Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.co,
Create, Creative Process, DIY, Dwell, Entertain, Food, Inspiration, Occasions, Summer

AL FRESCO SUMMER DINING INSPIRATION


One of my favourite things about summer is spending time in the serenity of country and getting outside. I welcome any chance to dine al fresco (meaning: in the open air) and today I’m walking you through how I pulled together this unique outdoor dinner party on a budget. This earthy, upscale celebration is inspired by the Easy Vegan White Mushroom Pizzas on the Grill I created for The Food Bloggers of Canada to celebrate outdoor summer entertaining!

Tonight I’m sharing my insider tips for creating and styling memorable gatherings — from my favourite sources for inexpensive entertaining essentials, to foraging for unique pieces in the prairies, to a simple copper-themed DIY. I also chat about the gorgeous (but budget friendly) Rebecca Dawn Design florals, inspired by the wild beauty of our Canadian summers. In the true spirit of al fresco dining I invite you to bring the inside out and join me for a glass of Sauvignon Blanc on a gorgeous summer evening among the swaying grass and tall trees!


AL FRESCO SUMMER DINING INSPIRATION


Would you believe me if I told you I set this tablescape up on a weathered picnic table that’s been perched in this spot for almost 15 years — and then thew a door foraged from an abandoned farm on top? Well… that’s exactly what I did!

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.co,Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

I love the way the light dances through the trees at my childhood home in rural Alberta during the summertime and illuminates objects in different ways. We’re always outside enjoying a glass of wine or a cocktail during the summer, revelling in the breeze and golden light streaming through the trees. It really is a magical place — but we never use this picnic table! This summer, I knew I wanted to create an al fresco tablescape in this setting to share it with all of you. So I decided to roll with what was already there and leave this forgotten picnic table exactly where it was, using it as the base for my tablescape! Isn’t the effect of the overgrown grass and foliage so pretty?

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.co,Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

Tree stumps (usually reserved for firewood!) were used to create seating for the extra place settings on the ends of the table — now able to accommodate 8. I’m a big believer in using what you have on hand in new and unexpected ways to create unique and memorable celebrations. If you have an old (or new) picnic table kicking around, or and any solid flat surface you could use as a tabletop I hope this post inspires you to experiment with elegant al fresco dining this summer. You might be amazed at what you can create with things you have just kicking around!

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com


Details & Inspiration


Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.co,

It’s always the details that give a tablescape that wow factor — so let’s chat about my inspiration for this dinner party! Although I love colour, I worked with a neutral palette inspired by the surroundings; wood, crisp whites, greenery, copper, buttercream, burgundy and apricot. I’ve always found the combination of earthy and upscale elements interesting and that’s something I played with here. Even though I prefer modern design and clean lines, I love to mix modern and rustic elements to keep things interesting.

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

I’m always mindful of how setting plays into whatever I’m styling. Rebecca, who I worked with on the centrepiece for this al fresco celebration, also believes that flowers should feel organic to the environment they’ll be in — and I love the wild, textured arrangements she came up with. I created a moodboard to solidify and organize my ideas, which is something I always do for creative projects and collaborative blog posts.

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

Since the setting is so serene and tranquil, so I wanted to create an inviting atmosphere with elegant touches. So often we just resort to the basics for summer entertaining because it’s easy (and hey, I get that!). But with a few special touches you really can create something memorable for your guests — whether it’s for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion!

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com


Decor & Entertaining Elements


Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

Since we’re working with a foraged wood tabletop, it’s necessary to add some polished elements to bring an upscale flair to this celebration. The white place settings with crisply ironed white napkins really dress up this tablescape and keep it from looking too rustic. They also work to unite our wooden surfaces with an elegant touch. The plates are from the Everyday Essential collection at Superstore and so are the napkins. Both are very inexpensive but great quality and I use them all the time! I kept stemware simple and modern — we’ve owned this set of wine glasses for a couple of years. The water glasses are new addition to our serveware and a bargain HomeSense find. I love HomeSense for unique decor and entertaining essentials!

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

The utensils coordinate with the candlestick holders in a copper palette. I found all of the candlestick holders for $1 – $4 each at Value Village and spray painted them copper — they were mix matched to start out with! It’s such a simple DIY but a very effective one if you’re looking for something in a certain colour and you aren’t able to find it! To recreate this effect, look for candlestick holders in a variety of heights. I looked for a mixture of traditional and modern styles — it may look strange until you spray paint them all, but I promise you it all comes together! I also purchased the white taper candles at Superstore for less than $1 each. Taper candles are a simple touch that really elevate the mood of your dinner party.

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com


Flowers


Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

Let’s chat about the flowers for this al fresco summer dinner party! I love this achievable approach to flowers where you create a staggered arrangement by grouping smaller vases with a few blooms in each. In fact, Rebecca and I did something similar (with completely different blooms) in our Summer Solstice Dinner Party post. You don’t need to be an expert flower arranger to be able to pull something like this together — although, I did just happen to work with one for this post and she’s provided some tips and tricks for keeping things cohesive when creating your centerpiece!

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

First, source your vessels (ie: whatever you will use to contain your flowers). I was so excited to find these vintage milk glass bud vases at Value Village for $1 each. Value Village is a treasure trove for inexpensive vintage if you know what to look for and I always meet the most interesting people there while I’m shopping! I love the ornate pattern in the glass — it adds some interest to this tablescape with texture, but since they’re white they’ll coordinate well with a variety of decor. We used 6 vases (3 short and 3 tall) for this centrepiece. Then, determine which flowers and greenery you’d like to use. Rebecca chose a medley of flowers including Eremurus, Stock, Astilbe and Chrysanthemums combined with greenery and grasses of Millet and Panicum for a wild effect. Of course, you can use any blooms that coordinate with your tablescape and setting — all of these are relatively inexpensive.

