Dinner Al Fresco: Tips for an Outdoor Dining Experience

August 28, 2019

Dinner Al Fresco doesn’t have to be complicated. Beautiful décor is lovely, but long conversations that last into the night are even better. After making over the $50 dining set I found on Facebook Market Place we’ve been sitting outside every night since it’s been so warm.

Are you thinking of refreshing your outdoor space but not sure where to start? Here are a few simple ideas you could complete before the long weekend! Then you will be ready to dine outside!

Paint your outdoor dining set with Tremclad – it will protect it from the weather and further rusting. This set took around 4 hours total.
Add an outdoor rug – This will add a pop of colour or nice pattern to your space.
Bring in some mood lighting – candles or lanterns or string lights are a great way to bring some ambiance to your patio.
Plant some flowers – If you don’t have beds, you can easily use pots to bring in some beautiful flowers! I found my flowers for only $3 each!
Sweep your outdoor area – honestly if you did this one thing your space will feel refreshed! It’s amazing how much dirt, leaves and debris collects outside.

I wanted to share some tips I find helpful when planning an outdoor dinner party!

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Let your outdoor space shine. Decor is nice, but you don’t have to overdo it. Even if you have a small space with a few plants, that’s all you need.

USE WHAT YOU HAVE

At one point I wanted to get outdoor plates and glasses, Mark convinced me otherwise and I am glad he did. We use our every day plates for outdoor dining, add in some real napkins and cutlery, you’re ready for a dinner party!

DISPLAY THE FOOD

I feel like having the food laid out feels more like an outdoor dining experience. I used a linen napkin for the bread basket, a ceramic bowl for some watermelon and a wooden cutting board for a small charcuterie board. All of these really brought colour to the table as well as an inviting energy.

With the long weekend coming up this weekend in Canada and the following weekend in the US. I thought these helpful tips would be great for those having Dinner Al Fresco. The last days of summer are upon us, so we might as well make the most of them!