I’m so excited to share this gorgeous “Autumn Apple” theme from creative party genius Chris Nease with you today! Sweet touches of lace, clever picture frame “place mats”, caramel apples at each place setting (yes, please!), a wonderfully eclectic centerpiece, bright splashes of apple red in all the right places… I pretty much love it all!

This is fabulous party inspiration for everything from a gorgeous Thanksgiving dinner to a lovely engagement party or bridal shower.

Read on for LOTS more beautiful pics (as captured by Linkowitz Photography) and all the sweet party details, as told by Chris…

“I wanted to create an engagement party (or bridal shower) design and was inspired by crisp red apples that are perfectly in season this time of year. I love the play on words I could incorporate – “picking” apples = “picking” your mate. The overall look is outdoorsy and rustic to appeal to the men, but the addition of lace adds a feminine touch to soften the look and appeal to the ladies!

The table setting uses picture frames and fabric inserts to act as “place mats.” I simply removed the glass front and wrapped the fabric around the board backing. The closures that hold the backing on kept the fabric in place.

The centerpiece is a collection of bottles filled with wild flowers, acorns, and candles. A small “LOVE” banner was made with letter stickers applied to hang tags and layered with lace. Similar tags were made, with the addition of name cards, to tie up the utensils. To incorporate the apple theme, I made caramel apples for each setting, and displayed a small sign, “you’re the apple of my eye.”

The side table holds mini apple pies for dessert, apple cider, and of course, small jars of apple butter as take home favors. A handmade garland of twine, paper circles, and felt leaves hangs down the burlap backdrop as well as draping off the table with a swag of lace.

Tiny decorative flags were made for the pies using strips of fabric (matching the frame place mats) layered with lace.

The back drop helps to define the space, and the frame that holds it is an easy DIY project using PVC pipes, pots, and Quikrete: After hanging burlap from the frame, I attached a manzanita branch using threads of burlap and a knitting needle to help pull it through. Hanging a few faux apples completed the “apple tree” look I was going for. Another sign, “he ‘picked’ her…she ‘picked’ him” was framed and reinforced the engagement theme.

The look was completed with rustic accessories: pine cones under a glass cloche placed on a wood disk, a vintage crate holds bottles of beer and more wild flowers, and lots of apples in baskets for guests to “take their pick” and carry home with them.

A huge thanks to Linkowitz Photography for the gorgeous photography, and to Little Beane Boutique for working with my vision and creating all the adorable signs!”

For more fun party ideas from Chris, check out her blog: Celebrations at Home.