Your CartI’m so excited about today’s post! As you probably know, autumn is my very favorite season. Today we’re enjoying Autumn Al Fresco Entertaining – surrounded by that crisp, cool air touched with the aroma of apples and falling leaves. I dressed up our back garden and made one of our favorite soups, Minestrone, for an intimate dinner al fresco. You’re invited {virtually}, so please pull up a chair. Thank you for joining our party!
Welcome to Monday Morning Blooms!
My floral friends and I like to get together at this time of year to share ideas for fall and holiday decorating. This time we are all showcasing flowers with copper – because that warm glow of copper makes every floral bouquet shine!
We have a special announcement to make too, we’re collaborating with one of our favorite family companies. Make sure you read all the way to the bottom and mark your calendars!
I really like to have easy dinner get togethers here at FrenchGardenHouse in the fall, either in our eat-in kitchen, or if at all possible outdoors. Our California weather means we can revel in beautiful fall weather, with the sun casting a golden glow on the early evening. This table setting on our back patio is perfect for an early evening dinner with a few close friends or family.
I’m excited to show you around!
Be sure to visit the rest of our Monday Morning Blooms bloggers if you are looking for more inspiration. You know they always go all out – they always share something breathtakingly beautiful. Each one of my floral therapy friends is linked at the bottom of this post with a sneak peek image.
Autumn Al Fresco Entertaining
Through the years, I’ve set a million tables in the fall, some very elaborate, most of them not so much. I couldn’t find a cloth I loved, but fell in love with this fabric years ago {do you suffer from this?! You see fabric you love, you have absolutely NO reason to buy it but you find yourself at the cutting counter having 2-3 yards cut?}
It’s the perfect tablecloth for this setting, the raw edges are just trimmed with pinking shears. {I congratulated myself on buying it all those years ago! YES…now it has a reason, and I’ll be using it all autumn season long.}
For the color palette, my inspiration was nature and the glorious colors at this time of year, deep jewel-like burgundy wine, rust, brown, orange, green, and golden yellow. In the late afternoon, the sun hits our garden with a dappled golden glow, really showing off the colors of the season to their best advantage.
My very inexpensive basic white plates work on pretty much every table and I love them on this one. Then I added the vintage French Ercuis silverware, and my favorite linen napkins with wheat embroidery.
I wanted to go all out with a flower arrangement that celebrates the harvest colors of fall. This vintage copper champagne bucket suits the season and is wonderful filled with flowers. I’ll tell you a secret, the burgundy dahlia bouquets are faux – eek! I know. My flower source only had light colors, their truck was late, so I made do with what I had. Fortunately for me, we just launched our Fall Holiday Floral Collection, so I had something to work with.
A water-filled jar in the back of the bucket holds several large branches from our gingko tree which is just now starting to turn golden yellow. It’s actually a trick I use at times, when you mix good quality “pretend” flowers with real greens or branches, no one will even know your beauties weren’t birthed by Mother Nature.
Apple cider cocktails start the dinner off in a festive way.
The rolls look so pretty on the antique bread board, with the carved knife, don’t they? For ease in passing around, I placed them on this vintage French wicker tray, along with these beautiful Thomcord grapes. These small dark grapes are so good, they look amazing in the little French copper cocotte. The grapes are from the Critchley Family Farm here in California.
The day before, I made our favorite Minestrone Soup in an antique copper saucepan like this one. It’s always good, but made one day ahead it’s even better. All the flavors blend together. This delicious soup is ideal for a small al fresco autumn dinner. I’ll be happy to share the easy recipe soon with all of you. Our family loves this soup, and my girls ask for it on a regular basis when they come here for dinner.
I’m a little in love with this table-scape. It’s super easy, but has all the autumn feels we all love so much. It’s amazing how flowers {faux and real,} a few pumpkins and apples make a table so lovely. Taking inspiration from what nature provides us with at this wonderful time of year, you can create your own beautiful Autumnal tables.
I hope this table and post inspire you to set up your own dinner table outdoors and do some autumn al fresco entertaining . Thank you so much for joining me today, you are always welcome at my table!
Be sure to visit my inspiring flower friends below. See you there!
Shirley at Housepitality Designs
and me Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
A BIENTOT
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What a beautiful table! I have some of that same fabric too, bought for no other reason than because I loved it. I’ve almost used it a time or two for pillows or a small upholstery project but they never seemed right for it. I’m so glad because now I see the perfect way to use it. Thank you Lidy.
Phyllis, thank you so much for your visit. I’m glad I’m not the only one who just buys fabric they love. I hope you set at least one beautiful table with yours!
