It’s that wonderful time of year when family and friends join together to celebrate and give thanks for all of their blessings. The air is crisp and cooler, and the leaves are finally changing color as we welcome the rich yellows and red that adorn the trees; even the sunlight seems buttery and more welcoming. Fall is in full swing, and the upcoming holidays seem to brighten everyone’s moods. Personally, this is my favorite time of year. It’s when I get to lay out all of the ingredients for the perfect evening with my nearest and dearest. After hosting countless events, I feel like I’ve come up with a foolproof way to have a successful gathering, and I’d love to share it with you!

First things first, I am an adamant believer that to have a flawless party, you need to treat your guest’s five senses. Sight, smell, taste, touch, and sounds are all vital to surrounding your guests with the perfect time. Every moving part of party planning comes back to checking these things off with precision. If you’re anything like me, I absolutely LOVE catering to my guests and making sure that there is something for everyone present to enjoy and remember for years to come.

Invitations: Personally, I like to use apps like Canva or Evite to create a pretty and easy-to-read invitation that people can always refer back to for things like the address, time of the party, and what to expect. There are so many cute backgrounds and customizable fonts to suit whatever the theme or tone. Once you have the invitation perfect, send it out and keep a separate list of who responds and with how many people to expect. Make sure to add an RSVP by date so you can have a proper guest count for food and any activities or gift bags. This is also the point in your planning where you’ll have to decide on which level party you’ll want to have. Do you want something more casual and lighter with family board games, acceptable jeans, and free seating? Or are you wanting more of an elegant affair with place cards, cocktail attire, and possible wait staff? As the host or hostess, you are responsible for providing your guests with proper expectations. It’s important to ‘read the room’ and know your family and friends. You’ll know which is more to everyone’s tastes to ensure a good time overall.

Food: There are two ways that we can go about this…One is preparing an entire menu yourself, which can be very rewarding, fulfilling, intimidating, and expensive. Or the second and more popular option is a potluck dinner where all of the invited families bring a specific dish to share with the group. This way makes everyone feel happy and satisfied with contributing, and it amplifies the message of sharing a meal. I love using Pinterest as a starting base for what I’d like my dinner spread to look like. I’m able to organize a menu with the recipes, so I know exactly what to buy at the grocery store and how much of it I’ll need per my guest count. I’ve also shared my Pinterest board or screenshots with my guest list, so ideally, everyone will be on the same page about what is needed so we don’t end up with five different kinds of stuffing, no cornbread, or, even worse, no mashed potatoes. Having a group chat can also be helpful; although tedious, it helps keep communication flowing. After everyone agrees to their assigned meals, that’s when the fun food prep begins. Pretty garnishes for drinks, prepping the cocktail menu or deciding on a big dispenser with less attending for pre-made beverages, making sure everyone brings enough crock pots to keep their food warm (if it’s a potluck) or arranging the cooking times per what needs to be in the oven at which time. It’s all vital that you sort out the logistics before the actual event day to ensure a smooth timeline. When it comes to the actual serving time, you also have to consider if you want a plated dinner, where you (or the waitstaff) will plate and serve the guests at their seats. Or will it be more casual, like a buffet-style meal where guests get up and serve themselves? Will you want a family-style dinner where you have serving trays set up on the tables for people to serve themselves at their seats? There are numerous ways to make your guests feel at home and comfortable when it comes to the actual eating part of the dinner.

Dessert: Sweets have always been a significant part of parties throughout history. If you are able to put some time and love into your desserts, the elegance level of your party will skyrocket. If you are not super comfortable with your own baking skills (Like me! That is not one of my talents), then I look into booking a baker a few months in advance. Most people don’t know this, but Bakers book up very quickly during the holiday months. If I have certain pies, cookies, or personalized anything in mind, I need to remember to book them early. And, of course, Publix or your local grocery stores are also phenomenal at this! I always try to support my local businesses when expenses allow, but the options with deserts can be extravagant and endless. And I couldn’t love it anymore! I am definitely a desert girl! Having the option of giving my guests personal ‘Thank You’ cookies as a gift for coming or serving tiered dessert trays along my kitchen island makes my heart flutter. It’s basically edible décor, and anything that serves dual purposes like that is always a game changer for parties.

Décor: For this, I always recommend shopping early. As soon as you come up with your date and estimated guest count, check out all of your local stores, amazon, etc. for all of your fall décor needs. Having colorful fall wreaths, garland, candles, decorative vegetables, and even a possible photo wall for family and friends to have a place to take photos together, are all nice touches that will wow your guests. Ensure you have the appropriate tablecloths, enough cutlery, plates, serving ware, and napkins available. I also love having a family movie or even a fall fireplace video (if you don’t have a real fireplace) playing on the TV. It gives the sense of a cozy atmosphere that adds another layer of attention to detail that your guests will appreciate. Another important part of décor for me is smell. I like to grab a cinnamon-scented broom from the grocery store, some vanilla, apple, and cinnamon candles, and I even make a ‘smelly pot’ if I have space on the stove. To make a homemade ‘smelly pot’ (as my family likes to call it), you take a deep pot and add a couple of cups of water, depending on the depth. Then slice up some apples, and oranges (leave the peels), add a couple of teaspoons of vanilla extract, cinnamon (or cinnamon sticks), some clove, nutmeg, and a lemon. Stir together and mush the oranges a bit. Once you have it boiling, put the heat down to a low simmer and watch as your whole house fills with the cozy scent of fall. Make sure you continue to watch the pot and add water/vanilla/liquids so it doesn’t burn. This is one of the very nostalgic things that my family has come to love and gets so excited to have when fall finally comes around. 

Entertainment: This can be a very broad and fun part of your planning. Whether it’s bringing out some family board games making new ones with the kids, having something fun for your guests to do is so important. Sometimes just having some cards, dominoes, bingo cards, Jenga, or even Twister out for those family groups that are less social will make everyone feel cared for and thought about. Having a ‘Guess how many are in here’ jar is also great fun, and you can always designate a little prize for the winner. Gift baskets, candles, bottles of wine, or candy grab bags for kids is also a fun idea. Music is another small but nice touch that can help fill in any lulls in conversations and create a welcoming ambiance in the background of the party. This is also another part of the party that goes to your taste and tone of event. 

During dinner, our family always likes to go around the table and share what we are thankful for this year or share a memory we are thankful for. It’s a nice way to commemorate each other and keep the family vibe alive during the party. If something a little less socially stressful is more to your taste, you can always have a bowl with paper that everyone can choose to write on, and someone can read them at the end of the night. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you always keep the people who are present in mind and keep it positive and cordial. 

All in all, no matter what kind of party you decide to have or how many people come, the most important part of hosting Thanksgiving is remembering the reason why you’ve all gathered together. Keeping your heart in the right place during the party and conversing with family and friends, reminiscing and creating new memories while enjoying each other’s labors of love is why we get together every year. Make sure you take the time to sit back, relax, and enjoy everything you’ve planned, too! You deserve to soak in the love and appreciate everything around you. I hope everyone has an amazing fall season filled with great health, wealth, and happiness!

This was written by our contributing writer, Isis Jordan.