Setting the Scene
A few weeks back I organised an artisan lunch for a corporate client’s overseas visitors. As the lunch was meant to showcase the best of Cork’s produce, the majority of the budget was indeed spent on the food.
As much as I knew the food would im
press the diners, I also wanted to set the scene with a warm display of a summer’s day. Creating a beautiful table setting is easier than most people believe. Roses from the hedge, wild flowers from the fields surrounding my house, nicely arranged in glass jars. We all come across these jars – from pickles to jams – simply keep the nicest ones for your setting.
Herbs are another way of adding a centerpiece to your table. Wrapping the plastic pots in coloured tissue paper (here I used dark blue as I wanted the green of the herbs to stand out). I stick to the rule of uneven numbers – so create decoration with three or five displays.
Depending on the style of your dinner, using white linen tablecloths add a touch of elegance. I personally prefer proper napkins rather than the paper ones. Folding napkins can be a daunting and time-consuming task. As we needed to have the tables ready quite quickly, we opted for a square ‘cushion’ version. Very simple to arrange and it still looks very elegant.
One advice I am always giving is to polish your glasses (yes, even the water glasses) and cutlery – it is a minor task with a great impact.
Setting the scene for a summer’s lunch can be easy and inexpensive
Photos of the full event can be found here
