Outdoor Dining: Ideas For A Memorable Outdoor Dinner Party

Published Date: Aug 24, 2015

Now is the perfect time to take your dinner party outside! Whether you are planning a sophisticated evening out under the stars or getting ready for the biggest backyard barbecue bash of the year, you have plenty of options when it comes to outdoor dining. Here’s a quick primer on how to make your next event special - whether you’re preparing for a special occasion, or you’d simply like to set up your backyard for regular evenings out as an alternative to the dining room.

First things first, it’s a great idea to have an area ready for outdoor dining. Choose an outdoor dining area that can accommodate the number of people you plan on having at your event. Create stations for each part of your evening. Set up a place for drinks that is separate from the barbeque area and use your built-in kitchen to create a warm and inviting seating area for guest to watch you work your magic. Everyone loves to help in the kitchen and watch the food be prepared, using this area will create a comfortable place to hang out with friends.

It is the season for cooking outdoors as well as dining outdoors, so be prepared with a recipe book full of flavorful dishes for your next outdoor dining extravaganza. Whether you simply opt for grilling up burgers, hot dogs, and veggies or you decide to cook up something special – grilled pizza, anyone? – there are plenty of dishes to put on the menu. One of the greatest things about cooking outdoors is that cooking things up on the grill makes it easy to customize everybody’s dishes. Prepare marinades, seasonings, and an array of condiments in advance and allow your guests to pick out the meal option that suits them best.

We’re fans of bench style seating, which is flexible enough to make room for a number of guests when you have them around. If you’re planning for a larger party, be sure to have additional seating and table options available. Nobody wants to spend dinner time trying to balance their plate and drinks on their knees! Setting up next to a water feature adds ambiance and background noise.

Dining outdoors already gives you the perfect atmosphere, but be sure to spice things up with great décor as well. If you’re planning on dining out in the evening, be sure to have adequate lighting on hand for your celebration. With the night sky, you will want to have the right amount of lighting to help your guests find their way around your outdoor living space. Tea lights or corded “twinkle” lights are an easy way to add additional lighting to your patio space, but you can also opt for torch lights for a little bit of flare –pun intended. Table settings can include everything from tablecloths to lanterns and floral arrangements, all of which are simple to set up and add a large splash of appeal to your outdoor space. Music being played through your outdoor speakers will also add to the enjoyment of the evening.

And don't forget to finish off the dining experience with roasted marshmallows or grilled pound cake while sitting around the fire pit. The roar and warmth of the fire will help to bring your guests together one last time for the night. And no matter the style you’re after, you can easily obtain it with the right décor and a little bit of creativity. Get ready for a year full of fun with the right outdoor dining options!