Staging to Entertain

Staging to Entertain

Thanksgiving Tablescapes

Each year on Thanksgiving families come together to give thanks and to feast on beautifully prepared food from recipes passed down from generation to generation. It’s only right to have an elegant tablescape to match.

Here are a few tips to get you well on your way to a welcoming and memorable tablescape for Thanksgiving.

Layers of Color

Fall offers us many beautiful colors to work with: burgundy, cranberry, chocolate and gold and oranges. Layering these colors together can really showcase your table.

                                                                                

Center Piece

An Autumn leaf table runner is an inexpensive, easy to make and a great way to add pops of color to your table. (see below for directions)

Cornucopia has been used over and over again and it’s time for a change. Change it up with clear glass cylinders of different sizes filled with acorns or nuts toped with fresh fall flowers. Hurricane candle holders filled with nuts and floating candles works great too.

Place Settings

Keep in mind that too many colors and patterns can look very busy and the eye won’t have a place to rest. Start with a neutral table cloth in a cream color. If your china does not have a pattern, use colorful placemats as an accent. Tie chocolate colored ribbon to cream color cloth napkins with a preserved or silk fall leaf.

Placing a small pumpkin or pear on each plate along with your guest’s place card adds the finishing touch to your table.

Lights and Lifts

If your Thanksgiving gathering is anything like mine, (at least 30 guests) a buffet style dinner is the way to go. I like my buffet table to be as fabulous as my tablescape.

Place stacks of books, upside down bowls, or anything else sturdy enough to hold platters on your buffet table. Tape Christmas twinkle lights around the lifts. Lifts should be higher in the back. Place table cloths over the lifts and lights to disguise the lifts and cords. I place lighter food items on lifts.

Smaller hay bales can also be used to create lifts to showcase your homemade desserts. Add fresh bouquets of mums, mixed gourds and your buffet table will be fabulous!!

Directions for Autumn leaf table runner

1. Start with a piece of clear cellophane cut to size.
2. Gather leaves or buy preserved leaves at a craft store. Cut the leaves from the branches right and trim the stem from the bottom of the leaf. If the leaves are a little wrinkled you can iron them - it looks better if the leaves lay flat.
3. Cover your work surface with newspaper and place your piece of cellophane on top.
4. Have you leaves ready and spray half of the cellophane with Tack 2000 spray adhesive.
5. Simply place the leaves onto the cello one at a time starting at the edge and overlapping the previously placed leaf.
6. Spray the other half of the cello and finish adding leaves