How to Plan a Glam Friendsgiving Dinner
/It's a well known fact that everyone's favorite part of Thanksgiving is the food. Seeing your crazy aunt is so worth it when you can have her tasty Mac and cheese. But what's the best part of of Thanksgiving weekend? Besides shopping (and not having to work for 4 days!) it's Friendsgiving. While your grandma is asking when you'll get married, your friends are sharing funny horror stories about the life of a single gal. Or maybe you're spending time together gushing about your friend's new boyfriend. Either way, the pressure is off and you're free to enjoy the food, the drinks and the company. How better to thank your gals for their support than by hosting a glam Friendsgiving dinner? I decked out my dining room with gorgeous golds, pops of pink and orange, and tons of teal. I'll show you how to do it too!
Disclaimer- This blog post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you decide to purchase anything. I only link to items I enjoy or would purchase myself.
Dress it Up
Since I knew the table decor would be really colorful, I opted for a simple ivory tablecloth to keep it neutral. I added an ivory sequin table runner for a bit of subtle glitz without distracting from all the other decorations.
For the centerpiece, I decided to go with the new hot trend, painted pumpkins! While most people like to use real pumpkins, I opted for fake ones. I find that the real ones always get mushy at the bottom, but these fake ones can be used for years to come! All I had to do was spray them with primer, then a few coats of spray paint.
One of my favorite parts of this table are these pumpkin candle holders. They come in black, but I think they look so much better spray painted gold! It gives them an elegant touch, don't you think? I also scattered some orange votive holders around the table for some extra color and a bit of romance.
I added some flowers, because everyone loves flowers. I got mine from the supermarket, and it was already a tiny little bundle! I just trimmed the ends and stuck it right in the vase. It was easy peasy and really dressed up the table. I also found this really cute desert gems cactus at the supermarket, which is a cute and funky alternative to flowers.
Tablescape
Fun fact- all the tableware is disposable! This means cleanup will be a breeze, but you don't have to sacrifice style. I ran over to my local Party City and picked up these gorgeous gold rim plastic plates, pink and gold plates, and neon pink champagne glasses. They added the perfect pop of color while still keeping it classy. My utensils came from Michaels. They are similar to ordinary disposable utensils, except that they have a really fun handle! The napkins were from Oriental trading as leftovers from my Halloween party.
To create the place settings, stack your plates on top of each other and place them in the center of each chair. Take a napkin and place it diagonally with the ridges facing outwards. Stack your utensils on the napkin, placing your spoon first, then your fork and finally your knife. Make sure your knives are all facing the same direction! I created a fan shape to keep it different and interesting. Finally, place your diy mini faux pumpkin piñata in the center. If you want to assign seating, these would be great as place cards too! Just add a strip of paper with each person's name on it.
Since your cups will be empty when people arrive, you have to give them a little flair. To do this, I simply folded up an additional napkin to add a pop of color. Everyone can always use an extra napkin, right?
Napkin Folding Tutorial
1. Place your napkin down on a flat surface. (Put the pattern facing the top- this was my bad for the photo!)
2. Fold in half lengthwise along the straw.
3. Turn the napkin sideways. Fold the corner down towards the bottom along the straw.
4. Flip over and repeat the fold.
5. Take your folded napkin and smooth down the edges.
6. Put the napkins into your glasses with the middle fold facing the back and enjoy!
Set up a Bar Cart
If you've got a bar cart, use it! It's a really simple way to dress up your space and it'll provide some extra room for things like spare cups and drinks. If your home doesn't have room for a bar cart, you've got to check out this folding one. It's cute and sturdy, and packs away easily when not in use! It's the one I use at home and I LOVE IT! Seriously you guys, it's really colorful, strong, and can be used indoors or outdoors.
Now that you've pulled your bar cart out, you have to dress it up for the occasion! I I covered my cart with sequin table runners and draped my colorful leaf garland on the front for an extra pop of color and to give it a little seasonal fair. I used my teal pumpkin as the focal point of my bar cart, and placed my cute Gather sign from Target on top. I placed my wine bottles around it, along with some champagne glasses.
On the bottom shelf, I put some extra glasses and bottles of wine, but you could also put an ice bucket, your barware, or some extra plates and napkins.
And that's all there is to it! Throwing a Friendsgiving party is so fun and rewarding. Seriously, what could be better than an evening wining and dining with your gals?! How do you celebrate Fiendsgiving? Let me know in the comments below!
