Part of our new normal includes spending a lot more time in our backyards. Because many of us are still confined to our homes, we cherish the small opportunities we get to spend some time outside. If you’re hosting a small dinner party with family or close friends, we wanted to provide you with some tips and tools for making the most of your gathering. From tabletop upgrades to special outdoor cocktails, you can curate an incredible party from the comfort of your backyard!

  1. Tabletop
    By adding a table cloth to your outdoor table, you can establish a sense of elegance usually reserved for indoor parties or catered affairs. We love our Aspen Fabric Table Linens Collection, which offers a tablecloth, a table runner, matching placemats, and napkins. The lightweight fabric is perfect for an outdoor summer party, and the matching napkins and placemats makes your party feel less like a cookout and more like al fresco dining. You can also use your regular dinnerware at your outdoor party, or you can pull out our Caviar Dinnerware Collection. The black dinnerware is both elegant and rustic, perfect for an outdoor gathering.

  2. Appetizers
    No dinner party would be complete without appetizers, and that includes outdoor parties, too! Of course an outdoor party in the summer could be humid, so it’s important to include some appetizer options that are cold. We love a tomato mozzarella appetizer! You can top fresh mozzarella with a sliced tomato and add balsamic glaze for extra flavour. Another popular summer appetizer is a shrimp cocktail, which you can elevate by placing the shrimp and sauce on a Large Chip & Dip Plate.

  3. Summer Cocktails
    You can make your dinner party even more special by crafting a cocktail that you can serve right from a pitcher. Drinks like mojitos, sangria, and wine spritzers are perfect for even the warmest days. They’re all simple drinks which require few ingredients, and you can make several servings in just one pitcher. If you want to go the extra mile, you can also make any drink frozen by adding ice and blending it! A popular summer treat is a frozen margarita, which is as easy as tequila, margarita mix, and ice all in one blender.