Lidy, I adore your fabric, what a gorgeous foundation for a fall table! So smart to mix the live branches with your faux floral material. Minestrone soup sounds wonderful with our cooler fall temperatures and dining alfresco in your back garden is a perfect way to enjoy the season. Love your pretty embroidered wheat napkins too. As always it’s a treat to start my day and share blooms with you. Happy Monday. <3
Thank you so much Mary! It’s always a treat to spend our Monday Morning Blooms days together, friend. xo
Lidy, I remember this fabric so well and actually had a bolt at one time. I have always loved it. You do real and faux so well, who would have known if you hadn’t revealed your secret. Gingko leaves are always beautiful, our two trees haven’t turned their beautiful shade of gold as of yet. The soup looks delicious and would be perfect for a cool autumn night. It is always a pleasure to take a seat in your back garden. Happy Monday!
It’s so fun to have you join me today, and every Monday Morning Blooms, Pam. Our gingko only has a few branches that are golden so far. But it’s a beautiful color, isn’t it? Hope you have a wonderful week!
Dear Lidy, adore your fabric,what a great idea to use it as tablecloth.
I love copper pots and pans,my go to brand is Mauviel.
Copper has a rural flair and it’s also sustainable.
Never used it for flower arranging though.
Thank you Anja. My favorite brand of copper is Mauviel too! That large copper champagne cooler I used isn’t antique, but it was made by Mauviel. 🙂
I am going fabric shopping soon and I am going to look for some future table coverings…,LOVE your tablecloth…such a fabulous pattern and colors….As always your arrangement is beautiful and loving all of the details of the tablescape…and I must say, you had me at the soup too!….Now I want to make ? soup for dinner!
I loved seeing your beautiful backyard…what an oasis! Wish I had a Gingko tree! ? Always such a real pleasure participating in our Monday Morning Blooms with you.
Have a most wonderful week Lidy!
Thank you Shirley. The gingko leaves are so beautiful, aren’t they?! It’s a joy to spend time with you on our Monday Morning Blooms, friend.
Bonjour Lidy——As usual everything is beautiful!! Looking forward to November First!! Its my Birthday!! Starting to get chilly here so all the Fall Harvest items look sensational. HAPPY FALL from New York—Bette Jean Herrmann
Betty, thank you so much for your visit! So good to hear from you. Oh how fun, a November birthday – I hope it’s glorious, and that you stretch out the celebrations.
Lidy, it’s all perfectly charming. I’m all about alfresco settings, and yours is truly inviting. The fabric is gorgeous! I can see why you bought it. Your soup sounds delicious. I’d love to join you at this pretty table filled with fall flowers, warm copper, and beautiful food.
Thank you so much Sarah! I’d love to have you here. Hope you have a beautiful week ahead. xo
Your table is lovely Lidy, once again your beautiful and casual style is so inviting, and also so elegant! The copper really sings surrounded by pumpkins and filled with beautiful flowers. The fabric is beautiful, I too love to buy fabric and use it for tables. This is the perfect time of year for soup and Al fresco dining, enjoy!
Thank you so much Jenna. I agree, this is the perfect time of year for al fresco dining, soup, and lots of other cozy things. xo
I’d happily pull up a chair to your al fresco table, Lidy! Isn’t your fabric perfect for Fall? How great that you hung onto it and are now enjoying it. Your arrangement is perfect and I’d love some apple cider cocktail, minestrone, and a roll!
Thank you for your kind visit and comments about our Marine hero, and for Hayden’s birthday party. We have much to be thankful for.
So happy for you and your family Kitty. We do have so much to be grateful for, don’t we? Celebrating autumn in all its glory here, wish you could pull up a chair.
Gorgeous, Lidy!!!
This is so rich and lush! A beautiful rendition of Fall!!!
Yes! I have cuttings if beautiful fabrics, too, and they usually end up on a table! Kindred spirits! ?
Thanks so much Kathleen! I think we are kindred spirits in so many ways, friend.
Wow, Lidy, so perfectly French country, like you always do so well, never contrived. And no one would ever have known the dahlias weren’t real. I love how you do jewel tones for fall, another trademark of yours. That fabric is gorgeous. Your backyard oasis is beautiful.
I’m so glad you think so Rita. I love all your tablescapes, so that’s a lovely compliment coming from you friend!
You did an amazing job with “pretend” flowers actually weather
doesn’t always agree with fresh cut flowers even here in California we’ve had them destroyed from to warm and to windy!
Your napkins and tablecloth are gorgeous everything
Is simply fall worthy??