Treat your guests to the distinctive flavor of a barbecue.
During the warm-weather months, many opt to give the kitchen a well-deserved vacation and take their cooking and entertaining outdoors. At backyard barbecues, guests can mix and mingle while smelling the smoke as it wafts from the grill and treating their taste buds to classic American fare. Because your party is outdoors, you can use nature to create much of the ambiance. By adding a few simple decorations, you can turn your backyard barbecue into a festive event. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Set up a long buffet-style table near the grill. Your grilled meats and side dishes will go on this table. Cover the table with a solid-color tablecloth to create a clean backdrop for your food.
2. Set up tables and chairs around the area. Use any tables you can find. They don't have to be the same shape and size. Things in nature do not match exactly but instead complement each other.
3. Cover tables with paper or cloth tablecloths. Tablecloths give the setting a finished look. Like the tables, these cloths do not have to match. If you have an array of floral tablecloths, use these to pay homage to the eclectic floral beauty of nature. If you do not have enough tablecloths, purchase inexpensive paper ones. Tape paper tablecloths to the bottom of the tables to keep them in place if it's windy.
4. Place paper plates with utensils in the center at each place setting. Instead of stacking your plates, use them as decorative pieces. Set them at the tables, with a wrapped set of utensils resting on each. You can create a festive utensil bundle by wrapping the utensils in a napkin and securing the wrap with ribbon or the metal stem of a silk flower.
5. Create floral centerpieces. If you have a garden, use your homegrown blooms to create floral centerpieces. If you do not have one, purchase inexpensive daisies or any flowers you can find at the florist or supermarket. Place these bouquets in buckets or baskets. Avoid using glass, as the wind or a guest could easily knock them over.
6. Surround the perimeter of your party area with tiki torches to define the space and keep away some bugs. As the sun goes down, the torches will offer light and provide some warmth against chilly evening air.
7. Suspend twinkle lights from the trees. Twinkle lights create a soft glow and add elegance to the evening portion of your barbecue. Wrap the lights around trees, or string them from tree to tree to create a net of light overlooking your party.
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