Fall Fete: Basic Prep

Festive designs from Paperless Post.

We're anticipating Fall and the festive fetes that will be thrown once the crisp weather arrives. If you've been gone all summer and need to get back in the swing of things, have no fear. We're sharing our favorite ways to prep for Fall, starting with the basics. Step one, check out invitations from paperlesspost.com and send a save the date or invite. Fall fills up quickly for society swans, so set the date and time!

Engraved coasters and menu cards from bell'INVITO /  Top hostess, Gwyneth, of course, has great recipes to try with friends on GOOP. / The D Cookbook has top chefs from DFW with the ultimate recipes to impress guests. Pre-order here.

Get your menu planned: The D Cookbook features local chefs (including those on the hot list right now from FT33's Chef McCallister to mainstays like Stephen Pyles) which are sure to impressed a well-heeled crowd. If you want a little more foodie fun, or just want to host  friends a' la Gwyneth, check out Goop for healthy yet delicious options. 
Go the extra mile: Order engraved coasters and menu cards from bell'INVITO. Nothing pleases like personalized paper goods.

Image via Pinterest.

Places: Get reacquainted with tabletop placement and etiquette. Knowing the proper places sets a luxurious tone for dinner, as well as making guests feel important. A few easy tips: Four-lettered flatware goes on the left (fork) and five-lettered flatware on the right (knife, spoon). Drinks are always in the top right corner of the place setting, above the knife and spoon. For tried-and-true etiquette tips, look no further than The Emily Post Institute. 

Check back tomorrow for more prep tips to make your party unforgettable with tips on decor, tabletop, and more!

Tabletop Tuesday: Once Upon a Fairytale

Once Upon a Fairytale, designed by Tami Winn Events. Photography by Tracy Autem Photography. Published in Brides of  North Texas, Fall 2013.  Get the look with POSH - Fruitwood Grand Chiavaris are the chairs of choice for a generous Southern seat.

Tami Winn's Fort Worth roots make her the ideal planner for a rustic yet luxe tabletop. If you know Cowtown, you'll understand why a love of landscape and nature as well as art and beauty permeates Tami's designs. For Brides of North Texas, she took her tabletop concept to Howell Family Farms and let her work come to life in this Southern fairytale setting. We love the mix of natural elements - burlap and greenery - juxtaposed with elegant mixed metals and decadent place settings. All you need is the happily ever after...

Get the look with POSH - Gold Rimmed Glass Charger / mixed china collections of Gold Leaf, Gold Scroll, and Barcelona Gold / Royal Gold Stemware / Gold Lyons Flatware / Vintage Glass Compotes / Fruitwood Grand Chaivari

 
Read more about Tami Winn in our Tastemakers series. For a behind-the-scenes look at the photoshoot, click here. For more gorgeous shots from the talented Tracy Autem, visit her blog here.  

Vendors // Tami Winn Events – Floral & Design // Behind the Scenes Video by Candlelight Films // Paper Planet – Paper Products, Chair Signs & Menus // Howell Family Farms – Location // Rent My Dust – Vintage Pink Sofa // Quest Drape  // La Tavola // Beyond- Linens – Chandelier // Posh Couture Rentals

Transition: Falling into Place

See the ad in the latest issue of D MOMS.

We're beginning to transition our summer to fall tablescapes, but there are always a few pieces that linger - blue + white heirloom china being one of those things. For our D MOMS ad, we thought it would be nice to have the fashion-forward (and on of our favorite tastemakers) Joslyn Taylor pick her favorite transitional tabletop pieces for elegant and easy Southern entertaining. Needless to say, Jos didn't disappoint. We typically see blue + white china on spring and summer tablescapes, but it can make the jump to fall with a few thoughtful layers. Jos picked the Jan Barboglio Hammered Copper Charger to add a masculine, textured element for the foundation and added autumnal hued amber goblets to ensure this place setting set the tone for the season. Completing the look with Dynasty 24 Karat Flatware and Simply Platinum China brought in the perfect metallic touches while vintage glass compotes added just the right amount of whimsy for festive entertaining. We love her look for fall. How do you make the transition to fall tablescapes? Want more blue + white? See here.
 

