HHjr’s birthday is Valentine’s Day, so we are having a little celebration the night before. When I am doing a dinner party I love to be able to set the table in advance. This gives me plenty of time to tweak it and get it just right. Plus, that leaves the valuable time right before the party for cooking and other last minute details. Sometimes I leave it set and other times I just “deconstruct” it, keeping all the elements handy so I can recreate it in minutes. I am going to be out of town for the week before Valentine’s Day so I am preparing as much as I can before I leave.
The first thing I always do when creating a tablescape is focus on the centerpiece. I pulled out the red and silver sparkly fabric runners that I had used on the mantle during the holidays.
I twisted it and scrunched it and tied each end with a silver bow
I wanted it to be sort of puffy so I could tuck different things around in it
Then I placed a large hurricane, filled with red and white baubles, in the center with a fat silver candle
I brought this in from the other room where it had been part of the Valentine bar vignette.
Next I added more candlesticks with sparkling red and white candles.
I love to use sashes on the chair backs, it really adds a special party touch
I set the places with sheer silver place mats and used black chargers for a touch of masculinity. The dinner plate is a my wedding china, which I love. It is simple and elegant with a silver edge and border embossed with pineapples, the hospitality symbol. I topped the dinner plate with a pewter salad plate, another way to keep it a little more masculine for the guest of honor.
Since this is a Valentine’s Day dinner as well as a Birthday, I tucked a whimsical heart napkin under the dinner plate and added a mini vase of Valentine M&Ms to each place setting, topped with a shiny red heart.
The candlesticks vary in height, 2 low pewter, 2 medium glass, and 2 tall pewter, with the large hurricane in the center.
I tucked in my favorite faux silver packages that I recently used for the January Birthday Luncheon for my MIL.
A subtle nod to the Birthday Boy…
I never get tired of using my Mother’s silver goblets, a family heirloom.
I could hardly wait until it got dark so I could see how the table looked in candle light
You might notice that the M&Ms are missing in these evening photos…Super Boy {he’s 4} was snooping around, and I decided those little vases would be just TOO tempting!
You can see the candles reflected in the window and the lights in the hills beyond. It looks magical.
We are going to have such fun at our “adults only” romantic birthday dinner party!
I’m joining
the Tablescaper for SEASONAL SUNDAY
Between Naps on the Porch for METAMORPHIS MONDAY & TABLESCAPE THURSDAY
Stone Gable for ON THE MENU MONDAY and TUTORIALS, TIPS & TIDBITS THURSDAY
The Gunny Sack for WHAT’S IN THE GUNNY SACK?
Savvy Southern Style for WOW US WEDNESDAY
Cuisine Kathleen for LET’S DISH
Rattlebridge Farms for FOODIE FRIDAY
Alderberry Hill for MAKE THE SCENE MONDAY
The Dedicated House for MAKE IT PRETTY MONDAY
No Minimalist Here for OPEN HOUSE THURSDAY
The Busy Bee’s for THURSDAY BLOG HOP
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