What Is a Good Fall Dinner Party Theme

Bring autumn joy to your life with these fall dinner party themes for adults.

Create a cozy, classy, romantic, or fun atmosphere with these autumn party ideas, and gather with family and friends to celebrate.

Celebrate the fabulous season and the friendships.

Any day can be a special occasion, and these fall party themes bring excitement to the everyday dinner.

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Autumn dinner party themes. Yellow striped table runner. Sunflowers on a white stand. Twigs and pumpkins on the runner.

1. Flannel – A Cozy Fall Dinner Party Theme

When I see anything flannel, I think about autumn. There is something about flannel that makes you feel all cozy.

Choose your favorite flannel pattern and get creative.

Flannel fall dinner table. Flannel table runner, round flannel place mats, white plates, wine glasses, autumn centerpiece.

For our party, I chose soft burnt orange and charcoal gray.

I thought about doing the white and black checkered thing that is so popular now, but it does not go with my main living area.

But if that is your thing, this setup would look great with that pattern too. Add some green and white pumpkins, and your dining room will be quite trendy.

  • Use flannel by the yard as the tablecloth to cover the whole table, or cut it into placemats or a table runner.
  • Wrap flannel strips around cylinder vases or mason jars to create centerpieces.
  • Create napkin rings with flannel strips.

Does the flannel tablescape intrigue you? See all the fun things you can do with a couple of yards of flannel: plaid flannel fall party table ideas.

2. Scarecrow

Scarecrow centerpiece. A scarecrow sitting in a wheelbarrow decorated with sunflowers, leaves, and ribbon.
Scarecrow Centerpiece from LagniappeWreathsbyLa, Etsy

This scarecrow casually sitting on a wheelbarrow is just what this scarecrow-themed autumn dinner party needs.

So, bring home a scarecrow centerpiece and place it on your dining table or mantle, for this cheerful scarecrow dressed in flannel shirt and overalls is ready to party.

To stay within the straw theme, use mini straw bales as place cards. These bestselling autumn decorations are fun and quite cute. Everyone would be happy to find their name tagged to one of these!

3. Pumpkin

Easy pumpkin fall tablescape. Red and white checkered table runner, leaf garland, white washed lantern, pumpkins.

What would fall be without pumpkins.

Decorate the table with pumpkins, or be super bold and use an orange tablecloth.

Cut out pumpkin-shaped placemats from fleece or flannel.

Make pumpkin napkin rings by tying a pumpkin ornament to twine or by hot-gluing pumpkins to a napkin ring.

Serve all kinds of pumpkin stuff: pumpkin candy, pumpkin bread, pumpkin latte, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin-shaped cookies, pumpkin casserole, pumpkin cake roll, pumpkin beef chili, pumpkin chicken soup…

4. Lanterns

Lanterns, string lights, and candles add to the beauty of the season.

Use lanterns as the focal point of your centerpiece. Weave an autumn garland around them.

Add whitewashed rattan napkin rings to complete the look.

Autumn eucalyptus garland with white pumpkins and flowers.
Autumn Eucalyptus Garland from Creations By Joy Belle, Etsy

I love this gorgeous eucalyptus garland with white pumpkins. Just imagine it with beautiful lanterns, sparkling silver candle holders on a pretty table runner like the one in the picture.

5. Maple

This could also be a leaf theme.

Tie a ribbon around the backs of the chairs, attach a couple of maple leaves to the ribbon for a fun fall look.

Paint maple leaves on coasters. Or get a set of these gorgeous wooden maple leaf coasters.

Create a table runner with large maple leaf cutouts or placemats.

These inexpensive, washable felt leaf placemats come in four different colors. They would work well for this table runner project. Of course, you could simply use them as placemats.

Make maple leaf wine charms and adorn the glasses with those. Or use the charms for creating napkin rings.

Serve waffles with maple syrup (I know this is a spring thing, but somehow it is considered a fall food). Maple candies, maple roasted chicken, maple pecan sticky buns, maple sausage, spicy-sweet maple snack mix, maple leaf-shaped cookies…

6. Pampas Grass – A Romantic Fall Dinner Party Theme

Pampas Grass Flower Bouquet from Hitomigift
Pampas Grass Flower Bouquet from Hitomigift, Etsy

Enhance the table with autumn bouquets containing soft pampas grass.

I think pampas grass looks quite classy and romantic. It partners well with linen and champagne colors.

You can get the pampas grass bouquet with or without the vase and in four different styles. It is very pretty in the vase, though.

Add shimmering candle holders, and you are ready to have a beautiful autumn dinner party.

Scatter gold and bronze leaf confetti for extra loveliness.

A linen tablecloth is perfect for this party, but I also like the idea of a waffle tablecloth. It adds nice texture to a fall dinner party table.

7. Barn Dance

Barn Dance Dinner Party Theme: three sunflowers on a white washed stand. Red and white checkered table runner. Acorns next to the stand.

Yee-Haw!

Even if you don’t clear space in the living room for square dancing, you can still host a country-themed dinner party.

Create a centerpiece with straw bales, bandannas, sunflowers, and pumpkins.

Cover the table with a checkered table cloth or use a burlap table runner.

Use bandannas as napkins or placemats.

Flowers in mason jars with burlap or twine wrapped around them are always a good choice for the centerpiece.

Play some good ol’ country music while eating your dinner under twinkling lights.

Serve pies (DIY pie bar!), fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cornbread, BBQ pulled pork. If you want to get cute with food names, you could serve, e.g., haystacks (rice crispy treats).

8. Apples

Apple themed fall party: A candle, apple, and leaves on an upside down crate on a table.

Set a bushel of apples on the table, and you have an easy centerpiece. Lay the bushel on its side for a fun effect.

Since the bushel is quite large, you might want to use a half bushel.

Scatter leaves around the table.

Caramel apples with name tags or names written on the stick direct the guests to the assigned place at the table.

And what would an autumn be without beautiful candles. My favorite candles are hand-poured natural soy candles made by my dear friend.

Check out the amazing fall scents:

  • Hey, Pumpkin
  • Apple Maple Bourbon
  • Autumn on the Farm

Serve caramel apples, apple pie, apple juice, apple cider, apple crumble, apple crisp, apple bundt cake, kale and apple soup, chickpea Waldorf salad, and pork and apple stew.

9. Bonfire – An Outdoor Fall Dinner Party Theme

Being outdoors increases your appetite, doesn’t it?

Gather around a fire pit and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere.

Serve s’mores, hot dogs, sausage, pudgy pies, veggies cooked in foil, campfire hash, and grilled peach sundaes.

Play glow-in-the-dark games and tell stories… scary or funny.

10. Sunflower

Sunflower Dinner Party Theme. A beige table runner, two sunflower arrangements, white-washed lantern

Sunflowers are great for the late summer and early fall parties. And if you use artificial ones, then this fall dinner party theme works anytime during the autumn.

Sunflowers in mason jars, sunflowers in baskets, sunflowers in a wheelbarrow…

A decorative wooden wheelbarrow provides a perfect place to display sunflowers on the dining table.

Serve sunbutter energy bites, salad with sunflower seeds, sunflower cookies (Oreos with yellow frosting petals), and cheese triangles arranged around black grapes.

Many of these dazzling sunflower baby shower decorations would work for a sunflower-themed autumn party.

Fall Dinner Party Theme Summary

  • Flannel
  • Scarecrow
  • Pumpkin
  • Lanterns
  • Maple
  • Pampas Grass
  • Country
  • Apples
  • Bonfire
  • Sunflower

I hope this fall dinner party theme list with fun ideas inspired you to host autumn dinner parties.

Autumn Entertaining

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