Entertaining… add the extra details
2020 really has us appreciating time in a myriad of ways. The time we spend with others beyond our immediate family has dwindled down in frequency, size, and scope. All out extravaganzas have transitioned to intimate soirées and we’re all for it.
Thanksgiving is nearing and hosting can be an ordeal. Your relatives have postponed visiting until next year and while you are secretly relieved Uncle Bob’s boisterous opinions are staying away, you will miss Aunt Mildred’s warm smile and perfect mashed potatoes. Count your blessings and maybe try something new this year! Scale back on the menu, splurge on that bottle of red and get ready to make this dinner, or any feast, a truly special one for you and yours.
Thanksgiving is nearing and hosting can be an ordeal. Your relatives have postponed visiting until next year and while you are secretly relieved Uncle Bob’s boisterous opinions are staying away, you will miss Aunt Mildred’s warm smile and perfect mashed potatoes. Count your blessings and maybe try something new this year! Scale back on the menu, splurge on that bottle of red and get ready to make this dinner, or any feast, a truly special one for you and yours.
A thoughtful presentation and some fun tips just might free you up enough to begin your Christmas list.
Preparation
For any style of entertaining it’s important to prep ahead.
Take some pressure off this year and…wait for it…cook the bird the day before! No way you say? Everyone agrees it tastes better the next day. Warm it up, or better yet serve casual yet elegant open faced turkey sandwiches on thick slices of brioche and fresh thyme.
Take some pressure off this year and…wait for it…cook the bird the day before! No way you say? Everyone agrees it tastes better the next day. Warm it up, or better yet serve casual yet elegant open faced turkey sandwiches on thick slices of brioche and fresh thyme.
Tip: warm a stack of plates in the oven to keep food hot when serving a plated meal
While you’re prepping your green bean bundles wrapped in bacon, sip on some apple cider mimosas complete with a brown sugar and cinnamon rim. Have a few glasses prepped on a tray along with pretty napkins, some cinnamon sticks and some shiny apples and you’re good to go!
Tip: keep a few bottles of champagne on deck complete with a bow. You’ll always have a reciprocal gift if someone swings by
Appetizers– make them graze worthy and gaze worthy. Use greens to provide a base on dishes and platters.Colorful cabbage, collard greens and fresh kale are sturdy and help elevate how pretty your stuffed mushrooms are. Speaking of elevating, build your scrumptious morsels a tiered base. Make bites easy to reach with a chunky candle holder and heavy plate. Stack old books as a base. Turn a basket or bowl over for a stand. Soften edges with frilly lettuce and cascading grapes. Use peppers to hold dips or spreads. Turn a basket or decorative box on its side, line with cloth napkins and crackers, rolls, and breadsticks with look amazing spilling out.
Tip: use fresh herbs and stir into softened stick of butter. Roll into wax paper and twist the ends. Freeze. When ready to serve, slice or cube and arrange a pattern on a small dish- lined with a leaf of green of course
Personalize the Experience Allow each diner at your table to feel special with a place card. Kids love finding their name and adults like it too. Add a sprig of fresh mint, a small piece of chocolate, or even a seasonal trinket suck as a perfect strawberry in summer or a pine cone in colder months.
Tip: place cards and place settings don’t need to match. Mix and mingle! Think of something that will make them smile.
Set the Tone Don’t forget the background. Music please! Even a casual family dinner deserves ambiance. Music is also a great way to fill the silence as you eat, calm the senses, and camouflage the clinking and chewing. Let conversation be the forefront and choose something mindful and appropriate.
Tip: Classical instrumental choices soothe, relax, and don’t interrupt. There is a reason why restaurants choose wordless medleys.
Sharing is caring. Sharing your time is always appreciated and sharing a meal with people you love is a great thing. Share with them some of these small details and they’ll really take notice.
If they don’t? Well then, they’ve got dishes.
While you’re prepping your green bean bundles wrapped in bacon, sip on some apple cider mimosas complete with a brown sugar and cinnamon rim. Have a few glasses prepped on a tray along with pretty napkins, some cinnamon sticks and some shiny apples and you’re good to go!
Tip: keep a few bottles of champagne on deck complete with a bow. You’ll always have a reciprocal gift if someone swings by
Appetizers– make them graze worthy and gaze worthy. Use greens to provide a base on dishes and platters.Colorful cabbage, collard greens and fresh kale are sturdy and help elevate how pretty your stuffed mushrooms are. Speaking of elevating, build your scrumptious morsels a tiered base. Make bites easy to reach with a chunky candle holder and heavy plate. Stack old books as a base. Turn a basket or bowl over for a stand. Soften edges with frilly lettuce and cascading grapes. Use peppers to hold dips or spreads. Turn a basket or decorative box on its side, line with cloth napkins and crackers, rolls, and breadsticks with look amazing spilling out.
Tip: use fresh herbs and stir into softened stick of butter. Roll into wax paper and twist the ends. Freeze. When ready to serve, slice or cube and arrange a pattern on a small dish- lined with a leaf of green of course
Personalize the Experience Allow each diner at your table to feel special with a place card. Kids love finding their name and adults like it too. Add a sprig of fresh mint, a small piece of chocolate, or even a seasonal trinket suck as a perfect strawberry in summer or a pine cone in colder months.
Tip: place cards and place settings don’t need to match. Mix and mingle! Think of something that will make them smile.
Set the Tone Don’t forget the background. Music please! Even a casual family dinner deserves ambiance. Music is also a great way to fill the silence as you eat, calm the senses, and camouflage the clinking and chewing. Let conversation be the forefront and choose something mindful and appropriate.
Tip: Classical instrumental choices soothe, relax, and don’t interrupt. There is a reason why restaurants choose wordless medleys.
Sharing is caring. Sharing your time is always appreciated and sharing a meal with people you love is a great thing. Share with them some of these small details and they’ll really take notice.
If they don’t? Well then, they’ve got dishes.
Hi! We are Heather & Dianne and we’re the proud owners of Only Prettier Design...wedding florists and designers! Our shop in the greater Boston area is filled with fresh blooms and all the home decor to make your heart swoon. Besides entrepreneurs, we are also busy moms to 4 kiddos each! Our lives are crazy, but beautiful. We are excited to share our story with you, all while keeping it very real. While we’re super excited to show you how to execute a beautiful tablescape and design a stunning floral arrangement...we also want this to be a place to share the real struggles of balancing work and life while creating a life we love! 
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