I can hardly believe it's already August! This year, and this summer especially have flown by. While everyone is talking about sweaters and fall trends, I'm still trying to savor these last few weeks of summer. A couple of weeks ago, I hosted a small girls outdoor girls brunch. I've recently started building our collection of glassware, dinnerware, linen and serving dishes. I love being able to pull out special pieces for entertaining. I went with all blue and white for this brunch because the palette is quintessential summer. Today I'm sharing my 5 tips for entertaining and two simple recipes that you can make for your next event.

5 tips for entertaining:

1. MAKE A PLAYLIST: Nothing can set the mood better than a great playlist! I absolutely love making a playlist for any party I have. Think about the theme of your party (Christmas party v. girls brunch) and your guests when creating your playlist so you can be sure to have the perfect songs for everyone!

2. DECORATE THE NIGHT BEFORE: I'm all about working smart and not harder. I make sure I complete certain tasks the night before. This helps me figure out what I might be missing and helps free up energy to mix and mingle the day of the party!

3. FIGURE OUT WHAT TO MAKE AND WHAT TO BUY: Since this was an impromptu brunch, I decided to buy as much as I could. I didn't want to scramble to prep and cook everything and end up being exhausted before the brunch started. I went to local bakeries I knew would have fresh and delicious offerings. I purchased croissants from Yellow Dog Bread Co. and pastries from lucettegrace. I decided to prepare the rest of the menu (fresh watermelon, blueberry pancakes, bacon and the drinks). I was able to prepare everything a couple hours ahead of time and not be stressed!

4. SET THE MOOD: Other than your epic playlist, set the mood with candles and flowers! I am obsessed with fresh flowers and candles and have to have both throughout my house. I feel the same way about parties, too! Since this was an outdoor brunch, flowers and candles were the perfect touch.

5. PICK A THEME: I love a theme. Your theme can be as simple as a color scheme. For my brunch I chose a blue and white theme and everything fell into place from there. Once you pick a theme, you'll have direction for all your decor and menu decisions! Make sure your theme also fits the time of year. It's a lot harder to find bright decor in December!

GET THIS BLUE & WHITE SUMMER LOOK: