Stress-Less Holiday Entertaining: Set Up a Thanksgiving Buffet

For a meal that already requires days of prep, serving food buffet-style is a surefire way to lighten the load on the hostess. And on a holiday that's as food-centric as Thanksgiving, there's no better way to give guests the freedom to come back for a second (and third!) helping of their favorite dishes. I set up my buffet on a vintage wood sideboard. This is a great time to get creative and think about repurposing furniture from other parts of the house — an old dresser, desk or even a wood door propped up on sawhorses would make a perfect buffet.

Using levels on a buffet is a little trick I learned from my days in catering — it's a great way to bring visual height and functionality to your display. For this rustic-elegant table, I sourced vintage wooden cheese boxes from antique stores then stacked them underneath serving platters, flower arrangements and decorative elements for added visual interest.

Defining your color palette is the first step in creating a signature look for your celebration, and it doesn't have to be complicated. Find one decorative element or tabletop piece that you love, and let that set the tone for the rest of the decor. This year, I was drawn to the plum, gold and sage green in this set of heirloom china, so I let those colors inspire the flowers, place cards and favors for a simple yet pulled-together look.

A dramatic garland made of lush greenery is an inexpensive way to transform the look of your buffet. This one was created by connecting bay laurel branches with floral wire, then fastening it to the corners of the table for an organic, seasonal pop of color. Bay laurel can be ordered from any wholesale florist, but this is also a great time to take a walk around the neighborhood and see what beautiful branches you might have in your own backyard.