How To Throw The Perfect Autumn Dinner Party
Early autumn is the perfect time to hold a dinner party; just as the weather begins to transition, before the business of Thanksgiving and Christmas set in. Make the most of the colder weather by inviting friends and family to gather around your cosy table, enjoying good food and conversation. Here is everything you need to know to make your autumn dinner party perfect.
Centre Pieces
Adding centre pieces to your fall dinner party table is an easy way to decorate and make your table look elegant and detailed. Centre pieces will add a burst of fall colours to your table, instantly making a casual dinner table into a dinner party. If you’re short on time, your centre piece can simply be a vase of some autumnal flowers and you’ll still get a sophisticated but effortless look. However, you can also make DIY centre pieces with flowers, pumpkins or wood for a more intricate and rustic look. Fall centre pieces can be really effortless and simple but they can make a huge difference to your dinner party decoration.
Use Seasonal Foods
Using seasonal foods at your autumn dinner party will not only add to the orange colour theme, but your ingredients will be much better quality. Try to include a lot of pumpkin, sweet potato and squash which will all taste amazing during the autumn and they are versatile, allowing you to experiment with lots of different autumnal recipes. Try this recipe for maple cinnamon butternut squash or this pumpkin soup – crowd pleasing dishes that will add to your fall theme. Using seasonal foods for your autumn dinner party is not only better for, but is also better for the planet.
Set The Mood
For an autumnal dinner party, you want to create a warm and cosy atmosphere to complement the chilly weather. This can be really effortless by simply using some fairy lights and candles around the table to instantly get a wintery atmosphere. If the weather permits your dinner party to be outside, provide blankets so people get stay cosy even as it gets colder into the evening. Also, if you have one, a fire pit or chiminea is a great way to get a good autumnal mood for your dinner party.
Serve A One Pot Meal
Serving a one pot meal at your dinner party is going to make your life so much easier. This is easy in the fall, when you’ll mainly be relying on root vegetables and warming dishes to eat. Try this pumpkin chilli for an easy and simple dish, or this one pot pasta that is perfect for big groups. Making a one pot dish will save on washing up, and means that you don’t have to spend your whole evening in the kitchen preparing lots of small, intricate plates. Also, it makes it much easier to save and freeze leftovers to reduce your food waste.
Make A Playlist
A playlist in the background of your dinner party will help to set the mood, so make sure that you have one prepared beforehand. Try to stick to mellow, quieter music so that it doesn’t overpower conversation.
Song Suggestions: Higher Love – James Vincent McMorrow, Cold Little Heart – Michael Kiwanuka, Colours – The Cinematic Orchestra, Plans – Oh Wonder, First Defeat – Noah Gunderson
Have A Speciality Drink
Making a speciality cocktail is a nice detail that will really add to your autumn dinner party. Try this autumn gin and tonic, garnished with cloves and cinnamon, or this apple pie sangria, for an autumn twist on a summer favourite. Small details like this will add to the atmosphere of your dinner party, making it really stand out.