Each November I host a Friendsgiving Dinner with Ecco Domani Wine. Whether it’s just a few friends or a larger group of us, it’s always a very casual, cozy and quaint gathering where everyone feels at home – in my home.
This year my Friendsgiving included a group of women that I just adore. We all found each other almost by accident on this beautiful mountain and life is better every day with all of them in it. I am grateful for each and every one of them {and one who couldn’t make it} and was so excited to have them all over for a fun Friendsgiving dinner.
Setting the Table…
Though Friendsgiving gatherings are much more casual and informal than Thanksgiving, I still love to set the table and have a sit down dinner.
I really wanted a woodsy-chic vibe for my table this year, so as a base, I picked up a rustic plaid tablecloth that was purposely too small for my table because I wanted some of the wood to show along the edges. I topped the festive plaid with a burlap table runner which complemented the tablecloth with it’s rugged edges.
From formal to casual, Ecco Domani Wine bottles look beautiful on any tablescape. I chose to serve Ecco Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, and Merlot this year for a nice variety of options.
For the centerpiece, I began with grocery store flowers and rearranged them into three short glass vases. One of my favorite things is making grocery store flowers look like chic arrangements. Check out my post for flower arranging tips here
I placed my three vases down the burlap center equal distance apart and rested my antlers in between them all and so they’d peek out at the ends. I nestled baby pumpkins in white and orange, along with novelty squash in bright colors and funky shapes, and sprinkled raw pumpkin seeds carefully around the burlap to finish the look.
To me, it’s the extra little details that can really upgrade any theme and give a table a really chic and expensive look without actually having to spend a fortune.
To break up my white dishes, {which I just love because they work with almost any table setting}, I added a modern shaped black salad plate in between my dinner plate and my bowl. I also used the same configuration in my layered spring tablescape with wildflowers.
I love the way this fall table turned out and it was the perfect mix of woodsy-casual-chic for a Friendsgiving dinner. I can also use the plaid tablecloth for Christmas by simply pulling more of the reds and greens into my centerpiece and including a few metallics for a festive look.
Appetizers…
My favorite appetizers, especially when I’m serving wine, are cheese and crackers and grapes. The mix of salty and sweet is perfection, and it’s an easy appetizer to throw together. I grabbed brie, smoked gouda {my absolute FAVE!}, and fontina for a nice mix of cheese flavors and paired them with both green and red grapes.
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio and Ecco Prosecco are both perfect choices to serve with appetizers because the salty cheese and sweet fruit mix brings out the delicate floral and citrus aromas in the wine.
Cheers!
Kelly made a round of Apple Cider Mimosas, which were DELICIOUS!
Here’s what you need if you want to try them for yourself…
* Ecco Domani Prosecco
* Apple Cider
* Brown Sugar {to rim the glasses}
* Apples to garnish
I honestly don’t think we stopped chatting and laughing all night!
Dinner…
What I love about Friendsgiving is that I don’t have to do all the cooking! In fact, it was too early in the month to find an entire turkey, so I cooked turkey breasts and colorful baby potatoes, along with stuffing and gravy. Each of the girls brought their own favorite signature dish to add to the banquet and everything was delicious!
My mom was also there helping me cook to make sure everything was ready on time. She was also our photographer for the night, and I’m only sad I didn’t get any shots of her and I together because she looked so cute and was part of the fun as well!
I can’t express the gratitude I have for my mom always, but this year especially. She has been my right hand and so helpful these last six months, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her.
I have a large and open kitchen and instead of piling all the food on the table {and ruin the centerpiece}, it’s much easier and more functional to line everything up on the counter and have everyone grab a plate, fill up their dishes and sit wherever they like at the table.
Dessert…
Shayla spent a few days baking these magnificent desserts for us. Between the cake pops, peanut butter and chocolate acorns, miniature fall leaf cakes, and cookies sandwiched with cream cheese filling, we were on a major sugar high. They were not only beautiful, they were fantastic!
You can find her on Instagram at Shayla Bakez and on Facebook as well: Shayla’s Cakes and hire her to make something sweet for you!
We had such a blast… it was a wildly successful Friendsgiving gathering complete with fun and food and full bellies and plenty of laughs.
Well SOMEBODY was grumpy about not getting any table scraps, and his name is Trevor – the one who never fails to find his seat at the table.
Join me today on Ecco Domani’s Instagram where I’ll be sharing more tips and tricks to upgrade your Friendsgiving and holiday entertaining!
Meet the girls, from left: Kelly, Shannon, Me, Shayla, Lauren, Hailey, and Melissa {not shown}
* Find my outfit details and my complete look here
Happy Friendsgiving Lovecats!
* Find all my Ecco Domani Wine Style Society posts here
This event was created in collaboration with Ecco Domani Wine for Ecco Style Society.
