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A summer feast for your eyes! Take a look at these gorgeously decorated tables!

I love outdoor entertaining, especially in summer! The evenings are long. The weather is warm. (That’s a euphemism for crazy stinkin’ HOT!, but warm sounds nicer doesn’t it?) And the pace is still leisurely slow. Who feels like rushing around when there’s a beautiful dusk to enjoy and someone has just opened another bottle of rosé? I mean, when your wine matches the sky, you’re practically required to take a moment and savor it. (That reminds me of a certain resort I love that refers to dusk as a “pink moment.”) So with all this lounging and savoring going on, next time you entertain, give your guests something sumptuous to look at. And I’m not talking about food. The outdoor tablescapes we’re sharing this week are a feast for the eyes: gorgeous, colorful, plentiful.

Creative outdoor tablescapes that rival your outdoor landscape!

Believe or not, creating this look yourself is not that hard. One way to establish a lavish look and feel is to use smaller tables and fill as much of the “blank space” as possible with your décor: flowers, candles, vases, urns, bowls, fruit and, yes, even vegetables. Another trick is to put multiple glasses at each place setting (which also makes a subtle statement that the prospect of washing them all post-party doesn’t even bother you — nothing is too much trouble for your guests!). Got crystal? Maybe you were gifted a set of wine glasses and they haven’t seen the light of day since, well… ever, because they’re a little too Dynasty (the original, not the remake). Time to take ’em out and use them! When mixed with your other modern pieces, they’ll look great, stylish even! (See photos from Friday & Saturday.)

So once you’ve gathered your wares to decorate the table, it’s time to choose your linens. Layering different colors and textures adds richness (and makes yet another statement that you’re not afraid of extra laundry or a hefty drycleaning bill — what a generous host you are!). Don’t be afraid of color either. Think bold and beautiful! And don’t forget that gold can be used as a neutral to make almost any other color pop.

Summer is winding down and the evenings are getting shorter. So why not plan a party with some fabulous outdoor tablescapes while it’s still “warm?” You can showcase your creative side and your collection of Dynasty crystal all at the same time. Just make sure you have plenty of rosé to toast the pink moment! Cheers everyone!

Where to find The Party Goddess! ideas galore?

If you’ve been one of my loyal blog followers, you know that we publish these image roundups weekly. We feature a particular event for a particular client so you can go deep on the particular theme. If you know what’s up, skip this part. New visitors, take a look below…

In case you missed it, here’s what we’re doing, mentioned in the first blog. (And if you already know what’s going on, skip to the first photo!) Every day we’re posting event photos & inspiration to my Instagram page to give you ideas for your own events. And, of course, to encourage you to hire yours truly, one of the top celebrity event planners, for your next soirée! In terms of format, we’re trying to capitalize on the whole hashtag calendar world and take advantage of #WeddingWednesday (#WW) and #ThrowbackThursday (#TBT) by posting wedding photos and cool stuff we’ve done on Wednesdays and on Thursdays, harkening back to a past client’s event, be it a celebrity, or just one of us tastemakers.

Favorite Event Photos and Inspiration – Monday:

“Love the gold, baby! Love the gold!” Not sure why I just said that! I sound like a 1970’s party planner commenting on the new disco ball installation. But seriously, I do love all the gold in this photo! It makes the table look warm and inviting. And that’s a look that’s always timeless!

Outdoor Tablescapes To Try Before Summer’s Gone | The Party Goddess! — Love this? Pin it to your Pinterest Events Board

Favorite Event Photos and Inspiration – Tuesday:

Need to pull together a pretty table in a hurry? Flowers, candles and something shiny work every time! If you can get full flowers like peonies or hydrangea, even better. You only need a few blooms for a generous look. And don’t forget about the shiny… add a metal tray or stand and you’re done!

Favorite Event Photos and Inspiration – Wednesday:

How’s this for flower power? Oversized pansies on the chair backs complete the look of this colorful table setting. Gorgeous! Happy #WeddingWednesday!

Favorite Event Photos and Inspiration – Thursday:

Gold chivari chairs are stylish just as is. But… nothing wrong with adding a little extra flair to them, like these laser-cut chair covers. They still show off the delicate chair, while the intricate design complements the generous spread on the table. #TBT

Favorite Event Photos and Inspiration – Friday:

It’s shabby chic. Or is it thrift store elegant? How about china cabinet meets under-the-sink cabinet? When it comes to setting a fabulous table, work with what you’ve already got! Feel free to combine utilitarian vases, grocery store flowers and elegant stemware all right next to each other. If you arrange them right, your table will look amazing! Like you were totally trying for the bohemian yard sale look. #TGIF

Favorite Event Photos and Inspiration – Saturday:

This table just screams outdoor elegance, although screaming isn’t exactly elegant. Maybe it’s saying it in a slightly loud indoor voice. Anyway, it’s got color, gold tones and gorgeous linens. Plus perfect placement of a summery flower arrangement that’s not too tall for conversation (in an elegant outdoor voice of course).

Event Photos and Inspiration – Plus, tell me what else you want to see on the blog!

So, what do you think of our outdoor tablescapes? Which photo is your fave? Let me know in the comments below!

And because we love that you love parties, we’re giving this away for FREE! It’s our Super Secret Party Tips Guide that has tons of useful tips for fetes of every shape and size. Check it out!

xoxo M

P.S. Here in SoCal we’re trying to hang on to the last bit of summer (and honestly with the excessive heat wave, it feels like mid-summer)! If you’re planning an outdoor party, we’ve got more tips: 6 Extremely Cool Outdoor Party Tips!, 7 Tips For Throwing A Great Outdoor Party and Don’t Sweat The Outdoor Party With These Fabulous Tips!. You can find more interesting blogs and images on our website, or just contact us to book your next event! And if you like this blog, would you be so kind as to share it with a friend?