Setting the Table
Throwing together a beautiful table-scape for a party is easy – once you own the right pieces. Here are a few items that are great to invest in once, and use for parties year-round. Whether you are having a brunch party outdoors or hosting Thanksgiving dinner inside, these basic pieces come in handy time and time again.
-Collapsible 6ft tables. I keep 2 of these tables from Home Depot tucked away, and pull them out when needed. They are great to combine and use for a seated meal, and also functional separately to set up a bar, party favor table or use as a buffet. Mine are the same height as my dining table, so I like to add them to increase my seating capacity from 8 to 20 for larger groups! The photo to the right shows 2 6ft tables put together in a square (versus a long rectangle) for a dinner for 10.
-Tablecloths. Kate Spade has a very elegant add well made tablecloth collection. These are great to add a pop of color and finesse to your table scape, but also handy to hide things (like my watering can and extra planter dirt) when people are over!
-Linen Napkins. If you have the space, keeping a set of these handy in a basic color that matches your tablecloth (either a while or soft blue) adds a nice touch of elegance to your table setting. Use them whenever you want, and throw them in the washing machine afterwards.
-Butcher Paper. This might by my favorite item to have on hand. It is so useful for large format dining experiences (like large charcuterie spreads and seafood boils) because you can cover your table with it, and directly place the food on top. It can be ordered from Web Restaurant Store, or Amazon. In the photo to the right, I’ve placed it on top of my tablecloths to fit with the seafood boil theme of the night.
-Candles. These make everything a little more magical! Whether you are going for a romantic tall candlestick look, or playful short votives, invest in a nice set of the holders, and just replace the candles as you burn through them.
-Flower Arrangements. Living in a city like New York, I can’t walk home from work without passing countless bodegas selling beautiful fresh flowers. When I have a party on the horizon, I like to window shop these along my way and pick on the ones that catch my eye as I go. Alternately, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have an incredible selection of very affordable florals that can be combined to make large arrangements. Click HERE to see how to put together DIY flower arrangements.
-Mason Jars. In addition to wine glasses and cocktail highballs, these can serve a dual purpose. Either they can act as a basic water glass, or can be dressed up for a creative cocktail vessel.
-Carafes. Like mason jars, these can serve many different purposes, depending on the type of event you are having. Fill them with orange juice or Bloody Marys for a brunch, with iced water for a nice meal or cocktails for a party. Place them directly on your table and let guests self serve their refills.
-Plates & Bowls. Whether you have plain white tableware or you have some with a pop of color, there is a lot of opportunity to bring them together to create a professional looking place setting. If you are serving more than one course, layer the appetizer plate or bowl on top of the serving plate. If you are doing a themed meal, tie in an element of the meal to the place setting. For example, the above photo is of a seafood boil dinner party, so I alternated the shuckers and pickers at every other place setting.
