Make Guests 'Fall' for Your Event With These Autumnal Offerings

Virtual Xperiences debuted a fall collection that’s perfect for building camaraderie among remote teams or bringing together families and friends in locations around the world. Available through Nov. 31, “Xperiences” range from mixing a Halloween cocktail, carving a pumpkin, baking a pumpkin pie, or making spooky cakesicles. And in a seasonal spin on a virtual cooking class, try your hand at making pumpkin and ricotta gnocchi from scratch. There’s no limit on the amount of people that can participate in the one-hour class, and each attendee will receive a kit with everything they’ll need to craft the fall dish alongside Food Network alum and celebrity chef Michele Ragussis.

The gnocchi-making class will run you $65 per person, with an additional flat rate of $1,000 that includes celebrity talent, a virtual production host, and complimentary international shipping. Inviting corporate clients to the event? Consider upgrading your experience kit to include branded items.

Because there’s nothing quite like carving a pumpkin to get you into the fall spirit, Big Head Cartoon Caricature Art & Entertainment is bringing groups of at least five together for a custom carving class. During the experience, an emcee will introduce a pro carver—who will be a finalist from Food Network’s Halloween Wars—and guests can choose to either carve alongside them (in what’s called an “educational carve”) or sit back and watch the professional put their mastery to work (in what’s called an “entertainment carve”). A popular request during team-building sessions? That the pro carver sculpt the pumpkin into their CEO!

For 20-50 participants, entertainment carves start at $15 per person, which increases to $40 each for an educational carve, where kits will be shipped to participants’ homes ahead of the event. And for groups of up to 100, pricing starts at $30 per person for an entertainment carve and $55 each for an education carve. The experience is available now through Nov. 1.

Marcia Selden Catering released a fall menu, and it features elevated twists on quintessential fall favorites. Take the tomahawk rack of veal with roasted wild mushrooms, for example, or the butternut squash carpaccio with burrata and hot honey, or the brown butter butternut squash and caramelized apple bisque (pictured). A popular item of the New York-based catering company's menu, the bisque can be garnished with maple creme fraiche, crushed pistachios, microgreens, or diced apples that have been seared and sautéed in brown butter. Pricing ranges from $14-$18 per hungry guest, depending on whether or not it's poured tableside and the planner’s garnishes of choice.

Direct-to-consumer “snack-topia” site Nuts.com launched GiftDrop, where customers can build their own snacking tray. And in true fall fashion, of 150-plus treats available to choose from there’s pumpkin spice-dipped chocolates, almonds (pictured), and malted milk balls, caramel apple popcorn, gummy pumpkins, spiced granola bark, and so much more. For health-conscious sackers, there’s also fresh nuts and dried fruits as well as gluten-free, raw, sugar-free, and vegan offerings.

Nuts.com’s GiftDrop is available in two sizes: classic, priced at $59.99, and premium, which goes for $69.99. It can be shipped to all 50 states.

Beginning Nov. 1, Nuts.com is offering a seasonal pecan pie. For the first three weeks of November it will be included with any purchase above $79. But to spice up any seated dining affair or break room spread, consider purchasing the pie by itself. A single eight-inch pie costs $19.99 (or $37.99 for a pack of two).

At Repurpose, sustainability is in no matter the season, so the female-founded business is ditching plastic tableware in favor of offerings that can be recycled. This fall, consider swapping to a compostable cocktail plate (pictured)—made from upcycled sugarcane and recycled wood chips—that Repurpose sells in packs of 125 for $29.99. (Yes, they’re microwave safe, and the packaging is recyclable too.)

To party green, also up for grabs are compostable wine, cocktail, and cold glasses, straws, cutlery, and six-in plates perfect for cake cutting. Use code BIZBASH30 to receive a discount on your order.

To accompany seasonal squashes, Marcia Selden Catering added an autumn offering to its list of libations: the Bourbon Blackberry Smash. It’s a bourbon-based beverage muddled with citrus, mint, and blackberries, which creates the drink’s deep purple hue.

The limited-edition, seasonal Pumpkin Patch shake has returned to Shake Shack’s menu alongside two new offerings—and planners, rejoice, because they’re available for catering while supplies last. On the menu: the classic Pumpkin Patch Shake made with pumpkin puree, vanilla frozen custard, cinnamon, and nutmeg; the new Apple Cider Donut Shake, which features apple-cider-donut-flavored custard topped with cinnamon donut crunch; and the new Choco Salted Toffee Shake that’s a blend of chocolate custard and salted toffee sauce. Patrons can indulge now through Oct. 31.

Because to-dos in the tech world want in on the fall festivities, virtual event platform Orbits debuted two 3D virtual venues. Both are completely modular with the ability to host up to 50 guests in a setting that—despite being virtual—is cozy and conversation-inducing. The Fall Fireside venue, for instance, boasts a communal table for gathering, plus a coffee cart, reading room, lounge, and wellness studio. Meanwhile, the Festive Fireside venue features a stage, workshop area, cafe, and whiskey lounge.

Pricing starts at $1,750 for use of one of the fireside venues. And although they’re designed for intimate affairs, planners can choose to upgrade either bespoke space to accommodate larger team retreats, annual summits, and more.

Just in time for autumn, Ashley HomeStore has introduced home decor items (think: sectional sofas, bedroom furniture, accent lounges, and more) themed “fall style for every room at Ashley.” Included is the Langford dining table (pictured)—perfect for setting the fall scene for any occasion. Whether it will be used in your home or on-site at an event venue, the table was designed with rustic sophistication in mind, hence its clean lines with picture-frame legs, weathered gray finish, and rough-sawn texture. To further lean into seasonal furnishings, the Ashley team told BizBash that they recommend pairing the Langford with beige-upholstered chairs. The table costs $1,149.99 by itself, $2,109.99 with a set of six chairs, or $2,429.99 with a set of eight chairs.

For at-home affairs, consider Ashley’s Castano sectional, which is also part of the company’s “fall style for every room at Ashley”-themed offerings. After dining on seasonal sweets, guests can mosey onto the sofa, which was designed for both longevity and looks, boasting a contemporary silhouette in a jewel-gray tone and supple softness thanks to a blend of polyester and linen upholstery. The Castano comes as a two-to-five-piece sectional with chaise, starting at $1,699.99 and increasing to $3,269.99, respectively. To accompany the seasonal seating arrangement, Ashley also offers a Castano ottoman for $499.99.

New York- and Los Angeles-based Taylor Creative Inc. is showing its seasonal side with velvet floor cushions in a color palette that can’t help but incite fall feelings. Available in papaya, burnt orange, and Tuscan colorways, the floor cushions can perfectly elevate a space. They’re able to rent nationwide for up to five days for $125 per cushion.

To round out an autumnal affair, consider also renting the rental company’s plateau brass coffee table (pictured) for $195 per piece.