How should you use all those leftover summer tomatoes? A tomato dinner party, of course! Picture deep red roses, sparkling gold candle holders with tall red tapered candles, rustic green accents, and the star of the show… TOMATOES! Of all varieties, shapes, and sizes.
If the area you live in is anything like mine, summer has lasted far too long. As a fall lover, that doesn’t exactly excite me. But what does excite me is that my fresh summer garden tomato plants are still producing juicy, flavorful, and delicious tomatoes.
My sister’s birthday was the perfect occasion to throw a dinner party, but you could do it for any reason, even if it’s just to catch up with friends. So send the invite and be prepared for a perfect night centered around late summer’s best gift.
Step 1: Invitations
I personally didn’t make any invites because my dinner party was extremely last minute. But making up a quick invitation is a fast, cheap, and easy way to add a layer of extravagance to your celebration.
The most important components of a well-crafted invitation are:
- Title
- Date & time
- Theme
- Attire
As a girl who always wants to be dressed for the occasion, do your guests a favor and make sure to be clear about the expectations for attire so that nobody feels left out.
For years, Zazzle has been my go-to for all my invitation needs! If you don’t have the time or ability to create your own invitation, you can spend a couple of dollars on a digital invitation and customize it as you need!
Here are some of my favorites from artists on Zazzle that can be easily customized for your dinner party:
Step 2: Tomato-Centered Menu
The taste of the juicy, fresh, and flavorful tomatoes I had in Italy on my honeymoon were simply unbeatable. As an ode to that memorable experience, I found it only fitting to create an Italian-inspired menu for this celebration.
Here’s a list of some of the things you can add to your own menu:
Appetizers
- Bruschetta sandwiches (check out my recipe here)
- Classic Caprese Salad
- Roasted Eggplant Salad (this recipe from figandoliveplatter.com is similar to my family’s recipe and still super tasty!)
- Stuffed Mushrooms (this recipe from Natashaskitchen.com is a favorite!)
Entrees
- Chicken Parmesan
- Tomato Galette
- Roasted Tomato Pasta
Desserts
- Lemon Chantilly Cake
- Tomato-Basil Sorbet
- Panna Cotta with Strawberry Compote
Drinks
- Strawberry Basil Smash (see my recipe here)
- Bloody Mary
- Tomato & Mint Sparkling Cocktail (or Mocktail)
You can get more or less creative with the menu but always do what you can handle! Don’t make it stressful for yourself or try new recipes. Stick to what you know and can manage to ensure an enjoyable experience for yourself and your guests.
Step 3: Decorations
Obviously, the star of the show must be tomatoes. They will not only serve as beautiful centerpieces for your tablescape, but you’ll also be able to use them for meals in the following weeks… a win, win if you ask me!
My vision was to incorporate a vibrant red as the basis of the table decor paired with a rustic sage green and pops of gold and white to fill in everything in between.
In my experience, a tablecloth fills in the tablescape nicely and eliminates the need for excessive decor in the centerpieces. I like to have a well-selected set of tablecloths that can be used on rotation for every season and every event.
Striking Gold:
I found the tablecloth I used at this dinner for $20 at HomeGoods and thought it was versatile enough for fall and winter dinner parties! I paired it with a set of green cloth napkins that were $8 for a set of 4. For just $28, I now have supplies that I can reuse to elevate many dinner parties to come!
Decorating Guide:
- My simple method for curating the perfect centerpiece to start from the top and move down. I began with bright red tapered candles paired with gold candle holders.
- Moving down in height, I added a few stems to a bunch of bud vases, which enhances the visual appeal of the tablescape while requiring minimal floral skills. I opted for deep red roses to tie in the red theme, red carnations, and white filler florals (that I don’t know the name of).
- Gold tapered candle holders and clear glass bud vases are both staples for tablescapes that can be reused many times! I always recommend having them on hand. The bud vases are easily findable at thrift stores while the candle holders are more of a selective find but are definitely worth investing into if you can’t find them at a thrift store.
At this point, the tomatoes would fill in the rest of the empty space. I used tomatoes of all kinds: heirloom, beefsteak, globe, cherry, vine. Everything works! I also tried to incorporate different color varieties where I could.
It is always visually appealing to add height dimension, so try stacking some of the smaller tomatoes on top of the larger ones to add depth! Then, fill in with the smaller tomato varieties where needed.
If it’s your first time creating an elaborate tablescape, it may seem intimidating. But making it a little crazy and dysfunctional is actually what ends up looking the best! Try it a million different ways and have fun with it.
Finally, you can finish off your tablescape with your tableware. As a rule of thumb, you want your dinnerware and flatware to be placed on the table last so that they remain free of any dirt or dust that may come from the centerpiece items (especially from flowers).
Buying new dinnerware for every party would quickly become pricey and would make your house cluttered. For that reason, I would suggest purchasing a simple dinnerware set that you’ll be able to use for your own meals regularly but that would also be adjustable for any tablescape. I’m all about versatility and multiusefulness, if you couldn’t tell!
The white porcelain laid beautifully with this tablescape, finished with my regular set of silver flatware, crystal goblets (look out for these at thrift stores as well!), those green cloth napkins I mentioned earlier, and some simple placecards that I quickly made from cardstock and red paint.
Voila! You have a beautiful tablescape that looks extremely elevated and well curated but requires minimal skill.
Step 4: Extra (Music, Activities, Party Favors)
While the bulk of your event planning is complete, some details can go a long way to create an out-of-this-world experience for your guests.
A well-selected playlist always sets the ambiance. Feel free to get creative and put together something of your own that you know your guests will enjoy.
While not absolutely necessary, I find that having some sort of activity to do can be a nice way to take a break from sitting around the table. I find that it usually fits in nicely between the savory and sweet portions of the meal.
I decided to make clay crafts (though I was utterly terrible with my crafting, my sisters can attest to that), but some other ideas could be wine glass painting, candle making, floral arranging, etc.
Finally, if it’s within budget and you have the time, you can throw together a small party favor for your guests to take home.
In line with the theme, you could get small basil plants and pair it with a hand-written recipe card of your favorite recipe using basil, or get a small tomato-based food item, like a tomato-flavored salt or spice blend, tomato jam, etc.
Or you could repurpose your table decor by using them as party favors! Give your guests a small bag of tomatoes from the table along with a little bouquet of the flowers for an extremely practical and cost effective party favor.
My all-time favorite party favor, however, is writing a hand-written thank you card after the fact and mailing it directly to your guests’ home. Letter writing is sadly a lost art but definitely one worth reviving.
Step 5: Be Present!
Striving to make your event the best it can be for your guests is a worthwhile endeavor, but let this be your reminder to never let that go before the importance of being present with your guests.
Ultimately, all of the details are just that… details. The most important component should always be pure connection with your guests. So if you realize you forgot something or didn’t complete something to the best of your ability, let that thought fall out of your mind as you make yourself more present for quality time with your loved ones.
Now you have everything you need to throw your own tomato-inspired party bursting with color and flavor from the simplest ingredient. The simple things in life are truly worth celebrating and curating an entire dinner party around the most basic vegetable feels like the perfect embodiment of that.
Life will always be busy, so don’t put it off. Gather some tomatoes and creativity and invite your loved ones to celebrate all the little joys life has to offer!
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