My go-to outdoor entertaining essentials

“you can journey to the ends of the earth in search of success. but if you’re lucky you will find happiness in your own backyard."

Russell conwell

This quote is really speaking to me right now! Especially during construction, our outdoor living space has been a happy haven for me. With the weather getting good, we’re relishing little moments outside and looking forward to a long season of family gatherings, barbecues, and pool parties! Or maybe an intimate al fresco dinner or quiet read in the morning.

Whatever it is, it’s the season of celebrating what’s blooming around us and getting outside.

I love to entertain at home, but I feel like so many of us overthink it. Honestly, the best memories are made from getting a small group together for a simple barbecue dinner or sipping refreshing drinks poolside on a hot day.

We’ve hosted in our backyard even before our outdoor living space was built, and these are my go-to items to have on hand whether it be for our family or entertaining a crowd.

• Bar cart - We ordered this so long ago and at first I wasn’t sure about it. But since the outdoor living space is complete, I love having this wheeled bar cart to make enteraining easy!

• Tray - I love this woven tray I got a few years ago for carrying items from the kitchen outside. It also can double to hold silverware, napkins, or even flowers for a centerpiece/accent.

• Melamine serveware - These are my favorite from Crate & Barrel. They’re simple in design, so go with any theme/table and lasting.

• Outdoor-friendly drinkware - I only recently found these gorgeous glasses and pitcher. I love the clean design (theme here?) and they happened to be on sale when I purchased. I don’t love the look of some outdoor drinkware, but they’re great for worry-free around the pool.

• Decorative pitcher - A decorative pitcher can elevate your whole outdoor dining look with ease. This seagrass one is perfect for summer.

• Linen napkins - A simple linen or cloth napkin can elevate the whole look of your table. Linen is great because it looks better with a lived in feel (aka wrinkles) so it’s low maintenance.

• Fresh flowers - Love having fresh flowers as much as possible! Herbs are another great addition to an outdoor table. This bowl is beautiful for any outdoor setup and I love these terracotta pots for herbs.

• Citrus - Another functional item I always have around (and especially since our lemon tree is abundant). Citrus makes for a fun centerpiece and doubles as drink garnish.

Happy hosting!