Do you celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with family or friends? Maybe both? We live far from our extended family so we have a tradition where we gather with our closest friends, along with any family that might be in town, and have a big Friendsgiving party! Sometimes we have a traditional Thanksgiving meal; other times we nosh on tailgate style food while piled around the TV watching football. Either way, we always have yummy desserts to top off the day. Here's a sneak peek of this year's party with a bit of modern boho flair. Be sure to download the free Friendsgiving Conversation Starter Cards here to keep things interesting!
Our dining room has an eclectic mix of modern farmhouse elements with a bit of a boho twist. Mixing and matching differing styles can be tricky at times, but I find that layering items in coordinating colors helps to achieve a cohesive feel rather than ending up like a hodge podge of random items thrown together. A modern macramé wall hanging, created with strands of natural cording, blends with a vintage tobacco basket thanks to the wooden bead detailing being repeated on both.
Styling our buffet for the holiday was a cinch thanks to the ceramic pumpkins that were painted navy and sage green to match our existing decor. They were elevated on white candleholders for added visual interest. Air plant filled geometric terrariums were also placed on our buffet, and offer a nice modern contrast next to the antique window. Our yummy desserts took center stage, of course!
The rich wood of our dining table balances out all the white in the room. I opted for a Kraft paper table runner as opposed to a cloth one to keep the overall feel a bit more casual.
The Tablescape
A beautiful rose gold candleholder set was filled with real wax flameless candles and sat in the center of our dining table. I always like to start with something taller in the center of my table and work my way outward from there.
Faux eucalyptus and natural pinecones were added to the top of each candleholder with the help of a bit of floral wire.
Wooden beads, painted to match those on the macramé wall hanging, were strung on jute twine and added an additional layer of color to the Kraft paper table runner. The strand wove its way down the length of the table around copper mercury glass candle holders, more painted ceramic pumpkins, pinecones and rose gold ornate candle holders, which were filled with faux eucalyptus.
Setting the Table
I love layering plates for parties, whether they're formal or casual. The navy chic dot paper plates were instantly taken up a notch when sitting upon the white scalloped chargers. Adding another layer with the rose gold chargers tied in with the various candleholders on the table. To further elevate the look of the paper plates, I used linen napkins, which were dyed a soft green color.
I added a minty-sage green dessert plate from my personal dishware, but the mint and gold foil polka dot dessert plates would work perfectly with this table setting. I used to shy away from mixing metals, but the premium gold flatware paired with the rose gold and copper accents on the table provided just the right amount of contrast needed to keep the table from looking too serious. Clear crystal plastic wine glasses were coupled with stemless plastic wine glasses and not only look pretty on the table but there's no worry of them getting broken or need to wash them after guests leave since they are disposable!
Oh Snap!
As a kid, my favorite part of Thanksgiving was always getting to break the wishbone and make a wish. I created these DIY Clay Wishbone Place Cards as a whimsical nod to those carefree memories. Not only are they a pretty addition to each place setting, but they make for a fun take-home gift for your guests.
You may think you know all there is about your friends, but adding conversation starter jars at each place setting ensures there's never a lull in the chatter. The answers provided by your guests could prove to be quite comical! I created these by painting the lids of the mini mason jars navy blue, tied a painted wishbone charm around the lip of the jar with gold baker's twine, then added the word "thankful", which was cut out of metallic copper vinyl. You can download the free printable questions here.
I hope whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving it's a safe and happy day with your friends and family!
Photography: Moments by Maredith
