Send Out Cute Invitations
The entire event starts with an invitation. Send out old school invites by creating a unique invitation and mailing it to your guests specifically. It will make the event more special to your friends. Prior to the event, send out email reminders so they do not forget. The easiest and prettiest way to create a cute reminder would be by using Canva.com. Through Canva, you can create a graphic from using hundreds of free templates, images, and texts.
Have Coordinating Decorations
Before you can begin decorating, you must choose a color scheme. You probably want to stick to some form of fall colors. Red, orange, and yellow always look beautiful together. If you want to be original, violet and white would make a stunning color scheme. You can use these colors in your centerpiece, napkins, and place cards.
Decorating the entire house by keeping this theme going with signs, lights, and leaf decorations!
For a centerpiece, you can get a large vase and fill with water, small pumpkins, and flowers. You can also set painted pumpkins out to match the theme. Create a calming vibe by placing candles and white pumpkins across the table. For this you really want to consider the theme of your party and match the centerpiece accordingly. Do you want it to stay on the table while everyone is eating? Or do you want a vase that can be removed to replace with the meal?
Be creative! As long as the decorations look well together, you can have as much or as little as you want. Make sure you have plenty of “doggy bags” for your guests to take home leftovers (you can’t eat all that turkey by yourself). Go all out, leave party favors at each seat for your lovely friends to take home.
Host Interesting Entertainment
The entertainment you have at the party depends on the people you invite. You want to choose something that will be interesting to everyone. Some ideas to try are crafts, movies, sing-alongs, etc. Here is one easy before-dinner game:
DIY Clay Wishbones: Make these adorable crafts and place them next to every other seat. Your guests can break these with the person next to them! Have extras waiting in a dish for the winners to compete against each other. Winner gets a prize.
Offer Refreshing Drinks
Stick with the basics for drink options. Have coffee ready to brew for dessert time.
Apple Cider is always a huge hit! Spice it up by creating this recipe (thanks to Mel’s Kitchen Café).
Ingredients:
1 cup cranberries, fresh
2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 cups apple cider
2 cups cranberry juice
2 cups ginger ale
1/3 cup water
Ice
Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries and water. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the cranberries pop and split.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar.
3. Let cool to room temperature or chill in the fridge.
4. In a 2-quart pitcher, pour in the cranberry mixture. Add apple cider, ginger ale, lemon juice and cranberry juice. Mix.
5. Serve in cups with crushed ice.
Prepare a Delicious Meal
The food you choose to serve will be the star of your event. Remember that you MUST be aware of any dietary restrictions. Appetizers are the food that kicks off the night. Set out cheese and salami to resemble a turkey.
Veggie trays are always a hit and this Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread will make please anyone who has a sweet tooth. Recipe thanks to ‘She Wears Many Hats.’
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese
Caramel sauce
Toffee Bits
Sliced apples, pears, or pretzels for serving
Instructions:
1. Place cream cheese on a serving dish
2. Pour as much caramel sauce as you want evenly over cream cheese
3. Sprinkle with a generous helping of toffee bits
4. Serve with sliced apples, pears, or pretzels
For dinner, stick to traditions but add a twist or two. Items to serve are turkey, mashed potatoes, bacon wrapped asparagus, and stuffing. For dessert, you definitely want to have a variety of options. You can serve pumpkin or apple pie, and this Salted Caramel Brownies recipe thanks to Ebay.
Ingredients:
18-ounce brownie mix
8-10 ounces of dulce de leche (or any thick caramel sauce)
1 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat to 350 degrees
2. Prepare the 9×9 nonstick baking dish by lining it with parchment paper
3. Mix and bake brownies according to recipe on package. Let cool completely
4. Spread the caramel sauce over top.
5 Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
Play Music
You want soft, chill music to play in the background, to fill awkward quiet moments. You can never go wrong with artists like Hozier and Mumford & Sons.
By following these ideas, you can really be the hostess with the most-est!