30 Jun How to dress up a table for an outdoor event
With the arrival of the good weather, events primarily take place outdoors, whether the hotel has a terrace or a garden. Choosing a good tablecloth is essential to give personality and style to any celebration, so every detail must be considered, especially when dressing up a table, to achieve overall harmony.
White or ecru tablecloths are one of the most successful choices, since they provide brightness at an outdoor event. In addition, they help highlight the other elements that dress the table. Linen adds extra elegance, which is always a sure winner at any event, and can be combined with dishes in different colours, more or less striking, depending on the character of the event.
Brightly coloured tablecloths have also become a trend and therefore, in this case, the tableware and the napkins should be chosen in neutral colours. In spite of being bold, this choice gives a degree of differentiation from other events.
Regarding the arrangement of table linens, we must differentiate between tablecloths and top cloths. Tables at an event are dressed with tablecloths which drop all the way to the floor, covering them completely or, otherwise, they are dressed with skirts which cover the entire perimeter and drop up to the floor, too. In both cases, it is necessary to put a top cloth, which covers the entire table surface and has a drop length between one quarter and one third of the total distance from the top edge to the floor.
Also very popular are table runners, plain or printed, which add an original touch, especially to long tables. They can be placed delimiting the space of each eater or in the middle of the table, playing with the selected designs.
Other elements
Standing tables are becoming more common at outdoor celebrations. In fact, the trend suggests that they must be dressed with adjustable elastic tablecloths or with tablecloths tied with a bow in line with the linens chosen for the main table.
On the other hand, another detail not to be overlooked are the chair covers, since they are necessary to complete the ambiance. Of particular importance here are the coloured ribbons or even the creative arrangement of the pieces. In this way, the back is wrapped, thereby achieving an elegant and original decorative effect. The ideal materials to give the chair ribbons that fancy final touch are tulle, organza and raffia.
The rest of the elements that make up a table, such as the centrepieces or the way the napkins are folded can be adapted to the event theme, since there is a wide range of possibilities to give it that unique chic touch. Nonetheless, flowers cannot be missing on the table at an outdoor event, whether they are set on the tablecloth or in baskets or vases.
Finally, the auxiliary material, such as the tray papers, the coasters, the table napkins or the aprons for the waiters, cannot be undervalued, since these are elements that are also integrated into the overall décor of the event. They should be consistent with the other items. For example, if the table linens have a special detail, this could also appear on these elements.
