This morning I realized there was a brisk feel to the morning air and that fall must be quickly approaching, so naturally I begin thinking about fall parties! As the entertainer of the group, I excitedly volunteer to host a dinner party every fall before all of the couples we hang out with get too busy around the holidays, last year that happened to be in October and I was able to take advantage of our family pumpkin patch trip to also double as my tabletop decor supplies, but this year I'm in need of more new ideas so please share away in the comments!
While it's getting harder and harder to find a date that works for the entire group, each year around this time, I start thinking about an easy fall theme and menu to delight and surprise my dinner guests while also making entertaining as easy as possible on myself because fall is a busy time of year in general for all of us and I certainly don't have the time I used to for prep given our family's busy schedule!
Prep is where it all begins, the best investment I have made is these cotton black & white gingham tableclothes. I've used them for various parties and their graphic but classic print allows me to use them frequently while creating a new look each time.
When it comes to decor, there's two things I focus on. Good linens and fresh flowers; neither of which need to be expensive! Good linens can often be found at Target or on Amazon for less than $12 a tablecloth and I buy all my fresh flowers at the local farmer's market or flower market to ensure I'm picking something seasonal and affordable! Since I typically host my parties on Fridays I can almost always head to the Minneapolis farmer's market to find multiple flower options the day of my event!
Years ago, I used to get my full china set out for this party as an excuse to use it! While I still try to find at least once a year to enjoy the set we were gifted for our wedding, I also love love love stylish disposable partyware. There's really nothing better than not having to wash the dishes after a busy night of hosting. My new favorites are these premium plastic plates and metallic gold disposable silverware that give the table the same effect as a china plate without the hand washing requirements!
And while I'm a bit embarrassed to even admit it, last year I didn't even cook the main dish! We hosted with sushi and champagne and most of it was takeout! We did make a few asian inspired appetizers and a side of pad thai to complete the dinner party with some warm food, but I chose to only focus on the easy dishes while ordering takeout for the large sushi trays and saving myself tons of kitchen prep.
I was so much less stressed with only having to focus on a few elements of the meal that I enjoyed the party way more and our friends didn't complain one bit about an enjoyable sushi dinner!
So while i haven't figured out this year's menu yet, I hope you find some joy in hearing that disposable dishes and takeout meals offer a lovely alternative to a pile of dirty dishes and slaving in the kitchen for your next dinner party!
Parties Made Simple.
Jackie
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