11 Ideas for Your Fall Tablescape

Published on October 1, 2021

Fall is officially here, and that means you’re likely planning to host a dinner party or two with friends or family. Accessorizing your table with festive decor helps set the scene for your upcoming Friendsgiving,  Thanksgiving, and other fall gatherings.

We have compiled 11 ideas for adding a fall-inspired touch to your table this season. Many of these concepts can be applied to indoor dining settings or even outdoors, for a COVID-friendly affair. Are you ready? Let’s go!

Fall-Colored Blankets
1. Add Fall-Colored Blankets to Your Guests’ Chairs

Dining outdoors remains a COVID-friendly option for your fall dinner parties. Consider draping blankets in fall hues on each guest’s chair to help everyone stay cozy. If you buy brand-new blankets for the occasion, these can double as party favors for your company to take home.

Thanksgiving dinner with blankets and masks during COVID
Forget the Linens
2. Forget The Linens

Fall is the time to let your table decor shine, minus the tablecloth. Especially if it’s wood, letting your table show adds an earthy touch to your dining room. Run your table with natural elements like thick foliage, candles, gourds and dried corn to celebrate the array of colors for the fall season.

Thanksgiving wooden table
Create a Pumpkin Vase
3. Create a Pumpkin Vase

For this DIY, ditch your traditional flower vase and use a pumpkin instead. Depending on the size of your arrangement, carve a hole out of the top of a pumpkin and clean it out. After the pumpkin is cleaned out, fill it with the flowers of your choosing.

fall flower arrangement in a pumpkin vase
Light the Fire
4. Light the Fire

Looking to set the mood? Set up your tablescape with a fireplace as your backdrop. This is a great way to add beautiful, warm light to your room and will keep your guests toasty around the dinner table.

Vary Your Candles
5. Vary Your Candles

Add a rustic touch to your dinner setting by adding mismatched candle colors, sizes and holders to your table. Because of the variation created by the candles, it’s okay to keep the rest of your decor simple.

Fall tablescape with candles
The Season of Harvest
6. The Season of Harvest

Add a mix of colorful fruit and vegetables to a bowl or tiered tray to display a representation of the harvest that the Thanksgiving holiday celebrates. Head to your local farmer’s market or grocery store and grab in-season items like apples, pomegranates, figs and cranberries. And as a yummy bonus. . . this decor can be incorporated into your meals, as well.

fall seasonal harvest basket including apples, squash, pomegranates
Festive Flower Arrangement
7. Festive Flower Arrangements

A beautiful floral arrangement instantly elevates your space! Create a bouquet with white roses and rust-colored flowers. Add elements like leaves and dried wheat for texture and a festive take on your display.

festive fall flower arrangement with orange flowers
Golden Pumpkins
8. Golden Pumpkins

Grab your kids and head to a pumpkin patch to pick out squash and pumpkins in a variety of shapes and sizes. Once the pumpkins are cleaned, cover the pumpkins from stem to bottom in gold metallic paint. Gold pumpkins add a personalized element to your table and stay in season longer.

Gold pumpkin on table
Apple Placeholders
9. Create Apple Placecards

Using real apples as place cards is a seasonal, budget-friendly option for directing guests to their seats. All you need is a string and a small tag to add to the apple stem. Voila! You’re all set. Let your guests bring their apples home for a sweet, healthy treat after their meal.

festive apple placeholder for Christmas and the holidays
A Fall-Inspired Kids' Table
10. A Fall-Inspired Kids’ Table

Give the adults an intimate, private setting by creating a separate table for the kids. Add a paper tablecloth above the table cloth to allow the children to doodle during dinner. Try including kid-friendly decor like pinecones and pumpkins.

Switch Up Your Decor
11. Switch up Your Decor Late Fall

Near the end of fall, it may be time to switch up your decor to reflect the change in season as we head into winter. After Thanksgiving, pack up the pumpkins and switch up your table setting for neutral, light color accents, mini trees and other elements. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, this decor will be a great segue from pumpkin-filled celebrations and into a winter wonderland.

white pumpkin on top of blanket and string lights

Need help planning your fall celebrations? Set up a complimentary call here with one of EventAve’s expert party planners.

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