Last weekend, we packed our bags and headed to Blacksburg to watch Virginia Tech take on Notre Dame. While the game didn’t play out the way we’d hoped, our tailgate was a hit!

We collaborated with our friends to create an orange (and maroon) tailgate spread with Hokie Dip and mac n’ cheese in Jen’s and my matching flame orange Le Creuset baking ware (similar here, here, and here). A few mini pumpkins helped spread the orange throughout the tabletop and added a seasonal touch. The BEST BBQ (courtesy of Jen), sweet potato chips, cheeses, and a veggie tray rounded out our spread. Oh, and we couldn’t forget tangerine and cherry jelly beans. They were so fun in our glass turkey, which is coming in handy for so much more than cranberry relish!

Our orange and white gingham tablecloth and turf table runner from Swoozie’s (sold out) set the backdrop for our spread. I love layering tablecloths – solid under patterned, table runner over tablecloth. Aside from the fact that this turf table runner is adorable, I love the texture it brings to the rest of the table.

I love these custom cocktail napkins from one of my favorite Etsy shops. The phrase is off of a set of Nancy and Ronald Reagan’s cocktail napkins I fell in love with at a recent Christie’s auction. I had them made in disposable form for our home and surprised the hubby with a set for our tailgate, too. We LOVE hosting and always love to make our guests feel warm and so welcome, so these were perfect additions to our entertaining gear.

For dining ware, we used luncheon napkins, cutlery, and disposable dessert plates in the team’s colors picked up from various party stores, Target, etc. I’m not a fan of licensed products and try to limit what we use to a few cups here and there, a wooden cutting board, or a square or two of licensed fabric for lining a basket of cutlery. Using the team’s colors instead gives your tailgate more of an elevated look and it’s much more fun to mix and match with other items.

Also on the topic of tailgate dining ware, I love using dessert plates because they give guests just enough room to get their first round of bites while still being cognizant of portion control. I always feel so guilty when I fill a dinner plate and only end up eating half of it. It happens to me all the time! This also helps stretch out your tailgate food even more – although we had more than enough to go around!

My friend Rachel introduced me to B. the Collection, which is where I found this fabulous 3/4 elbow-patched dress. I also wore it to Gold Cup last year. Sadly, she’s stopped making clothes, but not before I could snag a few of her beautiful designs.

It rained for a quick minute, so we did what any good tailgater does – snag the paper products, cheese, and chips off the table, crowd under the hatchback (Hubby helped me with that term), and pop a bottle of champagne. Cheers to our friend Colin for bringing a fabulous bottle of Veuve Demi-sec – an instant favorite of all of ours!

Of course, we had to take Hubby’s new Yeti out for its first tailgate! We got the Tundra 45 and it’s the perfect size for tailgating for 2-6 people – and, it’s still relatively easy to lift (aka not impossible) for one person. Not sponsored, just really happy with how it turned out! You can check out their collegiate coolers here.

We found our bamboo football cutting board at Belk during one of our tailgate shopping trips this fall. Ours has a “VT” on it for Hubby’s team, but you can buy a similar one here and here.

We certainly set the bar high for our next tailgate in North Carolina. Have you tailgated this football season, either at home or on the road? I’d love to hear about your highlights in the comments section below!

Cheers, and happy weekend, all!

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