With the weather heating up and summer coming into bloom, it's the perfect opportunity to come together and celebrate moments of rediscovered joy with loved ones. Alfresco dining is the perfect way to embrace the outdoors, enjoying good food, good company and blissful moments all under the golden sun. We’ve compiled some of our favourite alfresco dining ideas to help you create a magical backdrop to make the most of your outdoor space this summer.

This season, bright and colourful touches are the perfect choice when dressing your alfresco dining setting; evoking positive and uplifting feelings. Reminiscent of an evening’s sunset, a dusky colour palette with rich yellows, warming pinks and accents of purple will give your dining space a sense of relaxation, where you'll be able to enjoy quality time spent amongst great company. Introduce these touches with glassware, table runners, napkins and outdoor LED candles for a subtle but impactful lift to your table.

Adding outdoor lights to your space is key to create a magical and enchanting setting and to keep the ambience going after dusk falls. No matter the size of your alfresco space, layering your lights across different height levels will instantly make your setting feel bigger and brighter. Styling garden lanterns with candles or fairy lights at a ground level is the ultimate way to make your dining feel cosy and relaxing as it provides a warm glow as you connect with loved ones. Festoon lights are our favourite choice for adding light up high, as their soft shine lights up the sky to keep your space bright all night long.

Candlelit dinners are the perfect way to enjoy the summer months as they create a calming and soothing ambience by radiating the perfect golden light. Flameless candles are a great choice for outdoor dining as they are super safe for family get togethers and won’t blow out if there’s a breeze. Our outdoor TruGlow® candles are a super realistic alternative to real candles with a just lit appearance and a flickering flame. Place them in the centre of a floral wreath for a stunning centrepiece, or dot them across your table for a glowing finishing touch as you create magical memories you’ll treasure forever.

For more styling and inspiration tips, check out our Instagram @Lights4fun and be sure to tag us in your own alfresco dining set ups!