chic hosting styles for fall

Written By Avalon Aloia

As the seasons change and it gets a bit too chilly to go outside, now is the perfect time to host gatherings inside for you and your loved ones to get together. But let’s not automatically lean straight for a “come over and watch a movie” type of hangout; rather, let’s make it a bit more special. Let’s make it a bit more chic and intentional.

After doing some Pinterest digging and searching for hosting styles to do this fall, I found the best of the best options (at least in my opinion, of course). Some have more reason and rhyme than others as to why I think they would spice up your fall hosting styles, and others may lean more intricate than the next. However, I think that each of these styles has a little something extra-special, extra chic, extra autumnal to them. So let’s get into it, shall we?

building seasonal menus

Now I don’t just mean using pumpkin spice or different things along those lines, I mean using the food to brighten up your plates. There are so many gorgeous colors within the foods in season this time around that we should take advantage of. Fall truly has some of the best flavors out there, and they are all so bold but interchangeable. They have a certain warmth and coziness to them that also has a brightness and freshness unlike any other season, in my opinion. So let’s bring out the pomegranate seeds, the squashes galore, and all of the spices our bellies have been craving and get to cooking.

For a few examples of food to serve this fall, I have given you a short but sweet list of recipes that are easy, semi-easy, and a bit more intricate:

bread as décor

Okay, let me preface this by saying that yes, I know it is a waste, and in this day and age, we should not be wasting food. However, if you do happen to stumble upon some stale bread that you can use for decor freely, I love these ideas. To me, they fill the table with a certain warmth and extra-special charm.

If you need something outside of the box and a bit unexpected, I would say that this is a semi-unusual but chic way to spice up your dining table or space. Last fall, I hosted a get-together where I did the bread candle, which, in my opinion, was quite cute. I also love the look of the half-loaves being intertwined with the candlesticks to warm the space up even more. Also, the look of the bread name tags is just too cute—I’m sorry.

Some tips I found online to be able to reuse this same bread again (so it doesn’t become even more of a waste) include covering it in a clear coating so that no air can get to it, or making “dead bread,” which I suppose is what some bakers do when they are making bread for shoots specifically. The more you know!

using silver plates & mirros

This has been trending quite a lot in the past year, but I still think this fall there will be some recognition for it. I love the checkerboard effect that one of the above pictures has because it really fills up a table without having to fill it up too much, if you know what I mean. Plus, the added layers of the silver platters to silver cups and bowls in the images give it a lovely little depth. It makes every color pop, even if it’s just something duller like white cream or butter. This is perfect for those more monotone food elements that need a little something to spruce them up.

bevs chilled in style

Now this gives me house-party vibes, but at the next level. However, you need to do it somewhat correctly, or else it will come off as your typical college frat house vibe. I would suggest grabbing a bag of ice from the store and not using your crescent freezer ice, because that does look somewhat tacky (no offense).

I would also try to style it a bit, at least when guests first arrive. Get some cute-looking cans for mixers or waters, like a sparkling water or organic soda, since they usually have a clean aesthetic to them. Also, adding in some various bottles like wine, champagne, beer (again, ones that have somewhat cute labels) would be ideal. Reminder: we’re looking for chic vibes here, so yes, the looks do matter.

If you’re feeling extra saucy, I love the look of grapes surrounding the wine since that is, of course, what wine is made from, and it gives it that “out-of-bottle” experience.

cozy projector glow

I have yet to use my projector in this sense, but honestly, to my Friendsgiving people, you very well might just be seeing this. I think a cutie little fall-themed movie or show playing in the background of your event is such a cool and elevated way to bring in extra detail and movement into your decor. I think something like Charlie Brown or a black-and-white film will elevate the atmosphere tenfold. You can even opt for a cozy projector movie night for part of the evening and serve popcorn in chic silver platters.

*Try to put it in a place that won’t bother the guests or force them to jump over cords or anything like that. We don’t need any casualties!

hand-drawn tablecloths

This is something that I’ve seen for a while now, and I think it is so cute and just a wholesome and personal way to have a memory for your event. It doesn’t have to be a wedding for you to have something special—even a simple dinner night at home with your favorite people deserves to have some extra love.

Thrift a tablecloth or buy a cheap fabric one that you can then keep and savor. Or, if you just want to make that night special, get a roll of wrapping paper to cover the table and leave out some pens and markers for people to enjoy drawing or writing messages at any point throughout the night. I think this is such a special way to have people express themselves and have a mini activity during the event without actually having to get up and do something.

playful place cards

I think more and more this year, people have been using real (or fake) food to express creativity, whether that was through marketing or through personal events or decor. Whatever it may be, I love this idea, and I think it’s just a fun way to brighten up a space in a somewhat affordable sense.

With this, I think using food as a place card is such a fun idea to spruce up your dinner table. Whether you want to use something like mini pumpkins and put the cardstock in the stem of it, or tie a name tag on the stem of an apple or pear (as seen in the photo), I think this is such a great way to show a place setting.

Plus, if you don’t like to have a name-tag place setting, you can also have them sitting on a nearby table to the dining table and let the guests choose where they want to sit. And of course, you can take a little aesthetic photo of all of them sitting together.

until next time

The best way to spice up any event is to always just make it yourself and add your special touches. It doesn’t mean you have to spend all kinds of money, nor does it mean that you have to spend too much time on these extra touches. Look around your house and see what you have, go to the dollar store and pick up a few DIY ingredients, go to the grocery store and grab a couple in-season products, and most of asll, try to think a bit outside the box.

There is so much out there to spice up your events this fall season, so get cookin’, get decoratin’, and happy hostin’!

Until next time, my darlings,

xoxo,
Avalon

Avalon Aloia
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8 ways to live intentionally this fall