Are you looking for ideas for your Memorial Day table setting?
Don’t stress. I’ve gotcha.
This Memorial Day table setup can be recreated inside or outside.
Yep.
It’ll work great for an indoor Memorial Day gathering or at an outdoor Memorial Day party.
Why?
Because of the red and white picnic theme.
It’s SO EASY to copy and do yourself!
Just imagine this tablescape outside on a picnic table, at your local park.
It’s a perfect table for Memorial Day weekend.
Do you see how I integrated paper plates, wicker holders, and even bug-proofing mugs?
Super cute inside, but also super useful outside!!
Check out how easy it is for you to recreate this Memorial Day tablescape yourself…
How to Set a Table for Memorial Day
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Step 1: Select your Memorial Day table setting’s foundation
Do you know what I mean by your Memorial Day table setting’s foundation?
I’m referring to the base of your table set up.
Will you use placemats, a table runner, a tablecloth, or nothing at all?
What do you have or want to use as the foundation for your table setting?
For this Memorial Day tablescape, I chose a red and white checkered tablecloth.
The tablecloth is square shaped, so I laid it on the table, on the diagonal.
Not only does the red and white work with the patriotic colors for Memorial Day ~ it also has a picnicky vibe.
Don’t ya think?
That’s why the foundation piece for this table setting can work both indoors and outside.
You can totally picture it outside on a picnic table.
Step 2: Create your Memorial Day tablescape’s place settings
Once you have decided on your table setting’s foundation, the next step is to think about your Memorial Day place settings.
What plates, utensils, and glasses are you going to use?
What do you already have and is there anything you need to buy?
I was surprised that I already had everything I needed to create my Memorial Day place settings.
Because I wanted this table setting to work both inside and outdoors, I wanted to keep it very casual and simple.
You don’t want to lug breakable plates to a park!
First I started with wicker plate holders.
You know them ~ they’ve been around forever.
If you don’t have them, I’m sure your mom or grandmother does. Lol!
Next, I added white paper plates to the wicker plate holders.
Then I placed red melamine plates (that look like paper plates) on top of the white plates. Of course, you can use small red paper plates instead.
Then, to the left of the plates, I added my cutlery.
Since I wanted this table to be used outdoors, I created simple utensil pocket holders with my red and white checkered napkins.
The napkins aren’t the same pattern as the tablecloth, but because they are the same colors, you don’t really notice until you actually look at them.
Here is a quick video on how to make the napkin utensil pockets.
Isn’t that SO EASY!!
To complete your Memorial Day place settings, add your drinking glasses.
Of course, red plastic cups would work really well with this table setting for Memorial Day.
Especially if you will be enjoying the holiday at the park.
I chose to use mason jar mugs.
I felt they provided that casual, outdoor feeling I was wanting.
To complete the feeling of being outside, I cut small slits in the middle of red cupcake liners and slipped a blue and white striped straw inside.
Do you know why I did that?
It’s a cheap and easy way to prevent bugs from landing in your drink!
Plus, it looks cute!
To give you an idea of how this Memorial Day place setting would look outside at a park, I snapped a picture of it with plastic cutlery.
Isn’t it cute!
Tip: if you want to bring individual pre-mixed drinks to your picnic, just add a lid to your mason jars so you can easily transport them. Then you don’t need to deal with making drinks at the park.
Don’t you love mason jars!!
Step 3: Add a Memorial Day centerpiece to your table
Now that you have your place settings done, it’s time to turn your attention to your Memorial Day centerpiece.
Again, see what you have around the house or in your “stash” of stuff.
I used a wicker basket and large tray that I had found at an estate sale ~ super cheap.
I turned the basket upside down to provide height and added the tray on top of it.
Then I placed a napkin inside the tray.
You could easily use this tray for food. Just place your hamburgers, hotdogs, or sandwiches on it.
Perfect for the middle of your table so guests can easily grab one.
I chose to add a small mason jar and placed ripped fabric flags inside the jar.
I forgot that I had made these super cute ripped flags last year. (That’s what I mean by “check your stash” ~ you probably have something you completely forgot about.)
The ripped fabric flags are SUPER easy to make!
I’ve added the DIY link at the bottom.
Then I folded a flag that had already come off its stick and placed it next to the mug.
To complete this simple Memorial Day centerpiece, I added two painted white mason jars that had more ripped fabric flags in them.
One on each side of the center tray.
The neat thing about the mason jars and fabric flags is that each guest can take a flag home.
Plus the mason jars are easy to move to the side, or off the table, which will provide space for your food dishes.
Step 4: Adding the finishing touches to your tablescape for Memorial Day
Sometimes when you’re creating a table setting, you feel that it needs just a little something extra.
That’s how I felt when I was setting this Memorial Day table.
It was all red and white, with a little blue.
But I felt the place settings were lacking.
That they needed something.
So I whipped up these SUPER EASY patriotic pins.
And put one on each guest’s plate.
Not only do the patriotic pins add that little pop I was wanting, but they’re also a sweet gift for your guests to wear.
Cute and useful ~ gotta love it!
Now that my table setting for Memorial Day was done, I wanted to complete the look and theme on my buffet.
If you’re having your Memorial Day party at a park, you can think of my buffet as the food table.
A place to add more Memorial Day table decorations.
On my buffet, I first placed three bandanas as the foundation.
Next, I added a picnic basket I’ve had forever. I filled it with wicker plate holders, paper plates, utensils, and napkins.
Then on one side, I placed a tower of ready-to-grab plates and a mason jar filled with straws.
On the other side of the picnic basket, I added a jar filled with small American flags and a large folded American flag.
I love how the items on the buffet carry the theme from the table.
Too cute! And easy!!
Have a wonderful Memorial Day and enjoy a red and white picnic with your family and friends, whether it’s inside or at the park!
Check out the easy DIY project used to decorate this tablescape:
Shop the Table (if you don’t have time for a DIY)
