Well Almost…
Autumn doesn’t seem to be on the same calendar as the rest of us this year! However, I always hate to see summer end because it is my favorite season. But those long summer days that nudge you to wake up with the early sun finally give way to cooler, shorter days and the autumn equinox. And as much as I love summer, there is something about the coziness of fall…fuzzy throw blankets, hot chocolate, and a warm fire that makes me forget all about summer!
While the foliage is still green outside and the summer heat hangs on for several weeks longer, I love to bring in some early fall colors. This table setting was inspired by a Caspari paper napkin. I didn’t use the napkin (yet), but it gave me an idea for an early fall table setting. I wanted to use a blue-gray background like the napkin, as well as white and green. I used a little stronger orange than is shown on the napkin because I wanted to pull in shades of copper.
I started with a round gray-blue burlap tablecloth and added orange plates and white bowls, as well as copper mugs and copper-handled flatware. I liked the place setting enough without placemats, so they were eliminated.
White napkins went well with the white bowls and kept the color scheme simple.
Green wisteria vines were cut from outside and placed in the centerpiece arrangement giving a nod to running pumpkin vines.
It was too early for real pumpkins when I put this table together so I used velvet pumpkins and other faux pumpkins. Had they been available, I would have used mini white pumpkins and small green gourds around the base of the flower arrangement. However, faux ones can work just as well and the good news is that you can complete a look even when fall pumpkins are not available.
Party Gifts
For guest gifts, I placed color-appropriate macaron cookies in a bag and tied it with a blue ribbon. It is my go-to gift when I want to send a treat home with guests. Who doesn’t like a sweet reminder of a gathering of friends! Many times, you can find frozen macarons at places like Costco, Sam’s Club, and Trader Joe’s. I always buy fresh macarons from a bakery or frozen ones because they have a very short shelf life. Click here for my Pumpkin Spice Macaron recipe.
Easy Flower Arrangements
One secret to getting a perfect flower arrangement is mixing fresh and faux flowers. The seed head above is so realistic that it fools me every time! One thing to keep in mind when mixing real and faux flowers is that it is best to use real greenery to make the arrangement look the most realistic. But by comparison, many faux flowers are hard to discern from real flowers.
Copper mugs are great for serving cold drinks because the copper makes them stay so cold. However, some copper mugs do not recommend using hot beverages in them. Always check the product information to see the recommendations for your mugs. These mugs are Elyx and can be found here. For a delicious Melon Mule recipe for copper mugs, click here.
I served a watermelon salad at this gathering. It’s a great transition salad between summer and fall when watermelons are still available. And yes, it does give you a chance to hang on to summer just a little longer! Click here for a perfect watermelon salad recipe.
To keep the table light and bright like early fall, use mostly light-colored flowers. This one has flowers in shades of pink and orange with a few faux flowers mixed in with the real ones.
