There's nothing I enjoy more than getting to set a Thanksgiving table for people I care about. So when your clients are friends and former co-workers, it makes an event that much more special! Thanksgiving is just around the corner so today we're sharing with you all the details of this lush, warm toned table and ways you can make floral decor more affordable, especially for large groups!

For this event we created a family style Thanksgiving tablescape for 70. The goal was to create a wow-factor environment for the Buckhead Church staff. They are the ones who are always creating great environments for others, so it was really fun to get to create a space just for them to enjoy and not have to do any of the work!

When I created the inspiration board for this event, all I could think about were warm, rich fall colors...burgundy, gold, muted greenery and creamy white pumpkins. 

Budget Saving Tips - Florals

SUBSTITUTE BLOOMS
For fall, I'm currently in love with burgundy mixed with muted greens. The colors are so warm and bold, they make the perfect palette to bring in both light colors and warm dark wood tones as well...add in some gold and it's a perfect combo, in my opinion! I'm obsessed with burgundy dahlias, however they are so popular right now that they would be way too expensive for the number of tables I had to cover. So my cost efficient alternative? Burgundy carnations. I don't typically use carnations in anything, however the dark, rich color in these blooms are my only exception. We blended them with olive branches, seeded eucalyptus, white spray roses, privett berries and red amaranthus.

BE SELECTIVE ON YOUR VASE SIZE
You can make a smaller amount of flowers go a long way just based on the neck size of your vase. Vases with a wider opening obviously need more flowers to look full, so opt for large vases with small necks, or lots of smaller vases/bottles. For this setup we used my gold bulb vases that are wide at the bottom to take up more space, but have a very small opening. Combining those with lots of amber glass bottles in varying sizes helped me stretch my floral coverage on the tables (not to mention stretch my floral budget).

MOVE IT ON UP
One of the quickest and easiest ways to make your florals look more grand is to give them height...and that's not limited to just your table! For this setup I created a 12ft greenery chandelier over the center of the mega table. Can I make a confession? I had a vision in my head for months of what I wanted it to look like, but actually pulling it together was a TOTAL experiment. We suspended chicken wire from the ceiling with fishing wire, added battery operated edison bulb string lights, then I went crazy with the greenery and a little pop of color. It took about 6 hours over the course of two days, but the result was a magnificent, organic greenery masterpiece that really brought the decor to the next level. I was so sad to take it down!

Budget Saving Tips - Decor

TABLE ALTERNATIVES
Without a doubt, my first table choice for this color palette would have been big, beautiful farm tables. All those deep rich wood colors just make me swoon! But let's be real, farm tables can rent anywhere from $150 to upwards of $350 EACH. Multiply that times the number of tables we needed for 70 people and you're talking a real budget blower. Another great thing about farm tables is that they are wider than your standard buffet table, so you have more real estate on your table for fuller centerpieces to go along with your chargers and place settings. 

Our budget saving hack? We utilized standard 6ft banquet tables instead. We put two together for a wider table landscape, (renting two banquet tables to put together is still WAY cheaper than the cost of just one farm table) and still brought in that touch of wood to our decor by using 12 inch wide stained wood planks down the length of each table. This also helped mask the ends of the tables in the middle so it felt more like one large, cohesive table at a fraction of the cost.

Budget Saving Tips - Lighting

LIGHT. IT. UP.
If you only take one event planning tip away from me, please let it be this...LIGHTING IS EVERYTHING. It can make or break your environment. It can dress up a space that is less than ideal. It can make you look like you spent way more money than you really did. Don't miss this!

We lit this party up with lots and lots of inexpensive votives (I love this brand HERE) and paired them with custom made birch string light centerpieces (see my tutorial on how we made these HERE). Even though this lunch was in the middle of the day and in a space that had lots of natural lighting, the glow of the candles, birch strings and even lights tucked up into the greenery chandelier helped add that glow and warmth that this table needed.

I hope these tips are helpful as you fill your Thanksgiving table with all the foods, family and friends that you love. Cheers to a season of being grateful and to celebrating your people well!

VENUE: Buckhead Church
EVENT & FLORAL DESIGN: Sweetwood Creative Co.
CATERING: Simply Catering