Micah Ryan Designs

Book-Themed Dinner Party Ideas for a Cozy Literary Night

In 2023 my small group of close friends (3 couples and our children) met a couple who would be living in our town temporarily as they were military and would depart after a 3 year stint. We instantly befriended them and they started joining our regular game nights and events. This was the year all of us in the group were turning the big 3-0 and so we each threw unique parties for each other based out our unique interests and personalities (check out ‘Death to My 20’s‘ and ‘13 Going on 30‘ to see those events). Our new friends were not turning 30, but we knew we only had a couple opportunities to celebrate them, and we were on a party-throwing role after all.

Ashlyn was the birthday girl. She hadn’t experienced any birthday parties growing up as her birthday was near Christmas, and she grew up in a very large family that couldn’t accommodate a big hullaballoo for all of their kids every year. Since this would be her first official birthday party, we wanted to make it extra special.

One of the core features of Ash’s personality is her love for books. She loves all genre’s, but she especially loves fantasy romance books. She is very classy and we decided to focus in on these qualities for her event.

It would be a small event, with just the bonus family group, the birthday girl and her husband, and her childhood best friend who was traveling in to celebrate. With this small group we decided to host at one of our homes, and focus the decorating efforts on the dining room area where we would serve one of her favorite pasta dishes.

Before moving into the dining room, I created an entry feature that would “announce” the theme before entering the dining room.

To create this I set a vintage compartment display shelf on a kid’s size table (any self-standing compartment display shelf will work) and filled random compartments with faux flowers and/or foliage. I placed additional foliage at the top cascading down the side and placed a framed hand-lettered glass piece leaning against the compartment shelf, off-center.

“Ingredients” for a ‘Book Themed’ Entry Display

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Moving past the entry is the dining room, or main party area. Since this was at someone’s home, we needed to work within the boundaries of the existing space, decor, and arrangement.

I cleared the kitchen table and substituted the existing chairs for the 8 emerald green dining chairs that normally sit in my own home. For the table top I used a beige linen tablecloth with tassels and centered a black cheesecloth table runner down the center.

Next for the centerpiece I placed a wood placemat in the center of the table and placed a pink glass vase on top of it. I filled the base with twinkle lights and faux foliage. I placed flower tops in the wooden netting of the placemat surrounding the vase.

Across the table runner I laid out 6 branches of a dark eucalyptus (3 branches on each side of the centerpiece). On either side of the centerpiece, I placed a stack of 2 books, then about a foot away, another 1 book. In between the books I placed medium sized green glass vases and filled them with twinkle lights and dried white flowers.

I scattered, flowers (light purple wildflowers and orange-ish pink roses), book pages, and decorative keys across the branches of eucalyptus. I placed (alternating) pink and gold tealight candle holders and candles across, and lastly, placed gold candlestick holders and candlesticks on each side of the centerpiece.

In order (bottom to top): Tablecloth, table runner, eucalyptus, large pieces (listed below), book pages, decorative keys, flowers.

Large pieces In order (left to right): 1 book, green glass bottle vase, stack of 2 books, gold candlestick holder/candlestick, centerpiece, gold candlestick holder/candlestick, stack of 2 books, green glass bottle vase, 1 book.

“Ingredients” for a ‘Book Themed’ Table

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At each chair I created a place setting with a gold glitter placemat, emerald dinner and dessert plates, gold cutlery, pink cheesecloth napkin, napkin ring, a faux flower, and a geometric glass.

“Ingredients” for a ‘Book Themed’ Table Setting

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In order to add to the magic of the setting I also strung twinkle lights around 2 strands of eucalyptus garland and hung them on the dining room chandelier.

Lastly we cleared out a shelf in the house that hangs on the wall behind the dining table (and normally holds a collection of salt and pepper shakers). On this shelf we displayed an assortment of books, foliage, vases, pampas grass, and tealight candle holders.

“Ingredients” for a ‘Book Themed’ Finishing Details

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The birthday girl was thrilled with the dinner party. It was sparkly, moody, classy, and full of all the whimsy and fantasy of her favorite novels. We read the pages of books on the tables aloud and got a good laugh. The remainder of the evening was spent opening gifts, playing games and chatting- and best of all- we left the kids at home!

I hope some of these photos inspire you and help you map out your own dinner party tablescape.

Happy Dining!

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