Elevate Your Gathering With A Proper Table Setting

DEBBY HUDSON

There’s nothing that elevates a meal like a well-arranged table. Sitting with loved ones in the glow of candles and the warmth of a freshly cooked, homemade dinner are some of the most special moments. Having a beautifully dressed table in the center of it all makes these moments all the more memorable.

Setting a table is a craft; it involves consideration and creativity. Elizabeth Slossberg, owner and founder of EKS Events in Aspen, offers a professional perspective on bringing your gatherings to the next level with a well-arranged table. Slossberg thinks outside of the box to make a table arrangement beautiful and personal to the event.

“It just creates the ambiance. It creates the vibe. It creates meaning,” says Slossberg.

Before even approaching a table to set it, Slossberg gets organized and works backward from there. She first considers the menu — what food will be served and how much room the food and drinks will take up on the table. Only once she has a good idea of the space she has to work with for decor does she move forward.

“So, I first evaluate what room we have for decor and for the layering,” Slossberg explains. “And then, I go about the process. Do we have a theme? Do we have a feel? Does the house have a theme or a feel? And that’s how I kind of back it in.”

Slossberg recommends making the table setting about the event and scene. For the fall, she often uses food elements for centerpieces such as fruits, vegetables, charcuterie boards and local Colorado honeycombs and jams. The table might be scattered with photos including the guests for personal events, such as wedding anniversaries or birthdays. If you want to take a more simplified decor route, Slossberg recommends using your dinner as the centerpiece. For a recent family event she planned, the table was lined with Lazy Susans so guests could admire the dishes and dig in family-style. If you want to get really into it, Slossberg suggests hanging floral elements and lighting overhead and having candles on the table to add dimension.

With each element incorporated, from lighting to centerpieces, Slossberg carefully considers the scene and setup. For example, she always reminds herself to avoid blocking conversation — don’t let flowers get in the way of seeing each other’s faces.

If you’re having a larger event and don’t have everything you need, you might look to a rental company. EKS Events uses companies such as Premier Party Rental in Carbondale for glassware, tables and bars and Eclectic Hive in Denver for furniture and specialty items.

If you’re daunted by the idea of using a rental company but still want to have a chic table for your guests, you might look to my mother Heather Cramer for inspiration. Growing up, I had the pleasure of witnessing my mom work her magic on a table just days away from any larger dinner party. She can’t paint or draw to save her life, but my mother sets one exquisite table.

She suggests investing in one thing each dinner party that you know you can use again. If the items are neutral, they can be used for any occasion. For example, if you buy neutral candle holders, you can use them with different colored candles to suit any desired ambiance (like burnt orange in the fall). If you have neutral napkins, you can change their message with the way you fold them or the string you tie them with. Cramer uses her resources to make her same few items look entirely different with each table setting.

“I really use the same things I have over and over again,” Cramer says. “You can use things that you have, like a martini glass. You can use a martini glass and put a candle in it, and then you can take ribbon and tie it around the stem of the martini glass and you have a martini glass, but it operates as a candle holder. So be creative with the items that you have and think about using them in a different way than what they’re intended in your place setting.”

Cramer is also a big advocate of placeholders for parties of 10 or more guests. They take away the awkward moment when people are trying to figure out where to sit, and you can mix up unlikely pairs to stimulate conversation. Placeholders also allow for another little touch to enhance your table. Cramer suggests using pinecones or little turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner. You might also include photographs which can double as take-aways.

Every gathering deserves a well-arranged table. Put your love and creativity to work, and show your guests you care with a beautifully set table.

Originally published in the Fall 2021 issue of Spoke+Blossom.