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How to Throw an Intimate Friendsgiving Dinner Party

Hey everyone, we’re just three short weeks away from Thanksgiving so today I’m sharing all of the details from my intimate Friendsgiving dinner party to inspire your own Thanksgiving events. As promised, this post also includes all of the recipes that I showed you on my Instagram stories. I linked to all of the decor and dinnerware below to inspire your own holiday dinner party with friends. I hope you find these these ideas helpful when it comes to your Thanksgiving dishes and decor next week.

You can check out last year’s Friendsgiving post here—> 3 Tips on How to Host Your First Friendsgiving

See the full youtube video below:

I wanted the tablescape to feel warm and welcoming so I incorporated lots of romantic candles and made sure everyone had a name card on their seat so they would feel welcome in my home.

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Dinnerware: White Enameled Cast Iron Pumpkin Dutch Oven | White Gravy Boat | MacKenzie-Childs Parchment Check Fluted Dinner Plate— no longer available | MacKenzie-Childs Gold Check Flatware – 5-Piece Place Setting | MacKenzie-Childs Blooming Tumbler | Gold Check Canape Knives – Set of 4 | Metallic Scalloped Reine Chargers 4 Pack | Mustard Yellow Cotton Slub Napkins with Fringe Set of 4 | Ivory Cotton Slub Napkins with Fringe Set of 4 | gold-rimmed plates

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Sale Furniture: Wood Leona Farmhouse Extension Dining Table | Natural Linen Paige Round Back Dining Chairs Set of 2 | Paige Upholstered Dining Bench

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Decor: Light Gray Mongolian Sheepskin Area Rug | Pumpkin Place Card Holders—old (similar here)| Gold Mercury Glass Votive Candleholders Set of 3 | Flared Whitewash Wood Taper Candleholder | Antique Gold Ribbed Taper Candleholder | Natural Fiber and Lurex Table Runner | Glittered Pinecone And Metallic Berry Garland | White Taper Candles, Set of 2 | Metallic Silver Taper Candles, Set of 4 | Metallic Gold Taper Candles, Set of 4 | Silver and Gold Mercury Taper Candles Set of 2 | MacKenzie-Childs Gold & Silver— no longer available | Crinkle Silk Ribbon

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Pie Bar: MacKenzie-Childs Gold Check Cake Serving Set | MacKenzie-Childs Parchment Check Fluted Cake Stand | MacKenzie-Childs Parchment Check Two Tier Sweet Stand | Luis Clear Glass Bar Cart — currently on waitlist (similar gold bar cart here) |

When it comes to hosting an intimate Friendsgiving, be sure to create your guest list first and send out an invite to everyone a couple weeks out to begin planning your menu so you can start prepping the dishes 2-3 days before your party. Decide on the dishes you’re going to cook and the items you’re going to order and make sure you order them with plenty enough time. It’s also fun to create a menu with your friends and host a pot luck where everyone brings a dish. Plus it makes prep time much easier.

Blake and I enjoy creating the menu and cooking everything ourselves with a little help from my mom and his grandmother. The only thing we don’t know how to do nor did we have the time is how to cook a turkey so we ordered an already cooked turkey and ham and then made everything else ourselves. You can check out the recipes we used below.

Recipes:

Mac & Cheese | http://www.thatwhichnourishes.com/the-mac-and-cheese/

Green Bean Casserole | https://thenovicechefblog.com/the-best-green-bean-casserole/

Stuffing | Blake’s grandmother came over & made her personal recipe with me. I can’t think of a more perfect time to learn your grandmother’s recipes than during the holidays. We had so much fun making new recipes we found online, but it’s also nice to use a family recipe and learn how to make it so you can pass it down to your own kids. I suggest reaching out to family member for a stuffing recipe to make sure your keeping some family traditions.

Sweet Potato Casserole | https://addapinch.com/sweet-potato-casserole-pecan-topping/ (My mom helped me make this dish and she used half the sugar and half the butter and it still tasted amazing.

Pumpkin Squares | I decided not to make pumpkin squares for our Freindsgiving because had plenty of pies, but they’re so delicious I thought I would share my uncles recipe with you anyway!

1 large can of pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 12 oz can of evaporated milk
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 box of Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix
1 Cup of chopped pecans (a little more is ok)
2 sticks of melted butter (1 cup)

Icing:

1 small Cool Whip
1 cup of sugar
1 8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Mix pumpkin puree, 3 eggs, evaporated milk, 1 cup of sugar and cinnamon. Stir until all blended. Pour liquid mixture into a 13 x 9 inch pan lined with wax paper. Then sprinkle the box of cake mix on top. Sprinkle pecans next. Pour melted butter on top of pecans & cake mix and bake for one hour at 350 degrees. After baked, let cool ten minutes. Then turn the cake over but do not take the wax paper off until completely cooled. Mix one cup of sugar and Philedelphia Cream Cheese. After blended, add 1 small container of cool whip. Ice the whole cake and refrigerate. Cut into squares and keep refrigerated until serving.

