by Rachel Stacey

Created on: November 19, 2010

Having guests over for dinner served outside is a great way to break up the mundaneness of a sit down fancy indoor dinner. There are several advantages to moving the party outdoors. Guests will have more room to move about and mingle. Indoor parties can be cramped leaving people watching the clock or wishing their assigned seating had placed them elsewhere. Here are some steps to get you started in planning the perfect outdoor dinner party everyone will be raving about for months.

Theme and Invites

You will want to start with a guest list. While your outdoor area may hold more guests than indoors would allow, remember that one of the advantages of hosting outdoors is the room to move about. Plan your guest list with no more than can comfortably move around in the space. Choosing a certain theme will give your party a well planned look. You may prefer a more elegant theme where guests will dress to the nines or a fun and funky "no tie needed" event. Make sure to incorporate the theme into your invitations so guests will have an idea of how to dress. Have fun with the wording. Invitations are a great way to get the prep the mood for the type of party you wish to have.

Decor

This is the most fun part of an outdoor dinner party, decorations! Since you have already decided on your theme, choosing decorations should be easy. Decorating for an elegant cocktail dinner party is a breeze. If the party will continue past dusk, string white Christmas light on fences or intertwined in artificial foliage on tables. Candles are another affordable decorative options. White or black tablecloths give this party a distinguished look. A crackling fire will add to the romance of your perfectly planned evening. 

A late afternoon party will call for a more casual atmosphere. Get fun and funky here with tiki lamps and hanging lanterns. During the summer months, you can even purchase these items at a dollar store allowing you to cut down on decor costs. 

Tables and Seating

Decide how your dinner will be served. Will it be a sit down dinner, Hd'oeuvres, or buffet style? The latter two options work so well at outdoor dinner parties and give the guests the freedom to roam around the area and mingle. If you choose to have the event catered, having servers carry around Hd'oeuvres will be a nice touch. If you choose to allow guests to sit anywhere they would like, consider spacing tables and chairs in different places around the perimeter of your space. If you are serving finger foods you may choose to eliminate tables altogether and simply provide chairs.

Food and Drinks

Decide what types of food and drink you will serve. We have already discussed above how the food will be served. If you will serve alcohol, make sure you have someone designated to serve as bartender. Bartenders can be hired for usually a very reasonable price. If you are not hiring a caterer, you will want to have a few people signed up to help you replenish food and check with guests to see that they have everything they need.

Music

Don't forget to set the mood with some tunes. Classical or easy listening albums are great for a formal party. Disco hits or a mix of the last few decades are some choices for a fun and funky event. Just be sure to be considerate of your neighbors. A dinner party lasting late into the night can lead to the music and over-indulging guests gradually getting louder.

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