If winter is for extravagant tablescapes and decadent menus, summer is the time to do less. Your wrinkly linen napkins can be re-branded as rustic; simple white plates are the preferred pairing for swirls of spaghetti al pomodoro; family-style platters lean in to the relaxed mood of the season. It is completely acceptable to pop a bowl of farmers’ market produce on the table and call it a centerpiece. So when it comes to the best outdoor entertaining essentials, a few key essentials will go a long way.
Vogue’s Outdoor Entertaining Essentials:
Once you have your outdoor furniture set up and cracked open the latest cookbook to plot out your spread, treat your table to a couple new pieces that will make your evening feel that much more special. For BBQ outdoor parties or soirées around the fire pit, enamel serving trays and grilling utensils go without saying—but for everything else, from the wicker-covered glasses that’ll give your bar cart some coastal flair to the soft lighting and gingham linens that bring the ambiance, we have you covered. Ahead of your next summer dinner party, turn to our outdoor entertaining essentials edit and kick the season off right.
The Table Linens
The right base layer allows you to keep the rest of your setting relatively simple—after all, it’s pretty hard to top an oversized runner with baguettes and sardines hand-stitched along its length. Whether it’s a printed tablecloth or striped place mat, choose natural fibers like cotton, raffia, and linen to keep your dining table feeling laid-back. And if summer’s bold prints and splashy colors aren’t tempting you to abandon your minimalist palette, a simple white linen napkin set with a sage scalloped trim is the way to go.
The Dinnerware
To incorporate some functionality into your al fresco dining plans (or at least, to account for the youngest members of the guest list), the key is picking out a dining set that can withstand a little wear and tear. Durable melamine and enamel are shatter-proof and good for transporting, if you’re taking your feast to-go to the park or the beach. Staying put with a garden party on your outdoor patio? A set of neutral stoneware plates will let the fresh ingredients of the season truly shine.
The Drink Station
Serve up batch cocktails in a carafe or pitcher for hands-free entertaining. As for the drinkware, Ichendorf Milano’s cherry- and chili pepper-dotted tumblers are a playful nod to vibrant seasonal produce, while Jake Arnold’s delicate Crate & Barrel cups are more refined if you want to eschew traditional wine glasses. You’d never guess they’re actually acrylic (read: clumsy guest-proof).
The Servingware
Grilled fish, crisp, colorful salads, mountains of fresh pasta… whatever you’re serving, it’ll be better with a fun platter. Splatterware enamel and tomato-decorated bowls are an easy sell for the print-prone—though with the silver trend still going strong, Pottery Barn’s oval dish will be something you can use past Labor Day. Speaking of silver: Hay’s stainless steel coupes are the perfect dessert vessel for everything from sorbets to berry crumbles.
The Hostess Gifts
Perhaps your preferred role to play in the summer dinner party is that of the guest—in that case, the right gift is your ticket to getting invited back. Something cooking-adjacent, like olive oil presented in a ceramic cruet or gourmet sweet and sour candy, is always a safe idea. You can also take inspiration from the menu. Loewe’s tomato-scented room spray or Maison Balzac’s asparagus taper candles are a more creative way to stay on-theme.
The Tabletop Extras
These are the outdoor entertaining items that, while not necessary, can make hosting a little easier. To wit: a rechargeable, portable lamp to light your late-night dinner conversations, a Bluetooth speaker to keep your playlist going into the wee hours, and citronella mosquito coils to ward off uninvited guests. They also serve a decorative purpose—in lieu of fancy centerpieces, why not pot your herbs in a mini terracotta planter you can display instead?