Friendsgiving 2014

So there’s two things I need to tell you right away:

1. We planned this entire party to be outside. Then it got SUPER cold (ok, South Texas “super” cold) an drizzled for about 15 hours straight.

2. Planning a dinner party for 20 people is a piece of cake.

Addressing the first important topic –

Friendsgiving is a delightful new-ish Thanksgiving event where friends-who-are-like-family gather together and share a meal of thanks. We asked each of our guests to bring their favorite side dish to share – bringing us to point #2. Cooking for 20 was a piece of cake – because we each only brought our favorite side. We’ve been planning Friendsgiving for months. We had a guest list, beautiful invitations, party decor, the best party favors ever, and a grand plan and vision. Then we got a hefty does of a “make it work” lesson and had to move our dinner for 20 inside, four hours before we were going to carve the bird.

Thankfully, there was cheese. (Cheese board & knives source)

Our back up plan was my large covered back porch and our back up to the back up plan was to host in our brand new studio space – so brand new that the floors aren’t in! But we couldn’t think of a better way to christen the space than with a dinner party – and so we did!

Candice set a beautiful table incorporating all kinds of pretty natural elements – pumpkins, cedar clippings, antlers, and turkey feathers – on a foundation of layered drop cloths (painted with gold dots) and kraft paper.

We felt like it was important to set the table with real plates, silverware and cloth napkins with napkin rings – but only because we wanted it to feel really special!

Since we couldn’t be in the woods as planned, we brought the outside in! Well, kind of. We made a forrest of kraft paper trees to be the backdrop for out food table and custom Minted banner.

A touch of gold was used on several elements including writing the place cards in gold market and using gold foil dots as another element in the table setting. I loved how the straw flags coordinated with the banner.

Between each couple’s place setting was a handmade cracker that Candice assembled with a little sweet and  a note about why we were thankful and grateful for their friendships.

We also used overturned birch flower vessels to give the pumpkins some height without blocking the flow of conversation across the table.

So, our party was supposed to be outside in 50* cool, dry, woods – so we thought a cozy blanket would be the perfect party favor for each couple. The Company Store provided us with their amazing wool throws to gift to our guests.

…and moving the party inside didn’t keep anyone from sharing a cuddle!

The centerpiece to all those amazing side dishes that everyone brought was this beautiful turkey. I wish we could take credit for it but credit goes to our friends at Central Market – who perfectly stuffed and roasted this bird and took the burden off of one of us to “do” the turkey.

It was, all in all, a dry, cozy, and warm celebration of friendship and gratitude for the many blessing each of these people brings to our lives. What lucky women we are to be surrounded by such joy and love!

(Tomorrow, we’ll give a break down of all the elements we used – be sure to pop back by!)