Summer is here, and so is the season of perpetual outdoor entertaining! This is something we have personally strived to do this more and more over the past couple of years, and I can honestly say it has definitely gotten easier. From scrambling around before guests arrive, to running back and forth to the house to grab something we need for our outdoor entertaining, I have done it all, and compiled a guide so you don’t have to sweat the small stuff, to make all your outdoor entertaining easier!
Whenever we are preparing for guests to come over, I love setting up a drink station. It truly makes hosting a breeze, and keeps me from having to stop and make a drink, or provide refills, every time someone needs a new beverage. It means that I get to enjoy the party too!
Don’t have a designated spot to create a drink station? No problem, you can see below how I created this DIY drink station by stacking a small side table on a larger crate, to add height, and then set it up ready to fill cups with a self-serve decanter.
Large waterproof containers are your friend! Just like baskets are when it comes to keeping our houses clean, large containers such as metal buckets or wooden troughs that hold ice make an easy self serve drink station as well. These are especially handy when it comes to B.Y.O.B. parties, because mostly likely the fridge is full of food, with no room to spare for all the extra drinks people may bring. Fill your containers full of ice to provide an easy spot for people to put their beverages. It’s also so easy for kids too. I grab water bottles, and juice boxes, and just point them where to go when they get thirsty.
TIP: Back in my early bar tending days, I learned that bottles in an ice bath cool down much faster. Fill your bucket up 3/4 of the way with ice, and then fill with water. Not only can you fit more bottles in the container, but they cool down much faster.
Make entertaining fuss free by using trays to transfer items outside, and keep things easily contained. This also acts as an extra set of hands, because you can fit more items on a tray, then you can traditionally carry, which means less trips in and out of the house to bring out all those condiments, or other items you need.
Create Outdoor Eating Spaces
I have to say that while we always enjoyed our fire pit area, the moment we created this outdoor dining area, it made summer entertaining SO much easier! No more were guests awkwardly standing around, holding plates of food, trying to find a comfortable place to eat. We have shared so many meals around this outdoor table, and having a designated place to eat truly does make dining al fresca a breeze!
Patio Lights!
Nothing makes our outdoor spaces feel cozier and more inviting that the addition of patio lights. Honestly, I never realized how much our space was lacking until we added these. My favorite go-to place to pick some up is Amazon! They totally illuminate our outdoor area, and make it so we can enjoy the space well into the evening.
I’ve rounded up some of my favorite outdoor summer entertaining staples, and put them together in design boards, just in case you happen to be in the market for something, or realized you were missing a key element to making all your outdoor entertaining that much easier!
wicker caddy | white decanter
woven glasses | lights
Happy Summer Entertaining Friends!
