If you have ever thrown a dinner party at home for friends and family, then you have definitely asked yourself; “How can I make this look fabulous?” And with the fall season heading our way, I’m sure this question has found it’s way back into your creative thinking with lots of excitement. From Halloween festivities, Thanksgiving dinner parties, to Holiday extravaganzas, there is always a way to make your event unforgettable. Here are a few easy tips that some restaurants and chefs use to keep their patrons impressed.
1. The Art of Elevation
When displaying your tasty delights, always remember that elevation adds to eye-appeal. Use an inverted bowl as the base for a platter of finger-foods, a bowl of punch, or for the show-stopping centerpiece entrée.
Remember that elevation adds space, so use it wisely. Either fill the space with color and/or food to accent the theme (Bountiful Thanksgiving) of leave it empty and clean for a more elegant appeal.
2. The Art of Glass and Uniformity
Using glass is one of my favorite ways to add beauty to any party because just about anything can be put into glass, not to mention that it is easy to find and can be fairly inexpensive at times. Wine glasses, shot glasses and martini glasses offer a wonderful solution to the traditional look of a pie. Carefully scoop pie slices into your favorite glass and garnish with whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel, and a dash of cinnamon. This can be done with almost any dessert! One of my favorites is chocolate mousse and fresh fruit. Mmmm!
You can also make a simple salad bar look like an ultimate garden dream with tall glasses and tasty salad bar ideas. Use different color veggies for taste and color and let the glass do the rest!
(For an inexpensive find, Family Dollar usually keeps a glass section. Home Goods also has beautiful glass for great prices.)
3. The Art of Color
Fall Festival, Black Tie Halloween, Traditional Holiday! Whatever your theme, go ahead and go all out! Make your table the talk of the season with lots of color. JoAnn Etc, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and other craft stores offer lots of seasonal colors and exciting props. I enjoy looking through the faux flower and plant sections of these stores for the sole purpose of jazzing up my holiday party tables. The green and fall brown/red color leaf trims always look beautiful on my tables. I also like to use pieces of fabric as accent colors. Although I am no seamstress, there is no limit to my hot glue gun abilities! (By the way, the pieces that frill at the ends will be sitting under a bowl, or behind a prop.)
With these ideas you can make your event one to be remembered! Enjoy the decorating, the cooking, and the upcoming holidays!
