I’ve had a few enquiries and Power Hours recently with couples focusing on smaller celebrations, looking for advice on how to still make it special – amongst this, easy ways to elevate your tablescape. With the party aspect somewhat embargoed for the time being, the main focus has been (quite rightly) on amazing food and drink – and having a jolly good time whilst enjoying them! Elegant dinner parties and creative tablescapes have become more on trend and much more desirable. Especially for those who would still like to share a day with parents and loved ones, while safely creating a lovely celebration at home for what would have been their wedding day.
I have a few blog posts up my sleeve on how to make small celebrations and online celebrations every bit as special and meaningful than larger scale parties, but I wanted to start today with some easy ways and recommendations to elevate your tablescape. Since lockdown entertaining is very much on the rise and wedding postponements are a harsh reality, hopefully this will help give you some inspo for both at home and your future wedding celebrations – whether they are big or small.
1 – Flowers can really add A LOT to a space. A lot of beauty, colour, aroma, ambience, elegance… the list goes on. Flowers can also cement and finish off the look you are trying to portray, be it a bold family feast or an intimate romantic dinner. 🌺
2 – A table cloth can elevate a look, especially if you are dining at home, at your otherwise ordinary dining/kitchen table. 🍽
3 – Create a table plan, or at least, have set place setting per person. This adds to guest comfort and will allow you to promote the flow of conversation (and relaxation) among guests if you strategise where everyone is sitting. 🔖
4 – Nice cutlery and coloured glassware can act as your décor if you have none. These can be easily and cheaply hired. 🍴🍹 (Check out Classic Crockery and Ya Hire.)
5 – In the same vein, coloured napkins can add a splash of colour to a simple set up. You can hire lovely coloured linen ones (same recs as above) or else Ikea also do a range of disposable ones in great colours and patterns you can fold more attractively. 🍽
6 – Pick a loose theme for your food and dining. And run with it. Creating an Italian feast? Decorate the length of your table with oranges and lemons. Creating something more Mediterranean? Sprinkle the table with snacking olives and displays of fresh herbs. If in any doubt, add lots of candles – at the least! 🍊🍋
7 – Print some menus. This will allow you to dictate the ‘order of events’ for your meal too, including any interludes for mingling, cocktails, or palate cleansers. This will also keep your guests informed thus making them feel more comfortable and looked after in general. 📋
And to Finish Off The Look…
8 – Have a suitable playlist ready. Or some entertainment, if it’s in your budget 🎵
9 – Ensure you have plenty of wine in! 🥂 Just like at a larger scale wedding celebration, it can really lift the mood to have a switch up in drinks throughout the day/evening, so try to recreate this at home too! Perhaps you could start with bubbles on arrival, wine for dinner, a dessert wine, then a palate cleanser (hello limoncello), then perhaps cocktail hour after dinner.
Same rules (in principle) apply to weddings, so bear all this in mind as and when you do get the chance to have a blowout party next year too!
For further tablescape inspo, take a look at my ever growing ‘Wedding Table Décor/Set Up’ Pinterest board here, or click on the image of my board below:
If you need a hand creating a bespoke and styled dinner setting, or your perfect at-home-evening to entertain guests, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – my prices start at £95/hour and can include your whole concept and styling.
P.S….
I also happen to know some amazing and delicious private chefs and intimate caterers, who are more affordable than you would think as well – my go-tos at the moment are Funthyme Food, who is also a neighbour of mine in Walthamstow, and Caiger & Co run by Alix Caiger, who is both amazing and inspirational. I have tried both Funthyme and Caiger & Co’s bespoke menus and also some of their at home delivery stuff in person, and I can confirm both are more than delicious! I was particularly wowed by both of their modern approaches to entertaining and fun wedding food.
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