Beautiful Backyard Party Decor Ideas

Looking for backyard party decor ideas for your next outdoor gathering? Here are some stunning DIY decorating & food ideas that you can try for your next get-together!

Every year on a warm evening in the summer, my girls and I like to have an outdoor tea party or a picnic. Today I want to share with you one of those little backyard parties with the hope that it gives you some inspiration for your own outdoor gathering! So if you are planning any sort of outdoor celebration – whether it’s a little get together, a birthday party or even a wedding – I think you’re going to love these DIY ideas.

Use a coffee table for chic boho style dining

My first idea is to use a coffee table instead of a dining table. When you’re setting up your outdoor party, this is going to give your party a casual and fun boho feeling. You can use various cushions and carpets underneath for the guests to lounge on.

Start with a patterned napkin or fabric

To create beautifully coordinated party decor, first find some fabric or a napkin that you love. Then, you can build your party colors and your theme from that muse. In my case, I found some beautiful teal & pink floral napkins, so I made the rest of my decor pink & teal to match.

Create DIY paper placemats

I love using paper placemats outside and you can DIY some beautiful lacy ones and cut them on your Cricut machine. (To learn more about a Cricut and how to use it, click here.) To make mine, I used a “Lacey Charger” design in Cricut Design Space and cut it onto a couple shades of pink cardstock. If you don’t have a Cricut, you could cut some placemats out by hand or these ones from Amazon are a stunning option.

Create a s’mores station

To create an adorable and delicious s’mores station, start with a small table like the bistro table I’m using here. Then, add some s’mores elements to the table like marshmallows, chocolate bars, graham crackers, fruit and jam. You can use cute trays and plates to hold all of the items, and you could even add a sign or art nearby to define the space. This is a wonderful backyard party addition if you have a little bonfire going so guests can make their own marshmallow sandwiches whenever they choose!

DIY pinwheel straw drink markers

One way to keep track of everyone’s drinks at a party is to make some unique straws for each guest to place in their drink. I made these pinwheel decorations out of some pretty cardstock paper and some wooden beads that I had on hand. Then I attached them to paper straws with a dab of hot glue. Cricut has a pattern for these in Design Space, or you can check out this tutorial by Polkadot Chair.

Make 3 ingredient punch

This super easy three ingredient punch recipe that’s perfect for parties. To make this, put one can of frozen lemonade in a blender, followed by about 300 grams of frozen strawberries. Add a can of water and blend everything together. Then pour this mixture into a pitcher or a punch bowl. Fill the rest with lemon lime flavored pop and enjoy. This is such a hit at any backyard party and my girls love this.

Create a floating candle centerpiece

A centerpiece can really pull a party together and make it look a really special. One of my favorites is using a container, adding some water, and then adding a floating candle or two inside. I’ love adding some garden roses to float alongside my candle in the container. You can also choose to add grocery store flowers or petals instead.

Make individual charcuterie in a jar

Creating mini charcuteries in mason jars (or “jarcuteries”!) is a cute way to incorporate a tasty snack into your party. The beauty of these party snacks is that you can customize the ingredients to your guests liking and then your guests can pop that lid on the jar and bring any leftovers home. Learn how to make your own individual charcuterie in a jar right here.

Add a basket of cozy textiles

A great touch for any outdoor gathering is adding a basket full of cozy blankets or pillows. As the night goes on, guests can grab their favorite blankie and stay warm and cozy as they gather together and enjoy each other’s company.

Watch my video to see these backyard party decor ideas:

(The video below was sponsored by Cricut.)

I hope you enjoyed these backyard party decor ideas and that they sparked some creativity in you! Let me know in the comments below which one you’re going to try for your next backyard gathering.