For those of you who don’t know, I guest blog over at Love the Day. I guess Lindi and I are a “style match” — I love her printables and she likes my parties. So when I saw Lindi’s “Home of the Brave” 4th of July printables collection, I was immediately touched by her take on Independence Day and created this Home of the Brave 4th of July Dessert Table.
There really can be no better way to celebrate the 4th of July than to think about the real meaning of this day. The 4th of July starts and ends with our heroes: people brave enough to envision America, and those who continue to defend us. So I thought of my great-grandfather, my dad, my stepdad, and my uncle – all of whom served in the armed forces.
Get the Look
Here are the key elements I used to create this look:
• Lindi’s Home of the Brave printables
• Red, white and blue star fabric – just fold this over to make a table runner.
• Red and white serving pieces
• Red paisley frame from Quite a Pair Keepsakes — Juliet made this frame for my daughters’ Wizard of Oz Party.
• Mementos from your family’s military service
Since my buffet table is on the small side, I chose mementos only from my dad’s service. That’s his office marker with his rank and name: Lieutenant Commander H.R. Trumbull, U.S. Navy Reserve. That’s his hat from his Summer Whites uniform. And the photo is from a visit my brother and I made to his office at Bethesda Naval Hospital. We were high-styling in 1978!
Including these items also helped me talk to the girls about my dad, who died during my pregnancy. Putting on his cap, I hope, makes their grandfather a little more real for him. It certainly brings back memories, and a few tears, for me.
Take it Easy on Yourself
Here’s what else I want to recommend for any holiday celebration. Take it easy on yourself. Enjoy the day by not overworking yourself. All my desserts except the Jell-O mold map of the USA are store bought. (You can find the recipe for the Jell-O mold here.
All the other treats came from the Target bakery. I love custom cookies and sweets just as much as any party planner. But when sweets are these cute, and it saves me so much time and money, how can I say no? Plus, it’s just so easy to dress up store-bought treats with printables.
I popped these goodies in my cart:
• Star shortbread cookies
• Red dot sugar cookies
• Frosted brownie bites
• Glazed spritz cookies
I hope this gives you a way to bring a little more meaning to your 4th of July party – and to make it easy and more fun for you!
Vendor Credits
- Party styling and photography: Double the Fun Parties
- Printables: Love the Day
- Plates and napkins: Better Homes & Gardens collection for WalMart
- Red cake stand and tiered tray: Olivia Dru
- Star fabric: Jo-Ann’s
Party planning should be fun— not stressful!
Don't miss my FREE party planning cheat sheets.
These are the exact 14 worksheets I use to plan all my parties!
Have fun planning your party (and stop worrying about what you're forgetting).
Plus, you'll get all the latest parties, tutorials, and discounts from The Party Teacher.
You have successfully subscribed! Thanks for joining the party!