Outdoor Party Season is Here!! Party Planning Tips from Teresa

The outdoor party season is here! 

Try purchasing your outdoor tableware to coordinate with the cushions, slings, and umbrellas that are going to live in the space day to day. Then accent with different colors depending on what theme you want to create with inexpensive accessories. One week you may have a Mothers Day gathering with family, and two weeks later, you may have friends over for Memorial Day weekend.

Changing the little things, can create a whole new look. I don’t want anyone to misunderstand me. You have purchased quality furniture from Sunnyland, so I am not advocating that you buy on the cheap. I am suggesting that for party decorations, you can buy inexpensively, and after the party is over, put them away to be used again. They will not last long if left out in the elements. An example would be decorative string lights and paper lanterns. These are great for theme oriented parties, but not intended for constant outdoor use.

I love buying my party accessories at World Market, Pier 1, and Garden Ridge. I would even start by going through your own home to see if you have candle holders, and various knick knacks that may work for your tablescape décor before going out and purchasing anything. You can add on from there.

Try finding glass containers in all shapes and sizes that you can fill with seasonal and theme oriented items to use in you tablescape. They can be adorned with florals or not.

Candles in interesting candleholders scattered throughout the space are great for mood lighting. Cluster them and they create as much lighting as a lamp. I love hanging candle holders from the tree limbs at different levels. You can get heavier copper wire to wrap around the limb and candleholder to secure them. Torches are also great for lighting up dark corners of your yard. They help to spread the lighting throughout your space.

What would we do without paper napkins that say it all? Whatever the event may be, there will be a paper napkin for it. Find fun ones for your event that incorporate your main color of tablewear, and use the additional colors in the napkins as your accent colors for the rest of the décor.

One year I bought colorful sarongs at World Market to use as tablecloths for our graduation party, and later gave them to the girls to wear on their senior trip cruise. Shop for accessories with an open mind and you are bound to find some unusual and unique decorations.