Keep summer drinks bug free with cupcake paper covers. - Stefanie Gabrych Fraser
Summertime naturally lends itself to impromptu outdoor eating with family and friends, whiling away the night way past bedtime.
To create the perfect atmosphere for your outdoor dining space without spending a fortune, it takes a little organization and the spirit of an explorer. Here are a few ideas to inspire.
- For more informal dining, place an old door (or similar sized piece of lumber) on top of four empty paint cans (half fill with sand for stability) and cover with a tablecloth or bed sheet. Surround with plenty of cushions for guests to lounge on.
- If you are lucky enough to have a retro swing seat with an awning, add a pile of cushions for guests to enjoy after eating.
- Set aside a table for preparing refreshments to avoid cluttering the dining space.
- Mark drinking straws with paper flags to help guests identify their glass.
- Keep bugs out of party drinks by covering each class with a cupcake cover.
- Have a pile of old games for guests to enjoy such as pin the tail on the donkey, hula-hooping, croquet and badminton.
- Create a children’s corner with crayons, paper, scissors and glue. Get an older sibling to supervise.
- Decorate the backyard, porch or patio with floral garlands or paper bunting.
- Fill buckets with herbs such as lavender to line the path to the patio or porch for a sweetly scented walk.
- Add a touch of glamour to a porch ceiling by hanging a chandelier made by bending wire into shape and decorating it with fairy lights and glossy, fresh ivy.
- Bouquets of small flowers such as pansies look particularly sweet displayed in simple, plain drink glasses.
- Mixed glassware and accessories add a relaxed feel to the festivities.
- Covered lanterns between each place setting provide atmospheric table lighting for the evening.
- A weathered laundry tub filled with ice is an ideal wine chiller.
- Shelter guests from the heat of the day with a pretty canopy made of a bed sheet and four sturdy poles.
- Tea lights in assorted glass jars are perfect for outside spaces when the light begins to fade.
- Fill a little-used soup tureen with garden flowers for an impressive centerpiece.
- Jam jars or old sundae glasses filled with appetizers make a rustic table display.
- Details such as tea towels with interesting prints such as a lobster or favorite vegetable or fruit, help add a little French chic.
- A cleverly folded napkin can hold cutlery and a decorative sprig of rosemary for a smart country table setting.
Being organized and getting things done ahead of time will allow both the hosts and guests to enjoy a wonderful al fresco evening.
Copyright Stefanie Gabrych Fraser. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
