If you’re bestowed with the responsibility of hosting Thanksgiving dinner, then let this post be your inspiration for your inevitably stylish table setting. If you missed my shopping guides on table settings to impress even your pickiest relative, be sure to check out volume I, volume II, and volume III because they have a lot of great product recommendations. Now let’s get into it.
Centerpiece
First thing’s first, you’re going to need a showstopper of a centerpiece. The easy default is to buy beautiful flowers! Naturally, I scored all of these blooms at Trader Joe’s. The lilac ‘spikey’ ones are Eryngiums, the yellow ‘disco balls’ are Craspedias, and the red ‘conebushes’ are Leucadendrons. (You’re kidding yourself if you think I knew these species off the top of my head – thank you, Google Lens.) If you can’t find these flowers near you, I also love baby’s breath and eucalyptus, which I had at last year’s Thanksgiving feast.
Next , you’ll obviously need a vessel to display your flowers in. Mine is from Target last year, but they have a similar Studio McGee ceramic vase in stock this year. They have a gorgeous brown Bristol vase that I fancy, too.
You’ll also want to ground your centerpiece with something such as this white marble serving board. I bought mine at HomeGoods, but I linked a similar option. Bonus that it’s a Lazy Susan, which would be perfect when serving food on Thanksgiving. Target has a similar option as well. If you have a long dining table, a table runner grounds your centerpiece in a similar manner. Crate&Barrel has some gorgeous table runners in their catalog.
Dinnerware & Flatware
Secondly, you’ll obviously need something to eat on and something to eat with, aka plates and silverware. My dinner and salad plates are a couple years old from Ikea, but Pottery Barn has a similar (higher quality) dinnerware set. My Table Settings to Impress Even Your Pickiest Relative posts have some beautiful plate sets to shop as well.
If you’re feeling extra fancy, break out the chargers or placemats that are stuffed to the back of your linen closet that you hardly use. I don’t currently own any plate chargers because, at the ripe age of twenty-four, I don’t host massive amounts of fancy dinner parties that require proper table etiquette 😉 If I did, I would by the gold-plated charger featured in this or this blog post. My table setting will be charger-free this Thanksgiving, so I hope my guests go easy on me 😉
My table napkins are from Target. I featured other great napkin options in Volumes I-III of my Table Settings to Impress Even Your Pickiest Relative posts.
You may notice in the photos that my silverware is tied together with ribbon (leftover ribbon from last year’s holiday season, in fact). It’s my favorite way to add a festive touch, and it’s an inexpensive alternative to overpriced napkin rings. So, be sure to save your holiday ribbons this year.
Glassware
What’s next? Wine glasses, of course! Or whiskey glasses, or coupe glasses, or highball glasses, or martini glasses, or basically whatever vessel you prefer to serve your alcoholic beverages in (or sparkling grape juice for this kids’ table) 😉 I have an old blog post highlighting my favorite glassware if you’re needing inspiration. I also have a blog post showcasing my glassware collection, and I spill the tea on where I score super cheap stemware and vases. The answer may surprise you.
Accessories
I used glass bud vases to display dried lavender. It adds a little extra interest to the table setting, and I love the way the lavender ties in with the Eryngiums.
Last but not least, you gotta set the mood with your favorite candles! It would look really pretty to have a plethora of tea light or taper candles spersed throughout your centerpiece, or you could use hurricane candles of varying heights as your centerpiece. The world is your oyster.
I hope my hypothetical tablescape gave you some ideas for your upcoming Thanksgiving feast. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
INTERIORS BY BECK 