The Most Important Outdoor Hosting Essentials And Tips You Need!

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Let’s talk outdoor hosting essentials. Most hosting essentials lists are complete with plenty of product recommendations for cute napkins, serveware, and dishes. And while those are needed, there are plenty of things you should be considering before you get to that point.

Whether you’re a seasoned host who knows that sometimes the outdoors fit the vibe better, or you are new to hosting and want to achieve something a little less intimidating, outdoor hosting can be a fun way to achieve either goal. Hosting outdoors often allows you to create a less intimidating environment. You don’t have to worry about maintaining your home, and you can use the outdoors as your venue and decor, all at once. However, outdoor hosting comes with its own necessities.

The key to a well-hosted outdoor event is creating a balance between using the space to your advantage and ensuring your guests are as comfortable as they can be. This means being prepared for everything that comes along with hosting an event outdoors, such as weather, decor, maintaining the food, etc. I’m going to tell you what things I consider to be outdoor hosting essentials, meaning absolutely necessary for hosting an event outdoors. I will also let you know some nice extras that are good to have if you’re looking for ways to elevate your outdoor hosting game.

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What Qualifies as Outdoor Hosting

Outdoor hosting is any event where your guests spend a significant amount of time outside. That means occasions where you are using both the inside of your home and outside of your home, or events that are fully outdoors from beginning to end. If your guests are going to spend any amount of time outside, have food outside, even if it’s drinks or cocktails, you want to treat it as an outdoor event.

Outdoor events can include barbecues, bonfires, and pool parties. They can be casual dinner parties, elevated dinner parties, cocktail hours, birthday parties, or even weddings. You will want to establish exactly how much time guests are likely to spend outside so that you can determine which or what items to prioritize and what hosting essentials to have.

Outdoor Hosting Essentials & Absolute Necessities

These are the items that I would consider absolutely essential for any outdoor hosting, no matter the event. These are the items that I am always sure to check off my list first.

Seating and Tables

It is paramount that you provide enough seating and tables for guests, especially depending on how much food and drink you will be providing. While most guests will feel comfortable walking around in a casual setting holding their drinks, they will not want to continuously hold them, however. And most people prefer a surface to place their food on when eating, even if it’s outdoors. You need to ensure that you have somewhere for guests to place their food. If it is a dinner party, you also need to ensure that you have adequate seating prepared for your guests.

This means ensuring that you have things like drink tables placed around the space or coffee tables near seating areas that you’ve created. If you’re hosting a dinner party, you need a dining table that fits the number of people that you want, works in your space, and complements the rest of your decor.

Seating can become complicated fairly quickly, especially if you’re hosting an event that does not have a set head count. The safer option is to always plan for more seating than you think you need. Have an idea of where you would place extra seating if it is needed. Also, keep your options creative and open, but consider things like storing afterwards. Elevated folding chairs are great options. For more laid-back events, inflatable furniture like this lounger is sturdy, easy to use, and easy to store.

• Drink Tables
• Dining Tables
• Coffee Tables
• Folding Chairs
• Benches
• Inflatable Furniture
• Rental Furniture

Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting is incredibly important if your event is going to transition from daytime to nighttime. You don’t want your guest tripping over anything or misstepping in any way. You also want your guests to be able to see each other and their drinks and food, and ensure that they are not being harassed by books.

This means not only having lighting to light any pathways or walkways, but also overall lighting to illuminate the space. Citronella, candles, and tiki lamps can double as both bug repellent and lighting. You also want there to be lighting around the food and in any spaces where people are eating or drinking. This can be overhead solar lights or lamps, or solar lights or lamps placed on the tabletop. If you are able to run wired lighting, be sure that it does not cause any tripping hazards.

• Pathway Lights
• Overhead Lights
• Bug Repellent Lights and Candles
• Tiki Lamps
• Tent Lams
• String Lights
• Solar Lamps

Food Temperature Items

It’s not only important for presentation and taste to keep your food at the correct temperature. It is a matter of food safety. When you are hosting outside, it is your responsibility to ensure that your food is safe for your guests to consume, which means keeping your food at the correct temperature through various means. This means that your cold foods should be in some form of refrigeration or on top of ice and contained, and not exposed to the elements or the sunlight. This also means keeping warmer foods up to temp so that they do not become stiff or cold or unpleasant in any way.

