Good To Know: Outdoor Entertaining

Outdoor entertaining is synonymous with warm weather. As summer goes on, we find ourselves drawn outdoors, eager to take advantage of everything the warm weather has to offer. This year, outdoor dining is more important than ever before. With everything going on with Covid-19, outdoor entertaining has become one of the only ways to enjoy being with the people we love while also staying safe (social distancing is still definitely encouraged).

We were inspired by our friend and local Salt Lake City boutique owner, Kyong Millar of Koo De Ker, who has the art of entertaining mastered and just finished her backyard patio. Her tablescapes are inspiring us to up our own outdoor dining game, so we’ve found our favorite outdoor dining essentials to share with you! All of the inspiration photos are courtesy of Kyong Millar.

Trays

A tray is not only a lovely addition to a tablescape, but they can be useful to transport food, silverware, and beverages between your indoor and outdoor living space.

A tray to carry everything from the kitchen to the outdoor table.

I have this tray and use it almost daily. It’s really sturdy and can handle heavy plates.

Perfect for a Farmhouse/Vintage Vibe.

More of a splurge, but I love the blend of materials.

Placemats

Dress up your casual outdoor plates or paper plates with placemats. In addition to adding to the dimensions of your tablescapes, placemats can provide a helpful barrier so that your silverware doesn’t have to touch the table. Given the fact that it’s outside, exterior tables are difficult to keep 100% clean.

We love a rattan placemat! Plus, this one is large enough for everything you need.

The scalloped pattern here adds a touch of whimsy.

These wipeable placemats come in a variety of colors. I love the simplicity of them.

Tablecloths

To soften the look of your outdoor dining area, we think adding a tablecloth adds a special touch. Some of our favorite summery options include linen and gingham, but if kids and popsicles are involved we recommend a wipeable one.

For summer, linen is always a good choice, and this chambray color is perfect for the season.

This gingham tablecloth is a great deal from Target.

This walnut leaf tablecloth feels very European and outdoorsy.

A wipeable tablecloth is always a good idea.

Oilcloth is also wipeable and this bee pattern is darling.

Plates

For plates for your outdoor setting, the durability of melamine can be a great choice without the worry of your plates breaking. If you’re party is large, or if you’re interested in disposable options, we highly recommend both of the following compostable sets.

This pattern is similar to our inspiration.

Disposable plates & serving ware that are also compostable.

For a white compostable plate option, these will be perfect.

Outdoor Lighting

Let’s not forget about outdoor lighting. Who doesn’t love some string lights on a patio?

These ones from Home Depot are 48 feet long and are LED.

And of course, you'll need poles to string them across.

Outdoor Extras

Of course, outdoor dining is beautiful, but there can be challenges to contend with. Especially in the summer months, one of the hardest things about outdoor dining is all of the insects! We recommend using herbs as a natural way to keep bugs away. Fill several vases with any combination of basil, lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, or mint. Once filled, place them around the tables and your patio.

Another great way to keep bugs away is to light a citronella candle. Of course, if you want to help a candle stay lit, you’ll want to shelter it in a votive. We’ve linked a few of our favorite votives below.

One of the most effective ways to keep away bugs is an outdoor fan (insects aren’t great at flying, funny enough). It’s hard to find a pretty one but place a couple of these off to the side and it should help keep the bugs away. 

Place a few of these around your outdoor table to keep the insects away.

Use a votive to keep your candles burning. I love this one's organic feel.

For smaller votives, I really like these ribbed glass with wood base ones.

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