Outdoor Entertaining Etiquette Tips

Celebrate the new season by tossing open your back door and inviting friends over to visit.

 

The theme is fall and inspiration will come from pumpkins, gourds, cinnamon, spice and everything nice. Toast the season using items you have around the house. You will find your autumn seasonal bounty at your local grocer and will enjoy it throughout the next few months.

 

Lay Out the Welcome Mat 

Fill an old wheelbarrow with a variety of different shaped pumpkins and set it next to your door. Switch out your welcome mat to a seasonal option. There are so many choices, from inexpensive (Target) to the top of the line (Front Gate). But don’t stop there! Luminaries up the walkway to greet your guests is a nice touch in the evening, but can be potentially dangerous. Don’t leave any flame unattended. Switch out candles to flameless, battery operated candles or LED votives. You will rest assured there will not be a fire emergency during your backyard party.

 

Set a Fall Table

If you have an old picnic table lying around, you are in luck! If not, pull out your card tables or buy some boards and planks and improvise. As for a tablecloth you can use a sheet, an old or new table runner, butcher paper or whatever you choose. For centerpieces, hollow out small pumpkins or butternut squash and pick some flowers from your garden. No garden? Take a trip to the wholesale florist and have fun buying seasonal blooms or plants. I like to use vintage creamers and coffee cups to house my floral arrangements temporarily. They won’t last long but make a pretty display on the table. Succulents are another option when filling your creative vases.

Use your seasonal dinnerware.  Who says your nice dishes should only be used indoors? Unless they are extremely valuable, enjoy your pretty plates and platters both indoors and outside. Assign someone you trust the task of helping you serve. Your grandmother’s old china won’t be appreciated as much shattered on the floor, so make sure the person you have picked to help you serve the meal is reliable. Another option is decorative plastic ware. Avoid paper plates that won’t fly away with the first gust of wind.

 

Pull Out Your Baskets 

Wicker baskets can be used as serving pieces. Get creative and use your different sized baskets to serve everything from chips to keeping your smaller bowls and dishes together in one spot. I place small bowls with olives and condiments in a round wicker basket so they don’t spill or get lost on the table.

 

Fall Flavors

Buy a ready-made rotisserie chicken, spice it up with a maple glaze and put it back out on the grill to warm. Add some roasted root vegetables to a platter and garnish with some herbs and you have a beautifully displayed meal. People will think you slaved over the stove for hours. Roast the vegetables on the grill once your guests arrive. It will be a nice touch and an easy cleanup. Add a spice Bundt cake or store-bought pumpkin doughnuts for dessert.

Don’t hesitate to make it a group effort by asking your friends and family to bring their favorite fall recipe to share. Keep a list of who is bringing what dish so you won’t have duplicates of any food item.

 

Cider Punch

Hollow out a pumpkin and remove all the seeds. Heat your cider on the stove and then fill the pumpkin with your hot cider. I have tried this before and it worked reasonably well. My favorite option is a seasonal bowl that doubles as a punch bowl. It doesn’t have to be an official punch bowl to hold the hot drink. Invest in a pretty ladle and serve your cider in small mason jars. Use sticks of cinnamon in each jar to stir and garnish.

 

Mosquito Repellent

It’s important that your guests enjoy their time at your outdoor soiree, so keeping those pesky mosquitoes away from them is a must! Flame torches, table torches, citronella candles and natural herbs all keep the bugs at bay. Read our article here for more bug-free options.

 

Go Green 

In addition to the usual fall fare, add a nutritional kale salad to your menu. My favorite recipe is simple to make. It includes a bag of precut kale, sliced green apples, cranberries, sliced candied ginger, slivered almonds and a store-bought dressing. Toss and chill. Before serving, I add feta cheese and candied pecans to the top. Everyone loves it, it looks pretty in the bowl and it’s an easy side dish.

 

 

You may also like Creating Fall Traditions with Friends and Family. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on HuffPost, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. Buy her new book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life.