A holiday meal with family or friends is always a special occasion. To make it memorable we all like to dress up the table to impress our guests and to create an ambiance that will be festive, pleasing and yet practical. Follow these simple steps for an elegant dinner table for your Easter Party.

Table Linen and Accessories

Tablecloth and Runner-The first step in setting the table is deciding on the table covering. Since it’s spring time, tablecloths in shades of yellow or green work well. Any pastel will look lovely. If you would rather show off your table top, you could choose to use a table runner. If purchasing a table runner, it might be wise to invest in a good quality white table runner that would work well for all kinds of occasions. Accent the table with beautiful colored serving wear.

Napkins and Placemats – Try choosing napkins in contrasting colors to the placemats. it brings a littel depth to the tablescape. There really aren’t any hard and fast rules for Easter linens. Just choose things that are lively and reflect the season of spring. Having coordinated linens and accessories will present a more subtle, formal table. You can choose things that are a little more expressive or more subduded. It just depends on the theme you wish to set for your table.

Napkin Rings

  • Tie baby carrots or radishes with a twine to the napkin for rings that your guests could nibble on.
  • Make bunny face napkin rings as craft projects with your children a few days ahead of Easter. Click here for details

Centerpieces:

Centerpieces can be simple or elaborate, fun and festive, or elegant and beautiful. Having a centerpiece that is too large and tall is the most common mistake. Make sure that people are able to see across the table to others sitting at the table without the centerpiece blocking their view.

  • Basket Theme – For the centerpiece you could use the Easter theme and have an Easter basket on display filled with candies. Another option is to display a toy train or any other wagon filled with Easter candy treats.
  • Egg Theme – Create an egg centerpiece with a batch of dyed and decorated eggs on a bed of garden lettuce surrounded with Easter grass. If you have had the time to plan ahead, eggs displayed in a basket of wheat grass also make for great centerpieces.
  • Spring Theme – For a spring themed centerpiece display fresh flowers or fruits in your favorite footed bowl or hurricane. Make sure to let the fruit spill over the edges and onto the table. Lemons and limes clubbed with candles make for interesting centerpieces. As do green and red apples , cherries and green grapes placed artistically.

Place Cards :

Easter Theme – For Easter theme place cards stencil the first alphabet of your guests name on each egg. Use these as place settings.

For an Eggs in a nest place card click here.

Spring Theme –Try out the following ideas for an innovative spring themed placecard.

  • Lavender, rosemary, thyme, and chives into small bouquets, and tie them together with twine. Write the name of the person on a piece of construction paper and attach it to the herb bouquet. Your guests would love to take these bouquets home as favors. For that special touch attach a recipe which use the herbs in the bouquet.

Final Accents

  • A simple, no-sew seat cover can give an instant face-lift to your room. Click here for more details.
  • Line the walls in your party location with an adorable Bunny Border. Cut the bunnies out and hang them individually on your walls and cabinets for a festive touch.
  • Don’t forget to place some bunny print floor decorations on your floor leading up to the buffet line – you are sure to catch a few giggles for it!

Be sure to check out PurpleTrail’s online invitations for your Easter gathering. They are elegant and easy to use. Happy Easter!