Table Setting Ideas for a Large Event

There are a number of ways to create a dazzling table setting without breaking the bank. The key is to be resourceful and embrace nature for easy and affordable do-it-yourself ideas. Does this Spark an idea?

Buffet

Once you have determined the logistics for keeping food hot or cold, it's time to create visual appeal for a buffet table setting. A successful buffet compels guests to eat as much as they want and draws attention to special dishes by varying the height of dishes, according to DivineDinnerParty.com. This is easy to achieve by placing a box, larger dish or bucket upside down and covering the object with a tablecloth or other textile; it is now a platform for a buffet dish. For a more natural look, use wooden shelves, wooden wine boxes or logs to create height.

Think logically about the order of food on the buffet line. Place plates on one end, followed by main dishes, sides and salad. Wrap utensils in a napkin and place them after the salad station; this makes it easier for guests to travel to their table without juggling too many items. The buffet line moves more quickly when the table is double-sided, allowing guests to fill their plates from either side.

Seated

From weddings to corporate meetings, seated events typically have a more formal ambiance. Assigned seating allows the host or hostess to control who goes where, and keeps guests from forming cliques. There are numerous do-it-yourself ideas for creating place cards that display each guest's name. Be resourceful; for an autumn event, gather bright-colored leaves and write guests names on the leaves with a permanent marker. CasaSugar.com suggests creating place card holders out of used wine corks. Using a razor blade, cut off one side of the cork lengthwise, creating a flat side to sit on the table without wobbling. On the round side, cut a slit into, but not completely through, the cork; write guests' names on small pieces of paper and insert the paper into the slit. If you live on the coast, collect sand dollars or large shells and write each guest's name directly on the surface with a permanent marker; they double as favors, as guests will want to take them home.

Each place setting must include all silverware the guest will need throughout the course of the meal. Martha Stewart's guideline to follow on silverware is to place it around the plate in the order to be used, from outside in. Forks go on the left, knives on the right, and soup spoons farthest right.

Decor

Once the table is set, it's time to make it shine. Again, be resourceful; if you went with a coastal theme, fill vases of various size and shape about three-quarters with sand, and top with a votive candle. Candles by themselves are great, economical centerpiece and dcor options for tables where guests will sit. Cluster candles of varying heights to make a centerpiece, and place them on large mirrors to enhance the illumination. When using candles, however, be conscious of guests reaching and avoid using them on buffet tables.

Bring nature indoors; cut stems of whatever is in bloom to create mini flower arrangements to spread throughout a buffet table or larger arrangements for the center of seated tables. For seated table centerpieces, think wider rather than taller; you don't want your guests peeking around an enormous bouquet, no matter how beautiful it may be.