Is it all about the Centerpiece?

So what is the perfect formula for a great dinner, a great dinner party or a great holiday meal? Is it all about the centerpiece or does it have something to do with your guests, or hmmm even perhaps the meal?

Well here's my formula for a great dinner; first of all it take a lot of practice I would just say it's recently that I've been figuring out how to get it all done and not stress out about it, which is my second point don't stress out (easier said than done, of course) but if YOU do not enjoy the meal and the whole process then there's not point in doing it because you and your guests should enjoy the whole event.

Simply broken done here is my formula: Great Guests + (Great Centerpiece+Beautiful Table Setting) + Great Meal = Awesome Dinner/Holiday Meal.

I would also highly recommend planning out everything at LEAST three days before so you can get the necessary supplies and ingredients before the big day.

I will use our recent Thanksgiving Meal as my example of a Great Holiday Meal, I began with great guests. :) My parents - they traditionally come and visit for Thanksgiving and this year in particular is a really special time for us and I will go into more detail on WHY that is soon.

Then I came up with the centerpiece... I had been wondering what to do for awhile and I looked around what I already had and had been wanting to try for awhile and since we still had our small halloween pumpkin I decided to spruce it up and glitter it and it made a GREAT centerpiece. To glitter it took about 5 minutes and it will last for quite awhile. Then I let it dry over night and kept thinking of what else I do to it to make it awesome. I was orginally just going to put it on a cake plate but then I remembered I had this pottery barn woven charger (which I bought for only $4 a while ago) so I grabbed that and grabbed a bag of mixed nuts that we bought for the holiday and just dropped them around the pumpkin. :) I love it!!!

Then I worked on the table setting. On a trip to Target recently I picked up a new tablecloth a few inexpensive place mats and new napkins. Then for a simple ornament on top of the plate I just bought some pears, which I actually love because I believe that the pears really tied in all the colors and obviously they are inexpensive.

I also used some mason jars (that I had bought a while ago at the grocery store for canning, but I don't can) and put some kosher salt in the bottom and then a candle on top of that for added awesomeness. I think this is a simple table setting but very elegant at the same time which I love.

Next onto the meal. I will post my menu for Thanksgiving in my next post. I hope you all had a great holiday meal this year and that these simple ideas will help you with your next dinner party or holiday get together.