As anyone who knows me knows, I like to celebrate everything. Not all parties have to be big to be special. You can still have a great time with people you care about and make the get-together special, personal, and meaningful, even if you pull it together at the last minute.
After 30 years of working together, Martha Stewart is both a mentor and a friend to me. We had plans to meet at my place for lunch, and knowing that her 100th book was coming out, I decided to turn the lunch into a little celebration.
Here’s how I quickly put the celebration together—and how you can.
Shop for What’s in Season
The day before—or the morning of!—your gathering, head to the farmer’s market, supermarket, or deli, and pick up whatever fruit and flowers are in season. Pumpkins and dahlias were used for this fall luncheon. But that doesn’t mean you just grab whatever is in the front of the store. (There were definitely a lot of bright orange gourds that didn’t make it into our decor!) The key to making the event look special is to pick a color palette and stick to it. Instead of using orange and black decorations, the scene was set with a mix of pastel pumpkins and a single type of fall flower—dahlias—in pale pinks, peaches, and creams.
What I love about this palette is that it feels like fall but is not specific to Halloween or Thanksgiving. While it would look beautiful at a Thanksgiving dinner, it would also work for a baby, a bridal shower, or even a wedding. But it’s not the only way to go! Orange and fuchsia marigolds are in season if you like bright decor. Mums and calla lilies come in so many colors; just pick what speaks to you!
Decorate with What You Have on Hand
Instead of a complicated centerpiece, I always like to put a few flowers into small vases and scatter them along the middle of the table. The smaller pumpkins and snacks in my simple white bowls rounded out the tablescape.
A big bloom, like this dahlia, makes an impact, and placing them in low, small vases makes it easy for guests to see each other across the table.
The little bowls on the table are filled with treats for grazing. I always have nuts and candies in my pantry. That way, when I know the company is coming, I set them out in little bowls for people to snack on—it’s easier than a graze board, but the display still looks decorative. If you’re not someone who has snacks on hand (a habit I picked up raising three daughters!), pick up some treats while you’re on your pre-party flower run. Think nuts, dried or candied fruit, cookies (you can buy them or make them), candy, and other small treats.
Serve Something Simple But Special—and Feel Free to Pick Up Take Out!
Since Martha’s 100th book is a cookbook, deciding on the menu was easy—I served a soup and salad made from recipes in the book. You can’t go wrong making lunch for Martha if you’re using her recipes!
Cooking can be half the fun of having people over, but even if you like to cook, that doesn’t mean you have to make everything yourself. For Martha’s lunch, I picked up desserts from Carissa’s, a local bakery, which allowed me to serve a variety of things and looked beautiful. Plus, I love supporting local bakers. And remember, celebration doesn’t have to mean cake! An assortment of cookies, pastries, pies, and even donuts works if that’s what you and your friends enjoy eating! This way, there’s something for everyone to enjoy, and you can send your friends home with treats.
Add an Element of Surprise
I always like to have a favor waiting for people on their plate. Usually, it’s a version of my surefire Celebration Expert personalized chocolate bars with a wrapper featuring my artwork. When you line them up together, they double as decor.
In this case, the artwork on the wrapper was a portrait of Martha holding her book. But the surprise on the place setting could be anything! A fun photo of all of you all together, a recipe card with the recipe for the pie you’re serving—if it’s a New Year’s brunch, a scratch-off lottery ticket to see who will have good luck all year. Getting creative is part of the fun!
Get Your Favorite People Together
Of course, the main thing that makes a celebration special is being with people you care about and celebrating together. For Martha’s lunch, I invited a handful of friends and colleagues she’d been close to for decades. The small size of the guest list meant we could really catch up with each other. Sometimes, the best parties are the smallest!
