Making Ben's costume for the Homecoming Dance was only half the excitement--the other half was preparing the formal dinner for eighteen. One of my favorite parts of having teenagers is hosting the dinners before the dances. I love the whole process of determining the decorations and table settings and lighting and even the food.
Then we wrapped each marble pumpkin in sparkly tulle to give them a little more impact on the plates and placed paper napkins between the dinner plates and the chargers.
--on clearance at Target for 70% off. I loved their dramatic masquerade feel, but I also loved that they weren't the traditional orange and black.
I mounted them each on a painted dowel and stuck them into moss-covered floral foam in these awesome urns.
The temperature that night was absolutely perfect for dining outside--about 75 degrees, no breeze, gorgeous.
Pear and spinach salad, pasta al forno, baked carrots, french bread, sparkling cider, and fried apples for dessert--wish I had even one picture of the food, but I ran out of the house to coach Hyrum's soccer game just as they were arriving for dinner. Luckily, three other moms came to help, and Lily and two of her friends served and bussed the table.
I wanted dinner to be elegant and formal but still feel like fall--
--but nothing too Halloween-y. I stretched a piece of burlap over my floor-length tablecloths to give the table a little more texture.
What set the tone for the whole scheme was finding these masks--
I added the branches for more of a spooky feel and to fill out the arrangements.
I love how tall the arrangements turned out, especially since we set the tables outside next to the pool.
My favorite part of the setting was the lighted branches. It brought a little magic to the night.
The kids lingered over dessert for a while, and that spoke volumes. I think they had a good time.
This may be my favorite dinner ever--and I've done quite a few.
That was lovely!
ReplyDeleteI still remember the dinner my mother put on for my graduation, and there have been many dinners since that time, but it was so special. Those young people will never forget this Homecoming.
You sure made their night extra special! Everything looks spectacular...you're like a pro! I felt bad when you said you had to leave to go to soccer. Oh how I would love to host a dinner party like that someday.....I would be so lucky.
ReplyDelete*sigh*
ReplyDeleteIt was magical.
=)
So so lovely Jen. I always read about being asked to Prom and all the dances in books with American authors. This is not a custom in Canada. The only opportunity to dress up is to one's grade 12 graduation. My girl's would love this. What a great mom to make it so special.
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GOR-JUS!!! No really, those masks are awesome, as are the lighted branches. You really outdid yourself there!!
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