizzazz I needed on the dinner tables. Soft light adds such a wonderful ambiance.

With the holidays around the corner, I wanted a few sparkle, so I found a few gold and pink glittery type ribbons and yarn at the local craft store and cut bits. I had my husband take a 8′ dowel, drill holes at each end, then string it up into the wires we had moving round the top.

Soft candles include such a sweet mood to the party.

The party favors were miniature pies that I made and place on every plate, wrapped up in a little fabric scrap, and added a little tag cut from kraft paper. I utilized my recipe which I made for HGTV: http://www.hgtv.com/entertaining/petite-pie-party-favors/index.html

Twinkle lights, a little bit of sparkle, pretty flowers, and gentle candlelight make a dinner party somewhat more fancy!

Twinkle lights, a little bit of sparkle, pretty flowers, and gentle candlelight make a dinner party somewhat more fancy!

Just a little nook for desserts. Varied heights include more visual attention. Try stacking cake dishes on novels.

Use novels and cake stands to add some sort in height. This was how we exhibited our dessert table.

Adding old shutters to cover up a dull outdoor wall provides more visual attention and a aged long wooden table is the best thing to maintain all of the food.

It was an Italian dinner featuring two kinds of pastas, chicken, and three distinct sauces. All were put properly to keep the food clean and had simple labels which were cut from kraft paper and I just wrote the title and set it in the front of its corresponding dish.

The long table is where everybody dined. There was another little place that houses all of the food and another little corner just for desserts. It was our own mini little restaurant. To hang the ribbon for decoration, then I had my husband take a 8′ dowel, drill holes at each end, then string it up into the cables we had going round the top.

The large space felt much cozier using the different areas and it made the whole dinner feel a bit more fancy rather than just your normal garden party. And needless to say, it’s somewhat more cold of a year, so an outdoor heat lamp kept all of the guest warm and comfy despite the autumn glow!

Twinkle lights are just absolutely necessary for fairly backyard dinners!

See related