The end of summer is a fabulous timeto bring friends and family togetherfor an outdoor party!
After years of transforming our backyard space for various events,whether scheduled or improptu,I've pulled together 6 ideas to give youinspiration for your next backyard event!
1. Alfresco Dinner Party
A simple evening can be turned into a fabulous outdoor dinner party with a few quick tricks! Styling a party is always my favorite part, so I like to pull the elements I want to use the day before so I can enjoy the creative process.
Layering colors and textures
help to add visual interest to the table, so I started off each place setting with a wooden charger, followed by a wicker charger, a white textured dinner plate, chambray napkinsand topped off with fresh rosemary.Succulents tucked into a long wooden candleholderhelp to keep the table clean and streamlined so conversations can take center stage!
2. Italian Dinner
Hosting a fun, casual Italian-themedbackyard dinner can be done with minimal effort yet maximum effect!
Decor can be kept simple by using Italian staples like fresh tomatoes, basil, citrus, and yellow daisies. Red and white checked fabric makes the perfect tablecloth, and clothespinned vintage-style Italian dishtowels serve as great graphics. Keep the evening fun and easy with pitchers of sangria and a rustic pasta bar, which adds an interactive element to the evening!
3. Romantic CampoutYou don’t have to travel far to enjoy a luxurious outdoor retreat if you create a summer pop-up experience in your own backyard! Last summer’s teepee is still one of my favorite cozy spaces ever created, and it can be completed with simple poles, dropcloths, and rope! Adding an air mattress, quilts and pillows inside create a truly blissful space. Bringing in a pouf and topping it with a butcher’s block makes the perfect side table, and topping a stump with lanterns adds to the functionality in the evening! Make a charcuterie spread accompanied with glasses of wine, and you’re absolutely set for a romantic backyard camp out evening in your very own summer space!
4. Birthday Celebration
Family birthday parties have always been a big deal in our family, and summertime ones can be especially fun when hosted outside! This 18th birthday party was kept simple with colorful textiles, balloons, and bunting. Milk bottles with striped straws were set out for lemonade, and a galvanized bucket was filled with fun fruit sodas.
Backyard games
are always a great addition to a party, as well as chairs and a firepit for end-of-the-evening s’mores. For this particular party, drinks and appetizers were served at the house and then everyone went out to dinner, followed by returning to the house for cake and presents, which made for a nice balance of entertaining at home without a big meal production.
5. Backyard Beer Tasting
Whether you’re looking for birthday party inspiration or simply a Saturday evening idea, throwing a backyard beer tasting event is a wonderfully interactive way to bring your guests together!
Converting vintage tool boxes into ice chests to display the selected beers is an easy way to add a bit of masculinity to the decor.
Glass caddies filled with small tasting glasses
are great to have on hand since they are both functional and easy to pass out. Getting pre-made salami and cheese trays from Costco and repurposing on wooden serving boards make for effortless food preparation, too. Beer tasting kits can also be purchased to help guide the tasting event if you don’t feel confident enough on the various styles!
6. Early Fall Brunch
The gorgeous weather in early fall makes it the perfect timeto host an outdoor brunch!
For a farm-to-table feel,I like to use fall producelike fresh picked Gala applesto line the center of the table.
A dropcloth used as a table cloth,cream textured dishes,and rustic wicker chargersmake for a clean autumn table setting.
And since it's brunch,a champagne bucket filled with bottles and fresh juice carafes are a must!Incorporating fall produce into the brunch menu is another great layer to the party, too!
To read more about each of these backyard entertaining ideas,you can read my full posts here:
Alfresco Dinner PartyItalian DinnerRomantic CampoutBirthday CelebrationBackyard Beer TastingEarly Fall Brunch
As always my friendsI wish you love and joy as you style your life
