Eclectic Asian-inspired Birthday Party

Sarah emailed in looking for some inspiration for a Asian-inspired birthday party for her husband's 40th. I've kept this theme a little more abstract with modern, everyday elements for a really eclectic and gender-neutral event.


- Overlapping squares wall art from West Elm
- Modern table setting with black and white patterned, square dinnerware and red napkins atop a bamboo placemat. The centerpiece is made of smooth river rocks and red candles placed on bamboo placemats lined up to serve as a table runner. [elements from Crate & Barrel but found at HWTM]
- Vodka red squares make for an eclectic cocktail
- Red bowls with chopstick divots [via HWTM]
- Mod tea pot and tea cup set from Target
- Folded red invitation tied with a unique knot

A Valentine's Dinner Party

With Valentine's Day less than a week away, why not gather your friends and celebrate together? Whether they're single or in relationships, everyone can join in on the fun of this heart-themed dinner party.

- Handmade heart invitations from Etsy seller SandyPhotoArt
- A red leather heart journal can serve as a guest book as well as a place for writing thoughts on love
- Pink passion martinis are the perfect cocktail for the occasion
- Dessert couldn't be sweeter then with these cupcakes adorably adorned with white frosting and 2 hearts [via flickr user Dimpleicious]
- Stunning red and white table setting made up of red chairs, white base linens, a red runner, multiple small red floral arrangements, white dinnerware and red napkins.

January Birthday Dinner in Pewter

This month's Birthday Dinner post features the color pewter. Combined with touches of gold, pewter creates an old-world glamour feel to this party theme.

- Miscellaneous pewter and gold desserts put together on a tray provides color-coordinated options for your guests (via Matthew Mead)
- Use an array of vintage pewter trays for serving food. Consider utilizing them in your centerpiece too or try pewter vases for floral arrangements (via Matthew Mead)
- A golden favor box adorned with a piece of pewter rhinestone jewelry (via Matthew Mead)
- A vintage-inspired chiffon silk dress for the guest of honor
- Pewter and gold colored dinnerware add to a lovely table setting
- Pewter candelabra with gold candles creates an old-world glow at the center of your table

Elegant Appetizers

You can never have enough appetizer recipes, especially around the holidays with multitude of parties and get-togethers. Consider serving a few of these delicacies at your upcoming holiday gatherings.

- Tea Smoked Chicken

- Lemon Grass Salmon Canapes

- Shrimp with a Chile-Cilantro Rub

- Asparagus, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Galettes

- Spanish Tortilla

- Grown-up Ham and Cheese Finger Sandwiches

- Vegetarian Dumplings

- Miniature Sweet Puffs

Christmas Table Details

Adorn your Christmas tabletop with lovely place cards or place setting decorations. Here are several DIY ideas to inspire your holiday tablesettings.

- Paper plate angels
- Crepe-paper bells
- Vintage scroll with holly
- Christmas tree place cards
- Green bow napkin decoration
- Holly jolly place setting
- Candy cane place cards
- Paper tree place cards
- Tree-shaped napkin rings

A Glamorous New Year's Dinner

There's nothing quite like the elegant combination of black and white. It's sophisticated, timeless and, in the right setting, so very glam. So, what better combination than black and white for an extravagant and glamour-filled new year's eve dinner.

The images above all come from a 1940's inspired home collection by Ralph Lauren. (via Toast and Tables)

Christmas Lunch Menu

Today's post features a menu for Christmas lunch. Consider the delicious recipes below for your holiday gathering.

- Aromatic Spiced Ham
- Goat Cheese Mashed Potato Gratin
- Christmas Chutney
- Winter Salad with Toasted Mustard Seed Vinaigrette
- Poinsettia Cocktail
- Black Pepper Biscuits

A Classical New Year's Gathering

For this New Year's eve consider looking backwards instead of forwards (in your theme at least!) Gather some classic and golden elements to throw a glamorous old world fete for your closest friends and family.
- Gold brocade placemat and napkin from Crate and Barrel
- DIY round favor boxes filled with sparkly costume jewelry also serve as table numbers or place cards [via Matthew Mead]
- Decorative gold wall decor [via Matthew Mead]
- DIY varied old world gift or favor tags [via Matthew Mead]
- Golden mercury glass candleholders from West Elm
- Marie Antoinette ornamental gold border dinnerware by Raynaud

A Very Merry Christmas Party

Today's post is for a very merry Christmas party! Invite friends and family to celebrate the holidays with an evening of deep red and vibrant green Christmas spirit.

- Stunning centerpiece from Pottery Barn combining fruits, florals, candles, trees in shades of deep red, bright green and shiny silver
- Place setting consisting of birch dinnerware (ties in to the birch candles in the centerpiece) and an ecru place card adorned with deep red ribbon
- Holiday themed favors are fitting - consider this peppermint fondue wrapped in dark red
- Attractive and tasty, this cranberry punch is texture-rich and flavorful
- Bright green foil tray is a great solution for transporting appetizers, drinks or dinner dishes

Thanksgiving Tabletop Inspiration

With Thanksgiving just 2 days away I thought I would provide last-minute inspiration for those of you undecided on your tabletop decor.

- Golden cornucopia place setting
- Turkey napkin fold centerpiece
- Modern Thanksgiving elements from cb2 (via HWTM)
- Acorns and leaves tablescape
- Gilded turkey centerpiece
- Felt leaf trivets for your buffet table

Thanksgiving Cocktails

As you prepare for your Thanksgiving festivities and determine which dishes to serve, don't neglect your cocktail menu. Fall is a wonderful time for warm beverages and rich autumnal flavors. Here are a few cocktail suggestions for your Thanksgiving gathering:

- Hot Apple Cider with Rum
- Pumpkin Martini (via Hostess with the Mostess)
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Cranberry Bog Cocktail
- Mulled Red Wine Sangria
- Gobble-tini
- Vanilla Milk with Chocolate 'Ice' Cubes (via the French blog, Le Petrin; the recipe is in French but you can get the general idea and/or improvise slightly)
- Cran-Apple Cobbler

A Blue & Gold Thanksgiving Dinner

For Thanksgiving this year stray from the traditional Fall hues to consider a light blue and golden dinner theme.

- Clever light blue wishbone napkin rings
- Golden pumpkins adorn this tabletop decor made of blue linens, gold and blue dinnerware and a unique white charger [via Martha Stewart]
- Shimmering Calvin Klein dress is perfect for the hostess
- Pillar candles with a golden line design combine with Mercury glass balls
- Glazed crackle platter for elegant turkey presentation

Thanksgiving Menu

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just about 2 weeks away! Here is Food Network's more unique take on the traditional Thanksgiving menu:

- Turkey with Herbes de Provence and Citrus
- Tart Cranberry Dipping Sauce
- Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale
- Marinated Butternut Squash
- Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
- Panettone Stuffing

Thanksgiving Family Dinner

Hello and happy Wednesday! You may notice that today's post isn't part of the regular Wedding Wednesday series. I have decided that, though Wedding Wednesday has had a wonderful run, it's time for some fresh and new series, special features and theme ideas. Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks and months for Holiday gift guides, budget-based entertaining features, the next edition of Entertaining Reads (with a GIVEAWAY!) and much much more. I have loved showcasing wedding themes each week and will certainly continue to provide wedding-based inspiration. So keep coming back to Tastefully Entertaining because I promise some exciting months ahead!

Thanksgiving dinner parties are a time to showcase the rich hues of fall as well as the main symbol of the season - leaves.

- An embroidered leaf table runner and mahogany dinnerware unite on this Thanksgiving tabletop from Crate and Barrel
- Sweet-gum-tree spurs make for a unique and textured place card (via Martha Stewart)
- Tall candlesticks with golden-orange tapers and vine adornments to line the center of your table and cast a warm glow (via Martha Stewart)
- Leaf plates are perfect for serving bite-size appetizers or desserts (via Crate & Barrel)

Green & Black Damask Party

This lovely combination of bold hues and the class damask pattern is an elegant theme for many types of parties - bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, dinner parties, engagement parties, holiday gatherings, etc.

- Black and white damask 4-tier cake can be scaled down depending upon the occasion (image via Tres Chic)
- Gorgeous table decor from HWTM- green linens, a black and white damask runner, square black plates, damask menu cards, votives and small floral arrangements
- Green and black initial favor (also via HWTM)
- Black and white damask zipper pouch from Etsy seller louloubell
- Black chandelier from taylor creative inc

A Hanukkah Dinner Party

I know it may seem a little early for Hanukkah dinner party inspiration but if you're throwing an event in December you better get invitations out now. As in every month, there are only 4 weekends available so your guests' schedules are probably already filling up.

- Stylish menorah Hanukkah invitation from FineStationery.com
- Cutely packaged, this batch of Hanukkah cookies would make a great favor
- Modern menorahs are lovely as part of the dinner party decor
- Tabletop made of navy and silver place mats, navy napkins with star adornments, and shiny navy dinnerware
- Fun and stylish silver dreidel place card holders

Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!

It's been a while since I've put together a collection of dessert recipes so I thought I'd focus on cakes today! Cakes are often overlooked and seen as only a special occasion dessert but I disagree. Try out one of these delicious recipes for your everyday dinner or get-together.

- Angel Food Swirl Cake
- White Layer Cake with Lemon Curd Filling
- Coconut Cake
- Three-Layer Apple Cake (I think I'll try this over the weekend!)
- Genoise
- Silky Chocolate Cake

Halloween Menu Tricks and Treats

For those of you planning a Halloween dinner party here are a few ideas to add some trick to your menu of treats!

- Deviled Chicken Lollipops
- Vegetarian Tamales
- Vampire Blood Tomato Soup and Monster-shaped Muenster Sandwiches
- Ghostly Pumpkin Pudding
- Cinnamon-spiced Fritter Webs
- Caramel Pear Mice
- Chedder and Hard Cider Fondue
- Spiced Caramel Roulade

- Screaming Spice Cookies
- Hermit Cookies
- Ghoul Cupcakes
- Pecan-Caramel Spiders
- Pumpkin Caramels

October Birthday Dinner in Gray

It's time for another birthday dinner! As I'm sure you can tell from several of my posts lately, I'm very much in love with the color grey right now. So the color theme for October's birthday dinner feature is (you guessed it) grey! Paired with a crisp white, grey is sophisticated, classic and perfect for a nice evening with friends.

- Lovely table and wall decor featuring grey and pale white garlands, linens and centerpiece

- Modern 3-tier white cake with grayish-white ribbon banding and a large white flower adornment

- Grey and white floral arrangements in DIY vases [via Martha Stewart]

- Elegant grey dress for the host or guest of honor

- Invitation with white flourishes from FineStationery.com

Hope you enjoyed this installment in the monthly birthday dinner series. Looking for a dinner party of another color? Check out my other birthday dinner features by clicking here.

Berry Pink & Wooden Brown Party

Today's inspiration board details a berry pink and wooden brown event. My theme comes from the top left photo of a table setting with pink linens and pink chair cushions paired with wooden elements such as the floral bowls and wooden dinnerware. This would be lovely for a sophisticated fall dinner party or wedding.

- Ralph Lauren party or bridesmaid dress in berry pink
- Square wooden vases in varying heights [found via HWTM]
- White square-shaped invitation with rich berry pink border from FineStationery.com
- 3-tier cake wrapped in tan sugar ribbons and adorned with vibrant berry pink florals
- Wooden brown favor boxes