Are you hosting a Friendsgiving or Fall gathering? Here are 7 tips to host an easy dinner party that is less stressful, a DIY floral pumpkin centerpiece & More!
I am so glad you loved last week’s post full of inspiration for decorating your front porch for Fall and of course the big secret and best tip on how to keep your mums alive and looking beautiful all season long.
In case you missed it, you can get all the Fall porch inspo and mum secret HERE in this post.
Are we Instagram friends yet?
If not…we need to be!
Because that is where I share FIRST what is happening on a day to day basis at the Krout house, along with new purchases of favorite decor or fashion…like this cute new ribbed long sleeve T-shirt from Target!
Along with daily life and new fun purchases, I also share some fun behind the scenes of life as they are unfolding, in real time.
Like all of these stories I saved into a highlight from our oldest daughter’s first Homecoming dance that was held last weekend!!
Still not even sure how we have a high schooler…but here we are!! 🙂
I know I am her Mom…
BUT isn’t she beautiful!!! 🙂
(We ordered her dress from Windsor, linked HERE and she picked out her pink open toe heels from Amazon linked HERE.)
Today on the blog, I am sharing the details around how to host an easy dinner party. We hosted one for Eve and her friends before the Homecoming dance!
Including the DIY decorations and easy appetizers that I made and created to host a casual, yet special dinner party!
From creating simple natural Autumn decorations including a DIY floral pumpkin centerpiece and decorating a cake with the remaining floral buds…
To a delicious and SUPER easy crockpot meatball recipe that you need to know about, plus the best gold plastic silverware already rolled together, a festive drink station with thrifted pumpkin decor that we painted in the perfect muted Fall color and MORE!
So, if you are hosting a dinner party or any gathering of friends this Fall or perhaps you are hosting a Friendsgiving or even Thanksgiving…this post is for you.
This post has all the things in both fun inspiration and functional tips for creating and hosting a festive Fall party that you can throw together easily and relax to enjoy it all!
Follow me friend!
We had so much FUN hosting this special Homecoming Dinner and pre-dance gathering for Eve and her friends!
Honestly, I was so happy that Eve said she would like to host her friends at our house for dinner, because not only was it just FUN to do, but it also gave Shawn and I more of a chance to get to know some of her new high school friends!
Now let’s talk about the simple hosting tips and tricks and break this Fall dinner party down!
Tip #1 : Set the tables the day before (or even 2 days ahead of time)!
Setting up the day before allows you to wake up the day of the party, or gathering and not instantly feel panicked that you are behind schedule.
Setting up the day before allows you to go
Hosting an Easy Dinner Party Can go From this…
To this…
Without the stress of rushing! 🙂
Tip # 2: Use disposable plates, cups and silverware, fill the glasses with water and plate the dinner for your guests!
I ordered these plastic cups with a gold rim and these pre-rolled gold plastic silverware sets!
I found the pretty seasonal plastic plates from Homesense. 🙂
Tip #3: Find a friend (or 2 or 3) to help you host!
It is more fun and the extra hands are SUPER helpful!
My bestie directed the cars as they were pulling in for photos before dinner and we all worked in assembly line fashion to plate the meals quickly before the kids all sat down to eat.
Tip #4: Set Up A Festive Beverage Station For Self Serve Drinks
I ordered two of these glass pumpkin drink dispensers from Walmart to serve both water and apple cider.
I also ordered a set of these disco balls also from Amazon just for fun and love how they reflect the sunlight onto the walls!
Maci and Livvy helped to transform these thrift store finds by painting them in the perfect muted Fall color Canyon Dusk by Behr.
Just bought a sample size paint of Canyon Dusk and love how it helped these little Halloween decorations find new life again in the drink station area!
Tip #5: Shop The Backyard For Natural Decor!
I foraged my Mom’s backyard and brought these clippings home from a walk last week…
And then I arranged them into a basket for tabletop Fall decor!
Pro Tip: The trick in creating your own arrangements is often that you need to place a smaller vessel INSIDE the larger vessel, in order for your arrangement to hold form and structure.
Below, I used a mason jar filled with water and started placing the magnolia stems first, into the masor jar.
Also…to coordinate with the basket arrangement –
I recreated the DIY pampas grass garland on the mantel that I made for this first time last Fall.
We loved it so much last year on our mantel, that I made it again!
I shared this Fall mantel with pampas grass and HOW to create this exact look, along with all of the step by steps details HERE in this post.
6. Serve 2 EASY appetizers and a pretty dessert and call the caterer for the main course! 🙂
If you know me even just a teeny bit…
Then you already know that whenever we are hosting an event or gathering, I am most excited about making our home feel festive, cozy and welcoming and I am least excited about the menu or what you will eat!
Ha!
But don’t worry – I don’t let you starve!!
My famous Taco Dip came in as Eve’s #1 request for what was to be served for the dinner party!
You can get the best and easiest Taco Dip Recipe HERE in this post.
We also served this crazy easy and super yummy recipe for serving meatballs in the crockpot!
This little trio of ingredients is always a huge hit and leaves zero leftovers!
And to the surprise of many – this meatball recipe does not include grape jelly!
3 Ingredient Crockpot Meatball Recipe:
Chili Sauce (3 Jars)
Jellied Cranberry Sauce (3 Cans)
Meatballs (3 bags)
Set the crockpot for low on 4-6 hours and Serve!
Now, for dessert!
I visited our local bakery and requested a “clean frost” on a round sheet cake. Eve ordered the first layer to be vanilla and the second layer to be chocolate.
I requested the frosting to be clean, as in no piping, decorative edge!
When we picked up the cake it looked like this.
Then, I decorated the top with flowers!
I had some leftover grocery store flowers from decorating my DIY floral pumpkin centerpiece (getting to that) and I used a few small roses to start decorating from the top center.
Then, I filled in with a few more smaller flowers!
Ta da!
I love how just simple flowers on top of a plain cake can make any event feel extra special!
I set up the dessert station on a round side table, this way everyone could see it and know to save room for dessert… 🙂
But, it was also out of the way and not crowding the appetizers or main course meal, which was catered and ordered by a fabulous Mom friend of one of Eve’s friends! So helpful!
And finally!
Tip #7: Create A Pretty Centerpiece You Love That Brings You JOY!
This DIY floral pumpkin centerpiece was made possible by grocery store flowers!
From This:
To This!
If you weren’t around here last Fall, then you can get all the details on how to create this pretty pumpkin centerpiece HERE in this post.
Last year, I created and set this Fall table and made my first floral pumpkin and loved how it turned out, so I decided to make it again!
It’s truly pretty simple to create!
All the details you need to know to go from this –
To this – are HERE in this post!
This floral pumpkin centerpiece is actually so easy that I made a smaller version for the second dining table!
That’s a wrap friend!
I honestly had so much fun hosting this Homecoming dinner for Eve that we are already talking about doing it again next year! 🙂
I hope you enjoyed this post and found some easy inspiration and helpful tips for hosting your own Fall gathering or Friendsgiving!
And…as they say…
Don’t blink!
Because time is flying!
All the more reason to mark the moments and celebrate the season we are in with the ones that mean the most to us!
Living on a prayer,
Heather
You may also enjoy this post:
Shop This Post:
*I partner with affiliate platforms where commission may be earned based on online purchases, and I would be so grateful if you decided to use the links in this post and below if you decide to order anything that I share. XO
Loved your post..Eve is beautiful. I am going to try your recipes.