Sharing my Friendsgiving with Honey Baked Ham + five tips for creating the perfect Friendsgiving Tablescape!
This past weekend, I hosted Friendsgiving for the first time! It was also only my second or third Friendsgiving so to say I was excited is a pretty large understatement. I couldn’t wait to have some of my best girl friends over to celebrate the holiday, our friendships, and to indulge in lots of tasty food! Pretty sure this needs to be a tradition and I do not mind being the host. I’ll take any excuse to put a tablescape together!!
For the event, I teamed up with Honey Baked Ham as they celebrate 60 years! Honey Baked Ham has been a longtime tradition for our family so I was incredibly excited to make them part of a new tradition, Friendsgiving.
While I absolutely love putting a tablescape together, seriously I spent weeks planning and took so many trips to Home Goods, Target, and Trader Joe’s {for flowers}, I don’t love the food prep. I mean, you know I’m all about baking but outside of that, I tap out very quickly. So thankfully Honey Baked Ham had my back!! I placed my order early last week online to reserve my items and stopped in Saturday morning {the day of the event} to pick them up + a couple additional dishes. So easy!!
For the seven of us gals, I went with a quarter size boneless ham {the best y’all, the absolute best}, cornbread stuffing, orange walnut cranberries, rolls, and cranberry walnut chutney. I simply placed everything that needed to be warmed/cooked into the oven for the specified time, transferred to serving dishes, and served to my guests. It was incredibly easy and stress free!
Scroll down for tips on how to create the perfect Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving Tablescape.
Five Tips for Putting Together the Perfect Thanksgiving {or Friendsgiving} Tablescape
1. Choose a theme – the first and most important step of creating a beautiful tablescape is deciding on your theme. What style are you after? Rustic, glamorous, traditional, or eccentric? What colors do you want to include? As always, use Pinterest for inspiration. Simply search tablescapes or Thanksgiving tablescapes. Both will come up with endless options and inspiration.
Create an inspiration board and discover what style really speaks to you. Decide on a theme and color scheme.
2. Add layers – For the base use a tablecloth or runner. If you want to try something different, maybe reach for a blanket scarf or actual blanket {that’s what I used}. Then add chargers or placemats. Adding layers will give your tablescape more depth and provide a variety of textures.
Additionally, stacking bread plates on top of the dinner plates will add an additional layer and help pull the table together more. For an additional layer add a folded napkin on top of the bread plate or layer in between the plates {as seen above}.
3. Play with proportions – Give the table some variety by adding pieces at various heights. Think drinkware {wine glasses, water glasses}, candles, flowers, and a pitcher. Choose items that are not too far apart in height but also not too similar. Having items at a variety of heights will create a statement and help keep the table from looking too uniform {or too perfect}.
4. Add flowers {or greenery} – Flowers bring so much warmth to a table. Choose flowers that match your theme + color palette. You want the floral arrangements to compliment the rest of your tablescape. They should pull everything together and make a statement without completely stealing the show.
Greenery is also a great way to go come fall + winter season. Think willow eucalyptus, seeded eucalyptus, silver dollar eucalyptus, and italian ruscus. All are great options and will really fill a vase! You could also create a garland to flow the length of the table.
5. Display your food – You are hosting a meal after all, why not use your food as part of your decor! Especially on a holiday like Thanksgiving, when so much time has gone into preparing the meal. Use dinner rolls as decor on your place settings.
Display your main course! If you want to keep things simple and traditional, use a large serving plate. Or grab a cake stand. A cake stand is the perfect item to use to add height {playing with your proportions} and showcase your main dish.
Thank you to Honey Baked Ham for sponsoring this post! All thoughts and opinions are of course my own! Thank you for supporting brand that support Louella Reese.
Looks like a nice thanksgiving setup. The ham looks good.
http://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/
Thank you Courtney! Oh the ham is so sinfully delicious and addicting haha.
xo Laura Leigh
This came together gorgeously! I love how light and airy it is, while including some darker pops of color.
xx, Danielle | Pineapple & Prosecco
Aw thank you Danielle! I appreciate that gal. Yes, I wanted to stay true to my personal style but still make it appropriate for the season.
xo Laura Leigh
I love how you decorated your table! Looks like a great Friendsgiving!
Thank you so much Laura! It definitely was a great time. So much tasty food!
xo Laura Leigh
You are the best hostess ever! My family also does a ham on Thanksgiving…and we made one for our Friendsgiving last night too!
Pink Champagne Problems
You’re so sweet! You’ll have to come down for one of the celebrations sometime soon. Ham is SO good and something we don’t have often so I love it’s for special occasions.
xo Laura Leigh
It was such a fun Friendsgiving!! Your house was the perfect place to host .. it’s just so darn cute and homey!!
-Morgan
How 2 Wear It [] http://how2wearit.com
Yay! So glad you had a great time. Thank you so much for your sweet comments and for coming. Loved having you there!
xo Laura Leigh
Your table looks gorgeous! Love those chargers!
xo Jessica
http://www.whatsfordinneresq.com
Aw thank you Jessica! It was so much fun putting the whole thing together. Those are from Target, they aren’t available online but definitely in stores.
xo Laura Leigh
Yum! And such a gorgeous set-up! so fun š
Thank you gal! It was definitely all tasty. Basically full for days haha.
xo Laura Leigh
Sounds like the best kind of meal prep to me – easy and quick! I love that you did a ham, as well! I’m allergic to turkey, so Thanksgiving can be a bit of a challenge for me, but I’m a huge ham fan haha. Love your pretty tablescape and hope you had such a fun time hosting Friendsgiving!
Yes, exactly gal! Oh then I hope you have tried HoneyBaked Ham, it is seriously the best. Melt in your mouth! Thank you so much gal! It was a really great time.
xo Laura Leigh
Your set up is so pretty and I love your cream sweater!
xx,
Amanda || http://www.fortheloveofglitter.com
Thank you Amanda! It is so comfy and perfect for hiding food babies haha.
xo Laura Leigh
Your tablescape is gorgeous! And that honey baked ham looks amazing!
Belle | One Awesome Momma
Aw thank you Belle!! It was/is so amazing – we have lots left and another for actual Thanksgiving. Way too excited about it haha.
xo Laura Leigh
Looks absolutely fabulous lady! Everything is just beautiful. we have a heavenly ham coming our way Thursday and I simply can’t wait. they are beyond delicious.
Yay! So glad you think so. Thank you so much! Oh yum, enjoy! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
xo Laura Leigh
This is Gorgeous! Ill be at your house thursday!
Thanks so much Lauryn! Haha, see you then!
xo Laura Leigh
Aww this is a beautiful table for thanksgiving! Have a wonderful turkey week:)
xoxo, Hannah
Thank you gal! So glad you like it. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!
xo Laura Leigh
This is such a great tablescape girly!!! so perfect for friendsgiving!
Thank you Margret! I really appreciate that gal!! Happy Thanksgiving!
xo Laura Leigh
nothing better than honeybaked ham for the holidays… our saving grace!
Oh I could not agree more!
xo Laura Leigh