There are tons of items that you can use to keep food at a safe temperature. There are serveware trays with built-in ice holders. There are also chilled serveware options. There are options that maintain the temperature of the food for a set amount of hours, including insulated containers, serveware, and warming trays. For outdoor hosting, keeping items cold is usually more of a concern than keeping items warm. You can get incredibly creative with your serveware by doing things such as setting trays of food on top of ice or placing food items in bowls in larger bowls with ice between the two bowls. You can also purchase coolers or forms of insulation and place them inside decorative baskets, so that they still perform their function without taking away from any aesthetic you’ve created.

• Coolers
• Stainless Steel Food Display
• Chilled Serveware
• Bowls of Ice
• Trays of Ice
• Warming Plates
• Electric Food Warmers

Food Coverings

It is incredibly important to keep your food away from the outdoor elements when you are hosting outdoors. You want to ensure that every item of food is either within a container that comes with a lid or some form of coverage, or you have provided additional coverage to the food items. This can be a netting that sits atop the item, or it can also just mean placing the items under an umbrella or tent, and putting the food in a very safe location.

There are a ton of ways to get creative with keeping your food covered. While the food doesn’t need to be covered while it is actively being served, ensure that the food is covered when there are lulls in the activity or when the food is no longer the focus. If you want the food to be accessible throughout the event, think about that ahead of time and choose your coverings to be easily removed and replaced.

• Glass Containers with Lids
• Plastic Containers with Lids
• Collapsable Food Covers
• Built-In Coverage Trays
• Tents
• Umbrellas

Appropriate Dishware

A nonnegotiable for me when it comes to serving or hosting outdoors is having appropriate dishware. I am a firm believer in not making things harder for yourself, but also not sacrificing your personal standards. This means that not every event requires paper plates or plastic cups; however, if they are the most appropriate option, don’t be afraid to choose them. What you don’t want is a situation like broken glass in grass that people are actively stepping on, or worse, in a pool.

Choose your dishware and serveware with this in mind. There are break-resistant glasses and plates that work really well for serving outdoors. There are also melamine options that are really great for outdoors, but are not paper plates, so you can still have an elevated feel. And never underestimate the use of good functional metal and wood pieces.

• Silverware
• Glassware
• Outdoor Dining Set
• Unbreakable Wine Glasses
• Glass Straws

Bug Repellent

If you live in a place that is riddled with bugs, as I do, you know bugs can make or break the vibe of an event. Be sure to provide your guest with some form of bug repellent in the form of candles or oils that surround the space but do not intrude on the space. You can also offer bug repellent, sprays, or bracelets. Just to be sure to always have an option that is not heavily scented, you don’t want your guest walking around with headaches or having to spray themselves with anything that will clash with their fragrance they are wearing.

• Bug Spray
• Citronella Candles
• Wristbands

Essentials for A Good Host To Consider

While these items are not absolute essentials, if you are a good host, they are pretty high up on your list of essentials and should be considered second to the absolute essentials. These are the items that show off how good a host you are.

Fly Fans

Fly fans are incredibly helpful for keeping flies and other bugs and insects away from your food. Used in conjunction with food coverings, they essentially keep your food completely bug-free.

Tents or Overhead Coverings

Depending on the vibe for your event, you may not want tents or overhead coverings, but if you can fit them in, large umbrellas or any other type of coverings are great for providing cover from the sun, and therefore the heat. They are also helpful to keep the temperature down in a certain area, so they work well in areas with food is being served.

Some Things That Are Nice To Have

These items are far from essential however, they are items that will set you apart as a host. These items are small, but meaningful little luxuries and helpful additions that will make your guest feel cared for and show your attention to detail.

Mister Fans or Handheld Fans

For warmer days and events, misting fans or even handheld fans can provide much-appreciated appreciated. Relief to your guests. Misting fans are a bit more of an investment, but handheld fans are incredibly accessible while making a great impression. You can even customize the handheld fans with your event colors or even a logo.

