Favorite Fall Party - Girlfriends and Gratitude

Updated Fall 2023. This was originally written as something to do during Thanksgiving, but as I have been reminded by so many of my readers, it is great for any time of year.

This is a fall party that I threw several years ago, and especially with the colors and the menu, is perfect for fall entertaining. It was a luncheon to thank a group of girlfriends for being so kind and welcoming after I had moved to a new city. But, you could also use some of these ideas any time you want to honor or show appreciation to a group of friends. 

Want to shop the supplies and decor that I used and recommend. Just CLICK HERE.

 
 

The Inspiration

When I moved from New York to the South several years ago, I was so fortunate to meet new friends who were welcoming, gracious, and simply lovely. At the time, I had a gorgeous backyard that could seat 20 of us for lunch and was glorious in the fall. So, with my mind in a place of gratitude, I decided to thank these new (and old) friends. 

If you've read my post on planning any event, you will know that I ask several questions:
Why? Where? and Who? are the first three and the most basic. Here were my answers:

WHY - to say thank you and to give back to my friends.
WHERE - my backyard.
WHO - new and old girlfriends in Atlanta - limited to 24. 

Then, the two most important questions:

How did I want them to feel?

Appreciated. Happy that they had made a difference in my life.

What would I want them to say the next day?

I laughed, relaxed, drank wine, made new friends and felt wonderful about myself and the day. It was all so beautiful and I felt so fortunate to be there and to be appreciated. This helped me start my weekend off with joy.

New as of October 1, 2023! A step-by-step 40+ page planning guide for the Girlfriends & Gratitude Luncheon. Music, menus, invitation, etc.

 
fall-party-mood-board
 

Once the questions above were answered,
it was time to move on to the fun part!
 

 

The Style

  • French Countryside

  • Fall/Autumn

  • Elegant but relaxed

  • Tweeds

  • Plaids

  • Olives, brown, tangerine, burlap

  • Pumpkins, leaves, apples, etc.

Music - it was outdoors during the day, so music was tricky. I put together a playlist of mostly female singers - sexy yet light, and a bit of Michael Buble here and there.

Lighting - all natural! However, I did put candles on the table as I think a party needs candles no matter the time of day. 

Flowers - of course we had nature all around us. But, did you know that one of the definitions of "cotton" is "to understand" or "to stick together?" Since this was a party about friendship, I thought that was PERFECT. I used tall cotton sprays on the drinks table and put smaller cotton bolls on the take-away CDs (remember, this was a few years ago).

Tablesetting - I covered the rough table with a heavy olive green tablecloth (which was actually two discontinued curtain panels I had found years ago and never used). Then, I made a runner out of chocolate brown burlap and put that down the center of the table. To provide a contrast to the rustic, I used formal Christian Dior china and sterling silver (that wedding registration from 15 years go came in handy!!)

Placecards - this was one of my favorite parts. WE had quotes from the women that we tied to the little pumpkins at each placesetting.

Menu

We served family style and did a green salad and then had proteins on the side. We also had a savory tart and several bite-sized desserts.

fall-tablesetting.jpg
Hospitality shines the brightest when it is shared
— Kimberly Sundt
white-pumpkin-placecard.jpg

The Giveaway

I made a CD of my favorite "I am Woman" type songs - all about friendship, support and fabulousness. (this was back in the day when CDs were still a common thing.) You could do a playlist. Or, as I recently did at a women’s retreat where I used this same concept, a print out of all the quotes on a pretty paper stick, tied with an orange ribbon with a cotton boll.

And that was it - a beautiful day filled with gratitude and friendship - and a RIDICULOUS amount of wine.

If you have any questions about the details of this party, please just comment below. 

I JUST created a guide to this exact party with menus, recipes, the actual invitation, playlists, links to where to purchase everything, etc. If you’re interested, check it out below - it’s fun!

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Kimberly Sundt

When I’m not planning my own retreats, I work with lifestyle industries to create on-brand client experiences that lead to simplified marketing. I usually partner with interior design, boutique hotel, and small retail industries. I come in, fix your marketing problems, and then give you the tools to make it work!

But my seasonal personal retreats are my greatest business tool, helping me strengthen my soul and my salary - ha!

https://www.kimberlysundt.com
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