The sun is out, and there’s only one proper way to celebrate: an outdoor party! Admit it. You’ve been waiting for an excuse to plan a party in your backyard. Prepping the table is half the fun, whether you’re planning a picnic-style affair or an all-out dinner party. Breathe a sigh of relief — we’ve found all the inspiration you need to style a stunning table. Now just invite over a few friends, pour some drinks and get ready to soak up the sun while you get your grub on.
1. Preppy Orange and Pink: A table gets pretty with a massive dose of preppy colors and patterns. Be brave with bold colors. They’ll add that instant wow factor. (via Inspired By This)
2. Chevron Table Runner: All a table needs to transform from blah to ahh is one defining table runner — like this stunning chevron style. (via Style Me Pretty)
3. Picnic Box Place Setting: Personal packed lunches in cute boxes along with pretty colorful napkins? So fun. And don’t get us started on all the yummy goodies you could find in these little lunches. Suddenly we’re totally inspired to have a picnic. (via Eric Kelley Photography)
4. Preppy Stripes: The secret ingredient to an instantly stunning tablescape is simple: stripes! It’s a great backdrop for any table setting, but we’re particularly in love with the way bright colors pop in this print-worthy photo. (via My Sweet + Saucy)
5. Vintage Carnival Inspiration: Green apples at each place setting are eye candy. Eat up! (via Ruffled)
6. Wooden Table Runner: How rad is this mod color blocked wooden table runner? You could totally DIY the runner to coordinate perfectly with your party colors. (via 100 Layer Cake)
7. Surf Inspired Tablescape: We’re done with stuffy dinner parties. Kick back and keep things comfy and cool by seating your guests on soft pillows next to a low table. A colorful tassel garland makes the scene a bit more festive. It’s party time! (via Green Wedding Shoes)
8. Farm Inspired Table: A rustic farm-style table is transformed with the addition of wildflower bouquets, kraft paper placemats and gold votive candles. (via Style Me Pretty)
9. Orange Crush Tablescape: Next up: inspiration for a mood-boosting party! Your guests won’t be disappointed to discover that dinner’s on the patio with this irresistible orange table-setting. (via Green Wedding Shoes)
10. Simple White Place Setting: Taking the party outside doesn’t mean that you have to eat with paper plates and plastic cutlery. Keep things simple, yet stylish with a monochromatic setting and a single flower. (via A LowCountry Wedding)
11. Dotty Table With DIY Planters: DIY this table for your next outdoor fete. You’ll garner bragging rights when you surprise your guests by passing out the planters as parting favors. (via Brooklyn Bride)
12. Table-Length Garland: Looking for something a bit more elegant? A long table-length garland steals the show without being too fussy. Add some taper candles to balance out the centerpiece perfectly. (via Style Me Pretty)
13. Wood Plank Table Runner: Mason jars aren’t going away any time soon. Plop some pretty flowers into hand-painted jars atop a rustic wood plank for an instant centerpiece. The horizontal napkin placing is another lovely touch and a great way to style each plate without covering up the menu. (via Wedding Chicks)
14. Bottle Candleholders: Hurry! Snatch all the glass bottles from your recycling tub, they’re gonna be put to good use. (via Twitpic)
15. Terracotta Pots Centerpiece: Sometimes we’re busy. Or maybe just plain lazy. Whatever the case, we want a trendy table in a hurry, minimal cost, minimal fuss. Those potted plants hanging around your front porch? They’ll do perfectly. (via Style Me Pretty)
16. Fresh Wildflowers With a Vintage Vibe: It’s all about the details — pretty prints, pint jars, wildflowers, stripy straws and even a bit of burlap. This summery mix of southern charm and vintage prints is exactly what makes us want to get in on the fun. Invite us! (via Etsy Weddings)
17. Glitz and Glamour: Sick of the same old table setting? We hear ya. What you need is a good dose of glam. Glitter never goes out of style. And there’s no better way to break out of boring. (via Wedding Chicks)
18. Pretty Peonies: Your next backyard bash can be completely charming with the simple addition of a few peonies. (via Style Me Pretty)
19. Simple Succulent Place Setting: Succulents are all the rage. Not only are they beautiful, but they are virtually indestructible. Make a bunch of these mini potted versions to grace each guest’s place, and they’ll be thrilled to take it home afterward. (via Ruffled)
20. Rustic Wine Crate Centerpieces: What’s not to love about these adorable wine crate centerpieces? It’s an easy way to add rustic charm to a table. (via Brides)
21. Potted Herbs Centerpieces: Show your friends that you were into pretty napkins, burlap and potted herbs before Pinterest ever made them a thing. (via Style at Home)
22. Simple Citrus Setting: Can we all agree that any event involving this amount of citrus is something we want in on? This centerpiece is pretty enough to… well, eat. If you don’t want your guests dipping into the fruit bowl, you might want to add a piece of fruit to each place setting. (via Apartment 34)
23. Sunflower Setting: Here comes the sun… flowers. Brighten up an alfresco meal with the addition of these yellow babies and napkins in coordinating colors. It’s not too fancy, just peppy and plain fun. (via Wedding Chicks)
24. Peachy Sweet: Why not bring the kitchen table into the yard along with some pretty dinnerware? We love that eating outside can be so glam. (via Style Me Pretty)
25. Gingham Style: Why not go gingham? So fun, we’re ready to break into song and dance. Oppa Gingham style! (via Southern Weddings Mags)
What’s on your outdoor party table? Talk to us about your tabletop style in the comments!