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Sale Furniture: Wood Leona Farmhouse Extension Dining Table | Natural Linen Paige Round Back Dining Chairs Set of 2 | Paige Upholstered Dining Bench

Furniture: Castelli Sideboard | Gold Light Fixture | Luis Clear Glass Bar Cart — currently on waitlist (similar gold bar cart here) | Belen Rug |

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Custom oyster paintings by Christina Fontenot Art

5 Tips On How To Create The Perfect Thanksgiving Table Setting

November 7, 2016

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a nice weekend. Today I’ve partnered up with World Market to share 5 Tips On How To Create The Perfect Thanksgiving Table Setting for your home! Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorite holidays and that or may not be because it’s basically a day where you get to stuff your face in front of your family without judgement because everyone else is eating just as much. I’m only kidding…kinda. Anyway, here are some tips to help you create the perfect Thanksgiving table setting!

1) Choose a theme and color scheme! I chose a rustic-glam theme with a mix of metallics and wood. For my color scheme, I went for silver, gold, neutral and a colorful hint of print with the linens. 2) Pick a centerpiece or get creative and make your own! I used a wood bark pedestal stand, candles and metallic painted pumpkins to create my centerpiece. I highly suggest adding a table runner on top of your table cloth or bare table to help accentuate your centerpiece. Also, when it comes to long rectangle tables, I love extending the centerpiece all the way down on both sides so everyone gets a nice view of your masterpiece!

3) Count your silver! Make sure you have enough utensils for every seat as well as every course. I love this gold set of silverware from World Market. Oh and don’t forget to place them in their respectable spots, and I won’t judge you if you have to google proper table settings because I had google it too!

4) If you don’t have enough matching place settings, don’t be afraid to mix and match. Just make sure that you mix and match with more than one place setting so one feels like the odd one out. Also, name cards are a nice touch too because they make your guests feel wanted and welcome. Plus they’ll make your table setting look more uniform if you decide to go with a mix and match theme.

5) My last tip for hosting Thanksgiving at your home is stay calm and be thankful! I know that inviting your entire family and even friends can be stressful, but don’t forget to count your blessings!

BONUS TIP! Display your Desserts! Don’t forget that desserts make great decor too! Arrange all of your your desserts and treats on a bar cart or small table for everyone to feast their eyes on. It will also help them to remember to save some extra room!

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Photos by: Lainey Reed Photography

This post is in partnership with World Market, a brand I love. All opinions and selections here are my own. Thank you for supporting the affiliate posts who make this blog possible.

How To Host A Friendsgiving Bonfire

November 10, 2015

Hi everyone, I’m so excited to share how to host a Friendsgiving Bonfire with you today and even show you how I threw one in my own backyard. Not only is November the best time to visit with family for Thanksgiving, but it’s also a great time to celebrate with your friends too, which is why I put together a couple of fun party ideas to help you host the perfect Friendsgiving.

Have a look at the photos below as well as the video from the bonfire! Make sure to click the HD bottom in the bottom right hand corner to view the best quality version–> How To Throw A Friendsgiving Bonfire | Video by: Brooke Boyd

Greeting Sign: Greet your guests to your Friendsgiving bonfire by creating a special area for them to write down what they’re thankful for. The hang their little notes from a board or a window pane like you see in these photos using close pins.

Outdoor Seating: When it comes to seating for an outdoor party, I like to go for an eclectic look so I covered a couple of hay bales in burlap and plaid fabric. Then I pulled the cushioned bench and outdoor rug from my front porch and set them around the fire pit. I finished off the seating area with neutral indoor pillows, a navy throw and the gold Moroccan pouf from my living room. The ‘Thankful’ pillow was the perfect touch! Lastly, I added the little blue chair from a corner nook in my house and piled a cozy stack of warm scarves and blankets on top for my guests.

Food & Beverage Display: Instead of using a table, I made an adorable display for drinks and snacks using three hay bales. I placed two together and then stacked the third one on top of the hay bale in back for some added elevation. I covered the hay in burlap just like I did for the seating area and then I added some extra burlap in front for the wine basket. I used wooden chargers, stands and servings trays that I already had in my kitchen and dining room. This is my favorite stand from World Market–> Wood Bark Pedestal Stand

I found these adorable ‘Warm & Cozy’ mugs at Target, which are now on clearance!

Hay Bales: You can easily stop by a local feed store to pick up some hay bales, but I didn’t have access to a truck so I got mine delivered form O’Keefes Feed & Seed store in Covington, LA. The delivery fee was only $5 so I’d say delivery is the way to go to save you the extra time and hassle.

S’mores Station: Obviously at a bonfire, the most sensible and delicious snacks to serve are s’mores! Make it fun for your guests by setting up a little s’mores station with hot chocolate and little marshmallow toppings.

Photos by: Lainey Reed Photography

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Friendsgiving Bonfire Checklist:

P.S. A huge thank you to best friend, Haley DeFraites for helping me bring all of these fun ideas to life. Also, thank you to my friends Anna LeDonne, Alaina Fangue, Casey Barnes and Ava DeFraites for participating in my Friendsgiving Bonfire shoot.

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