On Our Radar: Jerry Hall to Haim

The days leading up to Fall always seem to get us inspired to, well, get inspired. The back to school bug must stay in us through adulthood. Here is what is on our radar this month; what's on yours?
1.  We spotted these new hand-sewn cotton classics in the September issue of Lucky, and they're already ordered for fall entertaining. Perfect for a Southern hostess. Lucky staffer, Alexis Morgan said, "I want to host a dinner party just so I can use these napkins." We concur. $12 each from Zojora.com. See her other Fall finds here. 
2. Y'all, Jerry Hall is revisiting Ann Bancroft's infamous role as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate. Have we said enough? Reason enough to travel to Australia. Fingers crossed she decides to try it stateside. Read about it and see a click of rehearsals here.
3. Our new favorite band is HAIM (rhymes with thyme), a trio of sisters with serious musical chops. They've already been compared to a young Fleetwood Mac - a serious compliment that isn't taken lightly (and worth it). We first found them when they covered Sheryl Crow's "Strong Enough" (go immediately and watch it here). Their album drops at the end of the month, and ours is on pre-order. Girl power, sisterhood, fist pumping - yes! 
4. If the rumors are true, the new iphone will come in champagne and gold. All about it!
5. Top of our reading list: The Lowlands by  Jhumpa Lahiri is on the number one spot. Read about it here.

If you're thinking about blue + white for fall

Flawless Valentino campaign. Images via Valentino / Blue and White China takes center stage on an otherwise minimal setting of Royal White Charger, Clear Glass Charger with Silver Rim, Silver Flatware, and Blue-Green Swirl Stem Glassware. Image via POSH.

Inspired by the Valentino Fall editorial campaign, our transitional tabletops from the last days of summer to the early days of fall have a heavy blue and white feel. Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli cited Flemish paintings and "Calvinist simplicity" as inspiration for their fairy-tale sartorial 2013 collection. What we take from the look (beyond just gorgeous blue and white): Let your prints do the talking when going for a more minimalist feel. One gorgeous china pattern with a stunning accent goblet may be all you need for a modern tabletop. This is perfect before layering on more pieces for fall, in both your wardrobe and tablescape. Flawless.

Want: Marchesa for Lenox

Marchesa for Lenox as seen in House Beautiful. Photo credit: Jessica Antola

Let's be honest here - we want ANYTHING Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig create. Whether it's the gorgeous ballgowns and wedding dresses from Marchesa or their new tableware collaboration Lenox, these girls know glamour. Jami and Laurel completely fell in love with the line when they saw it at market last month. As they told House Beautiful this month, " If you want to inject your party with glamour, dress up...and that goes for tabletop as well...add a touch of couture elegance to every setting." We couldn't agree more! We adhere to the same philosophy when picking our pieces as they did when creating this line, which is that personal style ranges runs from fashion to lifestyle. This looks like a line we'll be adding to our personal collections. 

Left: Chapman and Craig, the masterminds behind Marchesa / Right: 1 - Shapely flatware by Marchesa; 2 - Spring Lark Collection by Marchesa; 3 - Mint Julep by Marchesa; 4 - Onyx Stemware by POSH

We'd love to throw an elegant dinner party with their Lenox collection. By adding in a few pieces of Onyx Stemware, Black Pleated Sparkle Glass Charges, or Crystal Glass Chargers, we'd have the perfect couture place settings. Our Artesian Flatware and Mint Julep pieces would easily supplement for bigger parties as well. Cheers to entertaining in high style. 

Read more about the collaboration here. 

Tabletop Tuesday: Mint to Be

 

We love the mixture of seating styles.  All images by Perez Photography.

A glamorous affair with the Pantone Color of the Year seems a fitting way to end 2012. Inspired by emerald and gold accents with the popular mint hue, Alison Baker and Mary-Francis Hurt of DFW Events have created a head-turner of a tabletop. This look is surely "mint to be" throughout 2013 as well. Gorgeous job, ladies! See more, including a film by BEYOND, here. 

Get the look with POSH: Shown - Gold Lyons Flatware, Gold Floral Lace Champagne Flutes, Gold Chiavari Chairs. Add Emerald Chloe Goblets, Barcelona Gold Chargers and China, and mix in mint POSH Vintage pieces to complete this look.

 Vendor Love

Venue, ALDREDGE HOUSE / Video, Lighting, BEYOND / Photography, PEREZ PHOTOGRAPHY / table, lounge seating, FAUXCADES / design, concept, napkins, DFW EVENTS / florist, THE GARDEN GATE / cake, CEME DE LA CREME CAKE COMPANY / paper goods, SOUTHERN FRIED PAPER / flatware, champagne flutes, chiavari chairs, POSH COUTURE RENTALS / mint china, DEAN DRIVER