Spring is here and with warmer months ahead we know we’ll be in full entertaining mode soon! We’ve all spent a lot of time at home over the past year and the thought of hosting a get together of any size feels a little overwhelming. So we (once again) partnered with our dear friends Angela Margolis and Erin Sprinkel, from Sterling Social, to help us create a stunning springtime tablescape that you can easily recreate at home.
Angela and Erin are here to help to break down the look and give you a step-by-step guide on how to host a beautiful (and stress free!) springtime gathering.
Credit: Molly Rose
CC: First things first… can you tell us a bit about how you get started when you know you’ll be hosting? It can feel like a daunting task to host a gathering, so where is the best place to start?
SS: First, Create a guest list. Who are you planning to invite? Whether you’re hosting couples or “just the girls”, once you finalize the guest list it will help determine the overall style of the setting you want to create.
Next, Determine the ideal setting. Your guest list will help dictate the style of event you want to create. A formal sit-down dinner may be best suited for your dining room, whereas a casual lunch may be nice outdoors. If it’s guests you entertain regularly, switch up the location of your home that you plan to host them in order to create an element of surprise!
Then, Establish the event style. This is the fun part! Entertaining at home gives you so much flexibility when it comes to creating a unique environment. With the warmer months in full swing, eating outdoors is most common – especially by the coast! For this event, we chose to create a sit-down brunch to give us more time to connect with friends. Setting the table with beautiful florals and tabletop pieces sets the tone for the afternoon and creates a setting that guests will want to stay and enjoy for an extended period of time.
All of the above details will help you determine the number and types of pieces you’ll need to properly host everyone. With a smaller guest list, it is likely that you’ll have enough tabletop pieces (chargers, dinnerware, glassware, flatware, napkins, etc.), however don’t be discouraged if you’re running short! We love mixing complementary styles of pieces to create a more unique setting.
CC: Once you have the basics down (who, what, and where), how do you get inspiration for the space and décor?
SS: The beauty of the internet and social media is that there is always new sources for inspirational imagery. For our event settings, we pull a lot of inspiration from fashion, travel, and interiors, which is why we love collaborating with Cailini Coastal so much! Our approach, even with larger scale events, is to have a residential feel that we hope to translate for guests. For example, to create an overall feeling for the setting we will pull inspiration from beautiful hotel lobbies or outdoor lounges from around the world. For color palette inspiration we’ll often pull imagery from fashion, as it opens up a wide variety of hues and textures that can be incorporated. Our advice is to follow brands and designers you love – including event designers – as new content is always being posted, so you can recreate a look of your own!
Credit: Molly Rose
CC: It’s unrealistic to think you’ll buy new entertaining pieces every time you host, so how do you build up a variety of pieces for entertaining that will last you for years and serve multiple purposes?
SS: Invest in key pieces that won’t go out of style and don’t feel like everything has to match perfectly. Your event will be most memorable if it’s a reflection of your personal taste and has signature touches carried throughout. This will allow you to build a curated collection of pieces overtime vs. needing to buy a full set of china, glassware or napkins at once – especially if they are “fun” accent pieces that you only plan to use every so often. Also, just like clothing, tabletop pieces can be dressed up or down! Our favorite Island Wrapped Tumblers can be paired with a crystal champagne coupe to create more formal tablescape, various Charcuterie Board styles can be used to serve appetizers or a family-style meal, and different patterned napkins can add a personalized pattern or color pop to each place setting with a more neutral foundation palette.
As a treat to yourself, plan on adding one new item to add to your collection whenever you host. For this event, the
Chinoiserie Champagne bucket was the perfect addition to show off our favorite new bottle of rose!
Credit: Molly Rose
CC: When it comes to adding special touches to the table, where do you like to prioritize spending your budget?
SS: Flowers and candlelight complete every table! Whether they are handpicked or ordered from your favorite floral designer – they add an element of color and texture. Plus, the style and color palette of the flowers can completely change the look of the tabletop pieces you routinely use. A new tablecloth and set of
napkins are always good investment pieces. We also think
napkin rings are fun to collect.
CC: On the topic of flowers, we love the arrangement you did for our spring tablescape! What should someone ask a florist for to get an arrangement of this style? Can you achieve a similar look on your own without a florist?
SS: If you are having a florist handle your flowers mention how you would like the arrangements to feel as if they are blooming from the table. Ask for the flowers to be in varying heights and a little bit more on the loose, wild side rather than a structured and tight arrangement. This helps the arrangements have more movement and dimension. Mention if you would like to see more blooms or natural greenery. You could definitely mimic this look on your own! You can head to your local flower shop or grocery store and get a handful of different bright and springy bunches. Use a couple different sized
vessels and have fun with it!
Credit: Molly Rose
CC: You added some fun finishing touches to the table that helped create a layered look. Can you talk us through some of those elements and how you chose them?
SS: Décor doesn’t just need to be flowers! In this case we added some fresh fruit to add more color to the table. Just before guests arrive, we suggest placing some whole and some cut open on the table. For Spring, our favorite fruit to use for styling are blood oranges, lemons, cumquats and clementine’s on the vine. They are meant to be subtle accents that can be placed next to floral
vessels or as a napkin detail. Another simple add is taper candles. Even for a daytime event, taper candles can add a touch of formality and even a pop of color! A personalized place setting is the ultimate gesture for guests. They will instantly feel special! There are so many ways to get create with this, but some of our favorites are customized menus using unique materials and/or embroidered napkins. While a place card with hand calligraphy is always classic, there are lots of fun ways to switch it up and even create a take-home keepsake for your guests.
Credit: Molly Rose
CC: As event planners you’ve produced events of all shapes and sizes. What are your most important tips for being a great host?
SS: Prepare your guests for the type of event you are having. The biggest questions that always come up have to do with “what should I wear?” and “will there be food served?” so any insight you can give with an invitation will be helpful. If you share that you will be “dining alfresco” it’s suggests that it may get chilly, or that you’ll be in a backyard on grass. If the timing of your event suggests non-traditional mealtimes, let your guests know if “cocktails and lite bites” will be served. Sharing some of these details in advance saves you from fielding too many questions. Be thoughtful with your offerings and have a variety of food or beverage types – within reason, obviously! This is not to add the pressure of custom tailoring every food item for guests – but as there are so many dietary restrictions these days, it’s nice to create a menu that can be slightly adjusted as needed (i.e. remove cheese, gluten, etc.) Also, if guests don’t happen to drink alcohol – still and sparkling water with lemon, lime or another simple garnish always seems to do the trick. Create a comfortable environment. If you are not sitting down to lunch or dinner right away, invite guests to relax in a lounge-style environment prior. Cocktail tables are often overlooked, so even if people will be standing for a short period of time make sure there are table surfaces for guests to set down drinks as needed. As mentioned above, making your guests feel special goes a long way. Even if it’s an intimate lunch, putting in the extra effort to plan seating assignments adds a nice touch.
Credit: Molly Rose
SHOP THE LOOK
Recreate the gorgeous tablescape Sterling Social created using these exact
Cailíní Coastal pieces.
JASMINE TABLECLOTH
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Credit: Cailíní Coastal
ROUND CHARCUTERIE BOARD
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Credit: Cailíní Coastal
CHINOISERIE CHAMPAGNE BUCKET
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Credit: Cailíní Coastal
WATERMILL RATTAN NAPKIN RING
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Credit: Cailíní Coastal
ISLAND WRAPPED WHITE PITCHER
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Credit: Cailíní Coastal
For more information on Sterling Social Events + Experiences visit their website www.sterlingsocial.com and follow @sterling_social on Instagram.
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