Outdoor Heaters

Just like the fans, outdoor heaters are not necessary. Most people will be prepared for whatever weather you’re having if they are aware that the event is outdoors. However, it will show your guests how much you appreciate them if you can provide some form of outdoor heating. For more casual events, things like bonfires are great. For events where you have tables and seating, tabletop fires are great for adding warmth and ambience. If you can run an extension cord to a heater without creating a tripping hazard, that is also an option. The bigger investment, but also the most impactful option, would be outdoor heaters. A few are all it takes to make a difference.

Ground Coverings or Created Pathways

If your event is on unsteady ground like grass that can be wet or gravel, creating walkways and pathways for your guests will be greatly appreciated. Especially if your guests are wearing nicer shoes or high heels. If you are able to anticipate things like rain or weather and can cover the ground before the event, that is incredibly helpful. If you can’t anticipate the weather or if you just want to be sure, creating options like temporary walkways or ways to transport guests over wet grass or gravel or anything like that will set you apart and show the standard you have for your event.

Tabletop Lighting

Lighting for the area in which the event is taking place is an absolute essential; lighting on the table tops is often more for vibe and ambience than it is for utility. However, they are incredibly helpful and set the tone for your event. There are tons of solar power tabletop lamps now that are made specifically for outdoor events, and they come in a variety of styles, so you can find ones that fit your aesthetic for a reasonable price.

Games for Casual/Laidback Events

If your event is more laid-back or not centered around a dinner or show, and you want something for guests to do other than stand around awkwardly, you can always provide activities and games that are easy to do in any type of clothing and that don’t require too much effort, but still inspire a competitive spirit. Think something like cornhole or even Jenga.

10 Outdoor Hosting Tips and Tricks

Here is a list of tips that will, in addition to the outdoor hosting essentials listed above, help you host the best outdoor event possible. These tips are things that you will eventually learn over time after hosting so many events, but I’m giving them to you right here and right now so that you don’t have to wait.

1. Make sure your surface is safe and easy to navigate. Do what you can to prevent sinking or slippery surfaces that can be a danger, and if you cannot prevent them, be prepared to add accommodations.
2. Choose heat or cold, friendly decor, respectively. You don’t want plastic that will shrivel in heat or seize up and break in the cold, so choose your materials wisely.
3. Create a hand sanitizing or handwashing station. This is especially important if you are providing finger foods; you don’t want your guest having to eat with dirty hands, but you also don’t want them having to go all the way inside just to clean their hands.
4. Think about the position of the sun when setting up. Be sure you are not placing any guests where the sun will be directly in their face or shine on them more than on other guests. You can use umbrellas or coverings to negate some of this, but you can also set your configuration up to work with the position of the sun instead of against it.
5. Spray tablecloths with bug repellent.
6. Curate your menu, try to find a balance between food that works well outside and fits the tone or theme of your event. If the foods are a must-have but don’t work well outdoors, see the next tip.
7. Find a way to keep any cold items either on top of ice or in a chilled container. You can easily hide ice underneath containers by placing smaller bowls of food inside larger bowls with ice beneath, or you can purchase containers that are specifically meant to keep items cold that also look appropriate for your event.
8. Don’t skip out on water! Provide plenty of water. When we are focused on the event, we are often focused on the menu and the drinks and how they accentuate the event, but water is paramount, especially for outdoor events, and it is more likely the item that most guests will want to reach for, so be sure to have plenty.
9. Provide cold, scented and unscented, towels for cleansing hands or refreshing the skin. Towels scented with lemon or lavender can be incredibly refreshing under the hot sun, and guests can use them to cool themselves or refresh their hands, or wipe sweat from their bodies, but be sure to provide unscented options for those who are averse to scent.
10. If you’re transitioning into the cold months, consider supplying blankets or wraps that can be significantly more affordable than outdoor heating.

One of my greatest outdoor hosting essentials, most importantly, is to have a backup plan. Hosting outdoors always means that you are risking hosting in bad weather. This means that you should always have a backup plan, even if that backup plan is to cancel. Be prepared to let your guests know about any inclement weather, if you suspect that the weather will be too bad or won’t work with your event, cancel sooner rather than later, so that you don’t have guests who were already on the way or prepared to be there having to turn around and go home. If you can have a secondary location available, whether that is another venue or just moving the event indoors, and have a plan to switch that space over quickly to fit your event so that your guests are not waiting, or so that you can get it done ahead of time.

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