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Thanksgiving is certainly about the tasty dinner like Grandma G’s famous stuffing or Aunt Eileen’s pumpkin pie, but your thanksgiving table is what makes the dinner memorable, and it starts with a beautiful floral centrepiece with candles, and intimate, perfect place settings. This is the recipe for making your table and your dinner a memorable one.

The Table – this is where the fun happens and should be designed as a place where everyone is going to enjoy themselves – think of capturing all their senses – smell, sight, touch, feeling. Setting the table is so important because this is where the giggles happen; toasts are made; secrets get shared, as well as, the most delicious food and wine is being enjoyed!

When decorating your table, you can go with the traditional pumpkin and turkey theme with brown and orange colours (which are rich and lovely), but I like to go with the unexpected like rich burgundy and jewel tones.

During Autumn it is such a beautiful colourful time, and it makes an exciting backdrop to set your thanksgiving table, so take inspiration from that. I like to utilize all my end of the season flowers from my garden, but if you don’t have a garden, you can still catch some deals at the market. I also like to incorporate herbs in my centrepiece or table-setting. In the table setting here I have included rosemary sprigs!

Here are a couple of table setting and decorating ideas to get your imagination going:

  • Table Setting – create a theme including what your centrepiece and table place settings will include and the colours you will showcase.
  • Centrepiece – Adding candles or little lights to your table setting will create that extra sparkle and warmth. You can go with tall candlesticks for drama or little votive holders scattered around the table. Make sure your flower centrepiece is not too tall so your guest can see one another. (the rule of thumb is no higher than 10 to 12 inches). Create a centre piece that incorporates nature such as leaves. I often scatter herbs throughout my flower arrangements.
  • Place Settings – Create beautiful place settings with creative name tags and napkins. – Make sure your table is set correctly.
  • Other Touches – Don’t forget to refresh the bathroom – little vase of flours, fragrant candle and fresh towels. Add flower arrangements and candles in other areas your guests will be such as the living or seating room and the kitchen!
  • Children’s Table – Create a kids table with activities and healthy snacks. Get them to colour and design their own placemats.

Tablescape

  • Table setting is like dressing you layer it! It can be simple and elegant with a lovely tablecloth or just placemats – but you can go all lavish with a tablecloth, then add a runner down the middle of the table and placemats at each setting.

Centrepiece Ideas

  • Make sure your flower centrepiece is not too tall so your guest can see one another. (the rule of thumb is no higher than 10 to 12 inches).
  • Create a centre piece that incorporates nature. I often use herbs within my flower arrangement.
  • Adding candles or little lights to your table setting will create that extra sparkle and warmth. You can go with tall candlesticks for drama or little votive holders scattered around the table.
  • You know your centrepiece can be as simple as a large bloom!

Place Settings Ideas

  • Create beautiful place settings with creative name tags and napkins. Add some herbs or nature here.
  • Make sure your table is set correctly.

Set your Table Correctly

Casual Table Setting

Here is an illustration of a very casual table setting and this is the basics that you can build on.

Formal Table Setting

  • In the centre of the place setting place your charger, then top with the dinner plate, then the salad plate.
  • Forks on left side of the dinner plate – far outer side salad fork then dinner fork
  • Knives and spoons on the right side of the dinner plate far outer side salad knife then dinner knife
  • Glasses placed above the knives with water glass first
  • White wine or champagne glass to the right of the water glass
  • Red wine glass to the right of the white wine glass
  • Butter knife and bread plate to the left of the table setting above forks
  • Small spoon and dessert fork placed above the place setting

Thanksgiving for Two

If you are having a romantic thanksgiving together…make it memorable! You deserve to feel special!

Added Touches Throughout your Home

Bathroom Flowers and Scented Candles

Flowers in the Living Room and Kitchen

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!