Simple Fall Entertaining

It’s Fall! Praise be. It’s Fall.

For me, the autumnal season always comes with nostalgia. Something about this time of year warms me to my core, regardless of the quickly cooling temps.

The layers.

The hot cider.

The soul-comforting soups and stews.

Aside from all these literal examples, Fall also ushers in a sense of gratitude, community, comfort, and joy for me. And dare I say it?! It also brings on a new level of rest.

Perhaps it’s the anticipation of the rapidly approaching impending doom that is Winter here in the Midwest (and subsequently, hibernation), but I feel called to slow down, pause, reprioritize…and relax.

While what I’m about to suggest mat not initially seem “relaxing” to some, stick with me, ok? As mentioned, with the changing season, gratitude and community are top of mind. Translation?

A KILLER PARTY.

You promised! Stick with me, ok?! Because the knowledge I’m about to drop will make you realize that hosting a gathering need not be stressful, over the top, complicated, or fussy. In fact, it can and SHOULD BE simple, fun, beautiful, and feel super special!

Oh, and wouldn’t it be nice to actually ENJOY your own party for once, not worrying about:

Perfectly timing the temperatures of each overly complicated dish
Prepping a bunch of cocktails with far too many ingredients
Lighting the candles
Finding the right playlist
Forgetting 2 ingredients at the grocery store (oh wait! they’re still in your trunk)
Splattering a sauce, dressing, drop of wine, or olive oil on your perfectly planned outfit

YEA. That’s what I thought.

Let’s avoid this madness and agree on one thing: entertaining does not need to be stressful. If I’m being honest (and I can do that with you, since we’re friends)…no one really cares your taper candles are white as opposed to cream. Or that you forgot to prep an elaborate dessert. Or that your Jock Jams ’99 playlist is still playing when they arrive.

Want to know what they WILL care about? Spending time with you! Quality, stress free relaxed time. with. you.

Let’s talk about how we get YOU, the host, in the right head space and with the right tools, the right plan, and the right attitude.

Cue Jock Jams ’99, please.

The Plan

Who’s coming? When are they coming? What are they bringing? Ground down in these details and be sure your guests are clear on your expectations. Are you always running behind? Give yourself an extra hour (really though!). Or alternatively, stress less. But more on that later.

Details to share out:

Date, time, and location
Parking details if necessary (nothing’s worse than having to text with a friend who can’t find a spot!)
What to bring – even if that’s nothing! Generally speaking, people want to contribute to a fun get together. Take them up on their offer! There’s no need to stress yourself out – especially if that one friend who makes killer guac is asking.
- Have a menu plan? Suggest something specific from guests who insist on not coming empty handed!
Set a timeline for yourself. I know, I know. What is this, Project Management 101?! Truly though, estimating how much time your prep will take – all the way down to getting yourself party-ready-will save you plenty of stress on the day of.

Bottom line: have a plan. Nothing creates stress more than feeling frazzled because you don’t know how to prioritize when you seemingly have 97 tasks to complete before your crew arrives!

The Menu

Food and beverages. It truly is the thing that brings us all together.

I know that’s uber cheesy and all – but face it: it’s true. Any holiday, momentous gathering, or celebration has a killer menu and delicious beverages elevating it to something that’s sticking out in your head as you read this (here’s looking at you, Christmas Eve Shrimp Scampi).

And when it comes to Fall, I go ALL IN with the seasonal flavors.

A few pointers as you’re developing your menu:

What time of day or night are you hosting? And for how long? Appetizers work well for an evening get together, while a big batch of chili with all the toppings may work nicely for an afternoon soirée.
What do your guests like to eat and drink? What do YOU like to eat and drink? Put some thought in to this. If you have a friend who is gluten free or lactose intolerant, they will appreciate you thinking of them by having some friendly options to enjoy.
Plan amounts accordingly! Big eaters? Overestimate your portions. Leftovers never hurt anyone, and having enough for everyone to fully unwind and enjoy themselves (and not feeling bad for going for seconds), will set the tone.

Here are some fantastic recipes I’ve used to host friends and family over the past couple weeks that I highly recommend:

The Drinks

Every season is wine season…but Fall does something to me. Suddenly, my G&Ts and Ginger Lemonade cravings quickly turn to something juicier, smooth, and rich…

Bring on the the red wine!

Well, really any wine please. Crisp whites, creamy rosés…I won’t discriminate. And nothing turns a get together in to a PARTY like a little wine tasting.

My friend Carin of Pairs Well With has created an amazing guide to Fall entertaining with wine! She specifically has suggestions for some of the recipes I shared above. Head on over to her post to read for yourself!

Let’s Go!

Your plan is set, your timing established, your list checked off, your menu finalized, and your grocery shopping done. THE TIME HAS COME.

So do me a favor, will you? Relax. That’s right. Just relax. The best part of simple fall entertaining is that realistically, when all is said and done…

Something will inevitably go wrong.

You’ll burn the baguette. You’ll forget you only have 4 wine glasses, and a party of 8 arriving in 10 minutes. You won’t remember that the rosemary in your refrigerator that’s supposed to be a key ingredient should have been thrown out a week ago. And you know what?

IT’S GOING TO BE OK. Because, after all, as I’ve already mentioned, your guests will remember the time they spent with stress free, relaxed, host(ess) with the most(est)…YOU.

So go ahead. Pour yourself a skosh as you’re prepping in the kitchen. Ask a friend to come early to help out (many hands make light work!). Ditch the extravagant recipe that’s causing you stress. Take a deep breath. And of course…put on that Jock Jams ’99 playlist.

I’ll be right over!

All the beautiful details of this shoot were contributed by some of my favorite ladies: