When we celebrated TJ’s birthday back in the beginning of October with just a few family members, I knew that I wanted it to intimate and special. I’ve always loved decorating for parties, so even though it was going to be a small gathering, that didn’t mean I couldn’t still add some special touches here and there. I started to peruse Pinterest and fell in love with all the beautiful floral garlands that abounded. They felt elegant, boho, and made a huge statement. So I contacted a local florist and asked what their thoughts were on the best way to proceed in putting one together. They suggested that they assemble a garland of magnolia + eucalyptus and that I place the flowers in about an hour before the gathering. I initially had some doubts in my ability to make this look like what I’d seen on Pinterest, but thought I’d give it a go…. 

I shared a hyper lapse video of the assembly over on instagram, and it was seriously one of the easiest things I have ever done, and I thought it would be a simple way to dress up a Thanksgiving table… a way to make it feel special and festive in 2020. 

A few tips I learned along the way:

You can save money by visiting your local Trader Joe’s and selecting the flowers you want as well… just make sure you arrive when their shipment does because I know those flowers get picked over quickly. 

If you use these water tubes, the arrangement will last for several days 

Having a few “filler” flowers makes a huge impact 

And in addition to the floral garland, I love adding tapered candles to the table as well (used these bronze candle holders)… adds a touch of elegance. I used these plates from Our Place, as well as these beige linen napkins… it lent itself for a natural boho setting.

But if real garland isn’t in the cards, I think a beautiful faux olive leaf garland would look just as beautiful with tapered candles!
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