The best gatherings are about joy. For me, entertaining, interior design, gifting, and even fashion all spring from the same place: a love of creativity, beauty, and connection. I treat my home as a laboratory—not just for menus and paper goods, but for design itself. It’s where I test new layouts, color palettes, and interiors alongside party themes, playlists, and tablescapes. Preparation is my creative playground. But once the door opens, I want to be right there in the mix—clinking glasses, laughing, savoring the moment.
This manifesto is written for at-home entertaining: those spirited evenings where friends help themselves to wine, platters are passed family-style, and the host is as much a guest as anyone at the table. For larger gatherings—anything over a dozen—the philosophy remains the same, but the execution shifts. At that scale, joy requires a team: a bartender to stir the cocktails, servers to pass hors d’oeuvres, and the right support staff so the host can stay part of the celebration. Whether intimate or grand, the goal is unchanged: create a stage for connection, then step fully into it.
And I didn’t invent this outlook—I inherited it. My grandmother, a South Georgia native, was the queen of putting store-bought fried chicken on fine china and outsourcing half the menu to keep her kitchen (and herself) sane. Another memory was the 3 p.m. "tea party" she prepared every day for my grandfather, who was diabetic—and how even trail mix felt elegant in her bowls. That ritual taught me that presentation and care can turn the ordinary into a celebration. When it came to the kitchen, she always reserved her energy for the few things she wanted to experiment with—a new pasta recipe, her "pink salad"—something she could take pride in sharing. Everything she learned came from her own mother, who was once voted Georgia's Mother of the Year in the 1940s. Their wisdom helped shape me: style is sweeter when paired with practicality, and the true art of entertaining lies in striking the balance between effort and ease.
I also learned a lot from my mother, whose perfectionism gave me a different kind of education. I can still remember hours spent with her invitation shopping, carefully comparing papers and fonts, or watching her tie every ribbon with absolute precision. While I’m not wired exactly the same, those experiences gave me a keen design eye and taught me what it takes to make something truly perfect. My mother’s philosophy showed me the value of detail, while my grandmother’s reminded me not to lose sight of joy. Together, they shaped the way I host: with care and intention, but never at the expense of ease or fun.
When my grandmother passed away in 2019, I inherited her candelabras. At every at-home gathering, I find a way to include them in the room and light the candles—it feels like she’s still at the table with me, just as she was in her South Georgia dining room at every visit. And though my travels have since expanded my palate, my roots remain: champagne can be paired with fried chicken. That balance—of simple and special, humble and high-style—is at the heart of everything I do.
Here are the ten guiding principles I live (and host) by:
1. Prepare like an artist (and collaborate).
The creativity happens before the doorbell rings—dreaming up menus, testing layouts, trying new color palettes, designing paper goods, and curating playlists. I also love leaning on my network of talented friends, like tapping my music-loving pals for playlist suggestions. Their ideas often spark something new and help shape the mood of the night—making the preparation just as communal as the party itself.
2. Be a guest at your own party.
Once friends arrive, I want to sit down, laugh, clink glasses, and be in it. Hosting should feel like belonging, not waiting tables.
3. Joy, not perfection.
The best memories come from closeness and fun, not flawless soufflés. My grandmother taught me that store-bought fried chicken on china can be as chic as a five-course feast.
4. Style with spirit.
Paper goods, playlists, flowers, interiors, fashion—every detail is a chance to play. Design isn’t for show; it’s for joy.
5. Generosity is the heart of hospitality.
Generosity is about atmosphere, not extravagance. The "gift" is in the mood you create- laughter, music, lighting, closeness. It's about how welcome and cared for people feel.
6. Keep it self-serve (when you can).
Family-style platters, wine bottles on the table, alfresco dinners—letting guests help themselves makes everyone more at ease.
7. Make it your laboratory.
Your home, your table, your wardrobe—they’re all places to experiment, create, and try new ideas.
8. Outsource the cleanup.
The best gift you can give yourself as a host? Walking away from the dishes and lingering in the fun. In the summertime, when we're grilling out and eating poolside, I love finding fun, thematic paper plates to make cleanup effortless.
9. Relax, and they will too.
The energy of a party mirrors its host. If I’m at ease and laughing, everyone else is too.
10. Life’s short—make it a celebration.
I like to turn anything into a celebration. Daily life offers countless reasons to gather—sometimes it’s just with our immediate family, other times it’s inviting friends over for dinner. People eat with their eyes, and presentation matters; even with our preschool children, if we set the table beautifully, add color, or make dinner feel festive, they’re more willing to try new things. In our house, we even have a “celebration plate” the children take turns using—honoring little wins in academics, art, or friendship. It gives them the microphone to share at dinner and reminds all of us that confidence grows when joy is noticed. Involving children—whether helping set the table or clearing it—turns mealtimes into moments of collaboration and connection. Celebrating even a simple Wednesday night not only makes the everyday feel special, but also builds lifelong memories and traditions for our family. Every gathering is an excuse to bring people together. Mix the cocktails, light the candles, and let joy be the main course.
My Velvet Harvest Tablescape. I start at Halloween and make little tweaks for Thanksgiving and then Christmas. If you'd like a similar look in your home, you can view some of the design elements here.
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