6 Theme Ideas for a Fall Party + Hosting Wishlist

Fall is the perfect time to host a party. The weather is still beautiful, but without those hot and sticky days. The evenings are earlier and crisper, but still perfect for gatherings. And the colors, oh the colors. They are vibrant and bold, perfect for any celebratory situation. These theme ideas are the perfect way to get started with planning a fall party.

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When you think of fall, the first aesthetics and motifs that come to mind are warm colors and cool weather: cozy sweaters, falling leaves, colorful squash, and rustic woods. But you can get super specific if you’re hosting an event this fall, leaning into one or two of your favorite aspects of this time of year.

And, of course, Halloween falls right there in the middle, so you can’t forget about the slightly eerier side of the season either. With all these ideas, you’ll be begging for more autumn weekends for all the brunches, harvest festivals, and spooky soirees you’ll be scheduling over the next few months.

Forest Creatures

This is my autumn aesthetic right here. It’s all about the cute woodland creatures, like squirrels and chipmunks, who are busy stuffing their cheeks and hollows with food for the winter. Not to mention, you can also focus on their fantastic forest homes, with plenty of exposed wood, natural patterns, and hidden secrets.

• Nuts About Squirrels Serving Tray: How perfect would it be to serve some nuts from this squirrel-shaped dish? It even has two sections for even more variety.
• Woodland Fox Table Runner: I love the art style on this 90-inch runner, with those cute little fox faces! Plus, using this instead of a full tablecloth will let you expose some wood of your dining table for a more woodsy feel.
• Chipmunk Serving Tray: Show off your seasonal cheeses and apps around these cute little chippies. Or use it to serve sweet and nutty fig, pecan, & chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.
• Acorn Napkin Rings: Tie everything together with these adorable acorns! They’d pair perfectly with leaf-colored napkins in a reddish orange.

Pumpkin Patch

Now we’re going about as classic as you can get when it comes to fall. Pumpkins are the perfect crossover when you aren’t sure whether you want straight fall or a little bit of Halloween in there as well. Plus, they come in so many gorgeous shapes and colors (especially if you include their cousins, gourds) which makes decorating a breeze.

• • Pumpkin Wine Glass Charms: Show off all the fun colors of pumpkins and keep track of whose glass is whose with these pretty wine charms. They also make great favors.
  • Orange Pumpkin Mug Set: Sip your spiced warm pear cider in style from a pumpkin-shaped mug, which is also the obvious choice for a pumpkin spice latte, if not a little too on point.
  • Floral Pumpkin Placemats: Set the scene with these floral and pumpkin placemats. These come in different fabric materials, so you can choose just how fancy or casual your pumpkin party will be.
  • Pumpkin Serving Bowls Set: Fill these cute dishes with sugar cubes, sprinkles, or those little candy corn pumpkins. I love how they come with a perfectly sized tray.

Haunted Manor

Turn your house into the spooky setting of your favorite scary story, or make up something original. Either way, this style leans Victorian but with a distinct creepy flair. It goes back to the days of classic horror novels like Dracula, with gothic influences, dark colors, and a slight air of mystery.

• Vintage Mirror Tray: This ornate tray is just begging to be filled with tasty treats, like slices of a dark chocolate strawberry torte. I love the mirror style, which adds even more opportunities to make it creepy.
• Black Damask Table Runner: The damask pattern on this runner really evokes the over-the-top decor style of the Victorian era, and the black-on-black coloring makes it just a little spooky.
• Cast Iron Candelabra: It’s not a gothic Halloween without some kind of candelabra, and this cast iron version has the dark heaviness of a creaky old mansion, filled with plenty of intrigue.
• Stained Glass Bat: Use these bats to add a subtle eeriness to your manor, whether they are hanging from high windows or displayed as table decor.

Sugar Skulls

The other side from spooky, Dia de Muertos is all about connecting with and honoring relatives who have passed on, and it’s a true celebration that you can emulate. Sugar skulls are one of the most colorful motifs from this traditional Mexican holiday, and they are a great place to start if you’re looking for a fun way to capture the spirit that’s not so scary.

• Sugar Skull Cutting Board: Cover this board in tasty cutout cookies, like these bourbon and brown sugar ones, skull-shaped, of course. And put out plenty of colored icing to decorate your own!
• Sugar Skull Table Runner: This runner is reversible, with bold colorful skulls on one side and a more subtle teal print on the reverse, so you can get as deep into this motif as you’d like.
• Sugar Skull Wine Charms: Plenty of colors means that everyone can choose their favorite, which is a great way to remember which glass left on the mantel belongs to whom.
• Woodburned Sugar Skull Spoons: These gorgeous spoons make excellent favors, or simply use them for serving up some traditional treats at your party.

Elegant Farmhouse

Fall has this way of making you think of rustic decor, but just because it’s the harvest season doesn’t mean everything needs to be distressed and DIYed. Bring a little elegance into your events but still play into the natural woods, metals, and greenery of the farmhouse aesthetic. This is a great style to go with for a formal brunch, especially if you have any fall birthdays to celebrate.

• Pampas Grass Bouquet: All eyes will be on this pretty centerpiece, which brings nature and neutral together for that fully farmhouse feel.
• Cream Stoneware: Serve all your fresh harvest faves from these sturdy and simple plates. Try a caramelized onion and apple upside-down cake for something extra fun.
• Pillar Candle Holders: Pull out some colorful fall candles and light them up. These holders have that homespun shape and handmade feel, but still feel elegant when dressing up your table.
• Tan and Black Plaid Napkins: Nothing says farmhouse like plaid, and these napkins bring in plenty of fall colors. I really love the fringed edges, which give them that subtly rustic feel.

Back to College

It’s like back to school, but slightly more sophisticated (or maybe a little bit more of a party atmosphere, depending on how you enjoyed college). You can lean into the academia of it all, with literature and arts, but don’t forget to throw in a little of that youth, with drinking games and a carefree attitude. It’s a great excuse to watch a big game as well, and incorporate some school colors into your decor.

• Book Stone Coasters: Start the school year off right with these classy textbook coasters. They bring that academia feeling onto your tabletop or bar.
• Library Card Serving Tray: Replace those long nights studying in the library with this cute wooden tray, perfect for holding all kinds of midnight munchies.
• Custom College Cutting Board: If you’re rooting for a specific school, there’s no better way to show your spirit than a custom-logo cutting and serving board filled with local flavors.
• Chalkboard Solo Cup Holder: Put out a stack of Solo cups in this holder and a pitcher of hard apple cider sangria to really get that fall feeling going.

Are you ready for your fall festival? Or maybe six of them, actually? Let me know which of these ideas for an autumn party you’re going to try out first for your own events.