Host an Outdoor Dinner Party This Spring

As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, you’ll want to get together with your friends more often and enjoy the mild weather. Middle to late spring is a great time to host a fun and fancy outdoor dinner party. You can transform your backyard into a beautiful garden venue for a lovely evening under the stars. Here are a few tips on how to make this magical night happen.

The Right Table Setting

A candlelit dinner outside, under the stars and amidst the flowers in your garden sounds lovely, doesn’t it? You can’t do it right without the proper table settings. We recommend either a white tablecloth or a deep green or red one. Choose a color that works well when contrasted with your favorite flowers.

If you’re decorating with cherry blossom centerpieces, you might not want a red tablecloth. It’s a nice complement to the pink cherry blossoms, but it’s a bit too close to Valentine’s Day colors. Instead, choose a pale green or light blue. You can never go wrong with white, either.

Don’t skimp on floral arrangements or greenery around the table. It adds atmosphere and helps to transform the environment from an ordinary backyard to a beautiful dinner party venue.

Create Ambience With Lighting and Music

Paper lanterns give off a beautiful, warm, and colorful light. You can string them up in the trees or along your patio. They’ll add some ambient light, while tea candles on the table add just a bit more warmth and glow to the setting.

To add to the ambience, pick some background music that won’t distract too much, but also won’t be boring. Are you a fan of jazz? You could put on an Ella Fitzgerald or Nina Simone album. These women’s voices add a dusky, alluring quality to the night. Your guests will like the sensuous feel that the right lighting and music lend to the party.

One word of caution, though: don’t play the music too loudly. If your guests can’t hear each other speak in conversational tones, they’ll try to speak over the music and each other. Things can get loud and awkward very quickly.

Pick the Perfect Drinks

This is a springtime party. You’ve surrounded your guests with flowers and greenery. You’re sitting outside in the mild evening air. Choose a cocktail that will suit the occasion. Sangria is a great choice for this. If you make it with white wine instead of red, it will have a lighter taste, too. This will give it a more spring-like taste.

Everything in your evening should be light and soft. You’re celebrating the end of winter and the beginning of several months of outdoor entertaining and beautiful weather. Kick it off right with a classy dinner with friends.

If you do this right, your friends will want to throw their own springtime parties. Some will hold their parties during the afternoons for grilling and backyard sports. Others will be inspired by your evening party and will throw dinner parties of their own. Be the first to throw a spring-themed party, and you’ll start a trend with your friends that you’ll love. You’ll be going to fun parties all spring long!