How to Plan a Backyard Dinner Party – Part One

I love to plan parties. I created this backyard dinner party for my family. Everything … the location, lighting, and flowers—was amazing.

Today, I am sharing how to plan a backyard dinner party at home. With a few creative ideas, you can create a fantastic party like this right in your yard!

I wanted to create a really special dinner party. My guests were the best ever—our family! This dinner was a magical evening, and I used DIYs to make it special.

Today, I am sharing how to plan this backyard dinner party. You can do this too!

Our family was all in town, and I wanted to create a tablescape for an incredible dinner party. I created a magical dinner with decor, lighting, ambiance, good wine, and a home-cooked meal.

How to Create an Outdoor Dining Room

It took me a while to select the location for our dinner. While we have held several parties in our backyard, one of my favorite locations is poolside.

So I picked this area in front of our pool.

A few years ago, I bought some old vintage porch posts. I used them to create an outdoor dining room and wanted to do it again.

I bought these porch posts at a vintage sale, but you can find them on Facebook Marketplace. Just search for “porch posts.”

Vintage porch posts have holes in them, so I figured out that I could pound stakes in the ground to partially support them. All I did was pound the stakes in the grass and slip the porch posts over the stakes.

I also used some 1″ x 2″ x 8′ lumber to secure the porch posts on top. The photos below give you an idea.

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Next, I placed another board across the center top of the frame. I hung three strings of solar cafe lights, which I bought a few years ago and have used many times!

I decided I needed greenery across the top board and asked my husband if he could trim our tree. He gladly obliged, and I placed the small branches all across the top, securing them with green floral wire.

Setting the Table

I have a pretty big inventory of chargers, placemats, and dinnerware. I decided using copper accents would be fun, so I selected a burlap runner, woven placemats, and copper chargers.

I made the floral centerpieces and added my favorite copper candlesticks. You can get three of these copper candlesticks for only $21!

I love how the table turned out. I made the place cards with my circuit machine, and I promise to share how I did it in my next blog post!

As the evening progressed, the table became more beautiful as the sun set.

The lights were so unique and created a perfect ambiance poolside.

The table was simple but created the perfect gathering for our family.

My Favorite Must-Haves for Outdoor Entertaining!

I will be sharing more details about the table setting tomorrow, including how to make the place cards and flower arrangements with grocery store flowers! To find out how to make the paper floating lanterns, go to this blog post.

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