Oh, a theme you say? Sign me up. Give me a theme and I’ll give you a night of fun with everything on point down to the candle scents for a vibe. Last night I summoned some girlfriends (gouhl friends if you will) for a Halloween dinner party. After I assured each of them no costumes were required, they said yes and I began the planning.

When I’m decorating a holiday tablescape, I try to keep in mind these are pieces I may use less throughout the year. I’ll work to keep a few special unique touches leaning into the holiday theme at an affordable cost as I may not use it much in the future. Other items are more classic and will get used year-round. Normally for dinner parties, I will do food that is easy to prep so you’re not away from your guests for long. Most of my menu fell under this category. The main dish I chose last night was special to this group meal, so I wanted to make the homemade butternut squash tortellini. Fresh pasta is complicated for a dinner party, but oh so delicious. I worked to time the party so I could step away for short amounts of time to pull it off. This part was also with several very close girlfriends, which makes for a formal yet relaxed evening leaving less pressure on the hostess. (🙏)

Menu:

Appetizers

Caramel Apple Grapes & Antipasto Skewers

Salad

Shredded Brussel Sprout and Prosciutto Salad

Main Course

Homemade Butternut Squash Tortellini with butter, parmesan and sage

Dessert

Festive Halloween Dirt Cups