Our Fall Dinner Party Details
I’m lucky enough to participate in a blog hop with two of my blogger girlfriends to help give you guys some extra Fall inspiration. The links are at the end of this post and you are NOT going to want to miss them, so make sure check them out!
The weather is cooler and the leaves are changing so it was time for our annual Fall Fest. I’m going through the details of our annual Fall dinner party, including the table setting and the food we served, as well as some tips for hosting your own Fall Fest!
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The point in the year when the air turns crisp, the leaves start turning, and the excitement of the holidays starts building…aka the Fall…is my favorite time of year.
I usually feel rejuvenated and my creativity starts to flow.
It’s also a time I like to host our friends and family for fun, Fall-related activities. One of my favorite traditions is our annual Fall Fest dinner party.
This year we hosted two other families who are in the same stage of life with little boys around the same age as ours. It was loud and hectic and so fun.
We definitely left that night with our stomachs and our hearts full.
Let’s jump into the details.
Fall Table Setting
On Instagram, I put two previous dining room table centerpieces where I featured blues and greens in one and reds and oranges in the other. I asked everyone to vote for which one they liked best…the vote was close, but the reds won. Which would you pick?


Well, that was at first my plan, but then I happened to be walking in Michael’s at the beginning of August and I came upon their blue eucalyptus and, well, that settled it for me. I also stumbled upon a beautiful and very realistic white sunflower and the two together in my hand were absolutely beautiful.

I knew I had a gorgeous vase to show off from The Foundery, which I got during my Spring retreat trip to Waco, Texas. From there, I decided to continue the black and white with hints of blue around the table as well as the rustic and refined wood tones. The juxtaposition in this room with the somewhat unexpected blue and blue combination just makes me so happy. I finished the space off with a few touches of gold in the utensils to pull the gold/brass in the light fixture. It was the perfect setting for our Fall Fest.
Our Menu
When I think of Fall, of course I think of the usual pumpkin spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. I think most people do. But I also think of comfort food, soups, and stews. Hence, out dinner party menu:

I will be posting the recipes for everything we made later this week, but let me explain the thought behind these choices.

The cocktail is not only quintessential Fall, with apples, spiced rum, apple cider, and cinnamon, but it can also easily be made in a mocktail/non-alcoholic version. I had a friend who is breastfeeding so I wanted that option. It was easy to make ahead and have on hand when guests arrived.

The charcuterie board is always a hit because it can include so many different things and have something for everyone. I had several apple smoked or spiced options, served fresh pears and apples, and several fall-flavored crackers and cheeses.

The sausage cranberry rolls were an absolute hit. Paul said he was really unsure about that appetizer choice but he and everyone else loved them. I cut into them before letting them cool a little so the puff pastry just fell apart but trust me, it didn’t stop anyone from enjoying them.

The epitome of comfort food, we served this Beef Bourguignon Stew with pearl onions, peas, and carrots over mashed potatoes and horseradish sauce to garnish. One of the best things about this, besides the fact that it’s absolutely delicious, is that you can largely set it and forget it for a couple hours. Also, it does not require the oven, so you won’t have as much competition for oven space.

I have been craving bread pudding for quite some time and I couldn’t decide between two different recipes before the dinner party. So, I made them both! I totally expected to like the pumpkin bread pudding better, but the old fashioned bread pudding, which we topped with rum sauce, is now one of my favorite Fall desserts every.

No one went home hungry, which is what I aim for, and, in fact, everyone went home with leftovers for the next day. I’m eating the stew now as I write this actually and it is just as delicious. So keep an eye out for the stew recipe and all of the others! And, if you get the chance, I’d love it if you could follow me on Instagram and pin this article on Pinterest. Thanks friends!


Check out Maria’s blog post HERE!
Check out Marie’s blog post HERE!
This all looks amazing Alicia! You’re guests must have been very impressed. Beautiful decor and the food, well now I’m hungry. lol I’ll have to try the cocktail, just delicious.
Thanks Maria! We were all content after that meal haha.
What a feast! The stew looks sooo delicious! I bet all of your guests had a wonderful time. Happy fall!!
We were all full and happy!
Alicia, the tablescaped looks lovely. Your food menu…wow! I would have loved to eat at your house. Everything sounds delicious. I love some bread pudding with rum sauce. I will be making it for the fall season. Thank you for sharing your ideas. Loved it!
Thank you Tammy! I’ll get the recipes up asap!