How to Host a Memorable Party for Memorial Day.

By now you know that I, for one, love to throw a party. It doesn't matter if it's big or small, casual or elegant. I love entertaining in any and every form.

You? I realize that for some of you, the thought of hosting a party brings on a panic attack. If that describes you, I'm encouraging you to entertain with a "party" small or big, for Memorial Day!

WELCOME TO MONDAY MORNING BLOOMS!

Today, Pam, Mary, Shirley and I are delighted to welcome our sweet friend Shannon of Belle Bleu Interiors. You will LOVE Shannon as much as we do! She loves all things home and family. Creating a warm and loving home is what feeds her soul. Shannon lives in Mustang, Oklahoma, she will inspire you to create a warm, comfortable, and happy home no matter where you live!

For this Monday Morning Blooms, I'm sharing a fun, easy and stress-free party. Memorial Day is by definition casual, so there is no need to get all fancy! You literally gather all your red, white and blue dishes, napkins and whatever else you might have, create a simple flower arrangement, maybe throw in some flags, make some cocktails and turn on the BBQ.

How easy is that??

HERE ARE MY EASY TIPS FOR HOSTING AN EASY, STRESS-FREE & FUN MEMORIAL DAY PARTY.

PLAN.

When I entertain, I write down a plan. Writing down everything really helps me keep focused and helps me from feeling overwhelmed. {It also helps me not to forget a dish that I made especially for the party. Late at night, I'll find it in the fridge! Do you do that? Or am I the only one??}

The three parts of any party are {in my order!- you know I love a good table-setting!} Table setting, food, and drinks. That's it!

A. Do you want your table {party} to look a certain way? Think about colors, a theme, perhaps, and which tablecloth, napkins, dishes, flatware, and candles etc. you want to use. For Memorial Day, Red, White & Blue and Patriotic are a given, one reason it's a great way to start entertaining again!

B. Decide on a Centerpiece. For our Red, White & Blue theme, flowers in those colors were an easy choice!

C. What food will you serve? For me, simple good food always wins over fancy, lot's of attention needing dishes. For Memorial Day, turn on the BBQ! {I'll share our favorite Chicken skewers later on in this post.}

D. Drinks. Easiest thing is to serve a special cocktail, and perhaps wine or beer. Throw in a few non-alcoholic drinks and you are ready. I usually serve a cocktail, wine, and have iced tea, water with mint or cucumber slices and maybe a sparkling 0 calorie water in cans available.

Once you've answered these three questions, you have a plan, and the rest will be much easier!

A. SET THE TABLE.

Before the actual party, I usually set up a "mock setting" so I can see how it looks. A huge fan of more is more, I just want to make sure the mix of dishes looks as good in real life as it did in my imagination. But you can't go wrong, really! Mix it up if you love that look, or keep it pure and simple, either way, it's going to be great!

I used our French Provencal Tablecloths in blue on the main table as well as several small tables. The under plates are antique red transfer-ware, the top ones are these cute melamine Red, Blue & Linen crimped plates. They have the look of paper plates but aren't. Many of our favorite linen napkins complete the look perfectly.

B. MAKE THE FLOWERS.

Use what you have in the garden, or go out and buy a few bouquets, fresh flowers always add beauty and charm and speak a party language.

For this table, I used a small antique red and white transfer ware tureen. Since I couldn't really find any great flowers this week at my favorite flower place, I decided to use a few flowers from the garden! Using floral tape, I taped off a grid that really helps the greens and flowers arrange themselves! Begin with the greens, I clipped off a few small branches and placed them all around the container.

Next, fill in with your flowers. Simple. It doesn't always have to be a grand, amazing floral arrangement. This one actually looks prettier in person!

C. PARTY FOOD.

Don't stress about this part. It's a BBQ! You can go super easy and buy pre-made burgers at the store with brioche buns, or make these incredible Asian inspired Chicken Skewers {my family adores these, even my little people gobble these up and ask for more!} When making the skewers {BEST PART...Mr. FGH does the actual bbq-ing!} I serve with a simple salad, rice from Trader Joe's that you pop in the microwave, fresh fruit, and a dessert. SO EASY!!

D. DRINKS.

A special Summer cocktail adds that extra dash of festivity to your party. I love to use Champagne Cocktail Sugar Cubes. They come in Peach, Strawberry or Raspberry and each flavor is delicious! Drop in one per glass of champagne or prosecco, or more for an intense flavor.

I like to have glasses, bottles of bubbly on ice, and the cubes set up on a small table so guests can help themselves. I usually print out a little "sign" or write on a small chalkboard how to make a cocktail so guests can help themselves.

Make sure there is also a pitcher of sweet tea, or lemonade, and water with cucumber or mint on the table too. This way guests can just refill their own glasses and you won't worry about that!

I set up my little bar on the deck this time. It is a little out of the way, so guests can wander over to this other part of the garden to refill their drinks.

The antique matress ticking set the blue tone, the Vintage French Champagne Basket {like basket} holds champagne flutes.

Finally, HAVE FUN!! I know this sounds silly, but really, the success of any gathering is not the decor, not the flowers, not even the food. It's YOU! If you are relaxed, happy and enjoying yourself, your guests will too. Enjoy being with your family and friends, it's why they came!

One last thing.

Finally, even though Memorial Day is the "official opening of summer fun", let's not forget the meaning of this holiday. A day to remember and honor our military men and women, and their families, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Let's honor those who lost their lives fighting for our country by observing The National Moment of Remembrance. It's an annual event that asks Americans, wherever they are at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, to pause for a duration of one minute to remember those who have died in military service to the United States.

8 Things you may not know about Memorial Day

What are your plans for Memorial Weekend? We'd all love to know- tell us in the comments!

Please be sure to visit my crazy talented friends for their floral inspiration by clicking on their links below!

Shannon of Belle Blue Interiors

Mary of HomeIsWhereTheBoatIs

Pam of Everyday Living

Shirley of Housepitality Designs

and me, Lidy of FrenchGardenHouse

A BIENTOT

Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and above all uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com