No need to look at the calendar; the cooler temps, shorter days and gorgeous foliage tell me that it’s autumn! This new season is a new opportunity to celebrate – holidays like Rosh Hashanah, Halloween and Thanksgiving, as well as friendships, accomplishments and milestones! For the modern woman, planning a celebration may seem daunting, considering our time is already absorbed by family, work, volunteer obligations and personal commitments but, alas, there is a solution … a KISS. Keep it Simple Strategy. Yes, you can host a fabulous fall party, from a casual, family-friendly Apple Picking Party to a formal Haute Harvest Dinner Party − if you keep plans simple. Here are a few of my favorite fall entertaining simple strategies:
The Party Starts with an Invitation
While informal polls show that people prefer to receive invitations via mail or phone, no one can argue the convenience, low cost and earth-friendly advantage of electronic invitations. Online companies like Paperless Post and Cocodot are excellent options for stylish, ad-free designs and response management systems – and their applications are super easy to use.
Regardless of your delivery method, send invitations up to three weeks in advance for a casual event, three to six weeks in advance for formal occasions, and upwards of three months for ticketed events to give guests ample time to plan their attendance.
Create an Atmosphere that Reflects the SeasonIn the fall, Mother Nature’s color palette transitions to brilliant hues of pumpkin orange, crimson red, olive green and golden brown. Leverage these colors in your decorations.
Rather than decorating a large space, focus on one or two smaller areas to create a bigger impact. For example, decorate the entrance with pumpkins, hay bales and colorful mums to WOW guests when they arrive.
Enhance the rest of the space with other accents of autumn:
Gutted pumpkins make wonderful vessels for a whimsy bouquet of sunflowers or a beverage container for bottled water.
Cored apples make wonderful votive holders or apple cider cups.
Candleholders filled with acorns, chestnuts or cranberries look lovely on the mantle or coffee table and provide a warm glow.
Inspired by the Farmers Market
Approximately half of your budget will be spent on food and drinks; therefore, your menu is a very important element of your party. To stretch your budget, select seasonal produce like roasted vegetables and compliment with artisan bread, cheeses and jellies.
A growing trend is make-your-own food stations at parties – from tacos and mashed potatoes to ice cream sundaes and s ’mores bars with all the fixings. My favorite bar for fall is a soup bar. Select two to three varieties like Apple & Butternut Squash, Harvest Vegetable or Lentil Soups. Serve in small bowls or cups. Garnish with crème fraiche and pumpkin seeds.
Round out your menu with individual fruit pies, turnovers or tartlets.
To minimize fuss at the bar, offer one or two signature drinks along with soda, water, wine and beer. Hot Apple Cider is great for a large group but Pumpkin Pie Spice Martinis would be a delicious option, too!
Of course, the other inclusive option is to host a food and wine pairing party – where the beer, wine or whiskey, for example, is paired with multiple courses or tapas plates. This strategy really streamlines your menu and offers entertainment – my next consideration for fall celebrations.
Have a Little Fun, too!
Unless you’re hosting a child’s party, it may seem odd to consider entertainment, but it’s a worthwhile investment to help your guests mingle and to elevate your party from ordinary to extraordinary. Entertainment doesn’t have to be a 10-person dance band or high-flying cirque act; it can be a talented singer and his guitar providing acoustic background music, which is great for a rustic, one-last-outdoor-autumn-fling, or it could be an interactive wine tasting, murder mystery or game of charades depending on the design of your event.
After all is said and done, the only thing you need to host a fabulous fall party is good company. Good company happens when the hostess is relaxed and enjoying the party. To enjoy the party, you need a simple strategy. I hope that these ideas have inspired you to entertain this fall so that you may enjoy your good company!
Ashleigh Dorfman, CSEP
Ashleigh is a certified special events professional and owner of posh parties, LLC, a party planning company specializing in themed social and corporate parties and celebrations. She lives in Reston, VA with her husband and three children. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 703.476.6530
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