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

Rebecca has 2 general rules when adding flowers to smaller bud vases like these to make them aesthetically pleasing. First, combine the same type of flower (or similar coloured blooms) into each vase, adding greenery if you wish. This helps to create cohesion when you’re using a few different blooms. Second, flowers and greenery should either be half as tall or one and a half times tall as the vase. One other thing we did was add the same greenery and grasses (millet and panicum) to each vase to tie everything together.

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.comAl Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com

If you’d like to learn more about these late summer and early fall blooms, we’ll have a post coming up soon! In the meantime, you can browse our other flower content.

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com


Setting Up


Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.co,

The easiest way to assemble a tablescape is to start from the bottom up! First, use serving trays or carts with wheels to transport everything outside. To begin, I place plates and napkins. Then, I move onto finishing each place setting with cutlery and stemware. Next, I like to add my centerpiece or whatever design element will live in the center of the table. Here, I started by staggering the candles and then adding the flower vases among them, adjusting as needed to create a visually pleasing layout. Once everything is assembled, step back and snap a few photos to see how everything is working — often I see holes or areas that need tweaking in photos more easily than I can spot them with my naked eye. Once you’re happy with the way everything is looking, pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy your evening!

Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.com


MORE SUMMER ENTERTAINING INSPIRATION & BEVERAGES


Summer Solstice Dinner Party

Rosé Lychee Elderflower Sangria

Kelsey’s Tuscan Kitchen Wedding Shower

Green Jalapeño Margaritas

White Citrus Sangria


EASY VEGAN WHITE MUSHROOM PIZZAS ON THE GRILL


Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration | Vegan White Mushroom Pizzas on the Grill // JustineCelina.co,

If you’d like the Easy Vegan White Mushroom Pizzas on the Grill recipe this al fresco tablescape was inspired by, head over to The Food Bloggers of Canada site to grab it. These easy but elegant pizzas are cooked entirely on the grill, making them perfect for effortless summer entertaining!


Al Fresco Summer Dining Inspiration // JustineCelina.co,

Are you hosting any summer parties? If this post inspires you to create an al fresco celebration I would love it if you comment below or tag me in your photos! I hope you’re all having a great summer and soaking up as much of this rare beautiful weather with family and friends as possible. Cheers to inspired entertaining!


Disclaimer: Thank you to Rebecca Dawn Design for partnering with me to create this post. This post is not sponsored, and contains my genuine thoughts, ideas and recommendations.

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18 Comments

  • Reply Nicoletta July 29, 2016 at 10:04 am

    Wow, Justine, I am so in love with this al fresco setting! It is nice that you can spend some quiet time in the serene landscape of the countryside. It reflects in this setting, beautiful neutral, copper, dusty rose colors mixed with the greenery and grasses. Gorgeous budget friendly decor mixed with creativity shows that you don’t need to spend too much to obtain a stunning effect!

    • Reply Justine July 29, 2016 at 10:28 am

      Thank you so much for the thoughtful comment, Nicoletta! Since I’m not able to host everyone that reads my blog for an al fresco dinner party (could you imagine?!) it’s a nice way to be able to share a little slice of one of my favourite places with all of you! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Do you have any plans for the long weekend?

  • Reply Sean July 29, 2016 at 10:57 am

    You’re going to have to change your name to JUSTINE SERIOUSLY. Because this is SERIOUSLY beautiful. You’ve perfectly juxtaposed the rustic, wild, and dilapidated against the chic, elegant and sophisticated. I adore the copper cutlery, and the tall tapered candles are so unexpected it’s almost whimsical. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful settings I’ve ever seen. You’ve outdone yourself again 🙂

    • Reply Justine July 29, 2016 at 11:23 am

      Haha, thanks for this very sweet comment Sean! You’ve put a huge smile on my face. I love working on posts like this because it’s exactly why I started my blog in the first place — to create with reckless abandon! I’m so glad you enjoyed the playful juxtaposition. I really appreciate your thoughtful comments and support!

  • Reply Elaine | Flavour and Savour July 29, 2016 at 3:44 pm

    Love the way you have repurposed your “finds.” Your post is just so . . . . Canadian! Inspiring–as usual!

    • Reply Justine July 29, 2016 at 3:53 pm

      Hey, thanks Elaine! I’m going to pop over to your blog to see what you’ve been up to lately. 🙂

  • Reply Hilary July 30, 2016 at 6:45 am

    I am in love with your al fresco set-up. The freshness of the white linens and the call to antiquity with the copper accents is striking, particularly against the overgrown lushness of the forest. I would love to eat at that table. Beautifully done!

    • Reply Justine July 30, 2016 at 11:06 am

      Thank you, Hilary! Enjoy your long weekend. 🙂

  • Reply Summer Dining: Stylish Inspiration and Ideas - CoContest Magazine August 1, 2016 at 10:59 am

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  • Reply Lyndsay Sung August 4, 2016 at 11:57 am

    Gasp. Imagine walking through the forest and coming across this incredible set-up!! Pure magic.

    • Reply Justine August 4, 2016 at 12:10 pm

      Thanks Lyndsay! This ‘forest’ is the backyard of my family’s acreage. There’s a beautiful section of natural trees lining a canal (Alberta girl speak for small stream used by farmers to irrigate their crops) that runs along the back of the property. It’s my happy place. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

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  • Reply AN INTRODUCTION TO AUTUMN FLOWERS - Justine Celina September 14, 2016 at 9:59 pm

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