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When you look at a table setting, the napkin gets very little attention. Never mind the food and flowers – the plates, glasses, and flatware are all generally picked out with a bit more consideration. And then when it comes to linens, particularly events with rental linens, the napkin is an afterthought.
Hosts may think about tablecloths and runners, making sure they look just so, and completely then pass over the napkins – just adding on whatever matches.
Big mistake!
Napkins are the only part that guests actually touch – hold in their hand, place on their lap, use to wipe their mouth. I know that every party has a budget, but skip the poly-blend and make the napkin feel good.
Depending on the size of your event, you may even look into buying the napkins. You can find 100% cotton or linen napkins at many retailers, including online and in bulk in just about any color to fit your fancy. And if it works with the look of your event, dish towels and flour sack towels make great (and inexpensive) napkins. Or if you want to really personalize things – any fabric can quickly be transformed into a napkin, even without a sewing machine.
If you do buy them, you can use them forever, as a nice reminder of the event – and hopefully at others in the future (or at least that was my rationale for 175 “D” napkins).
Regardless if you rent or buy, if it feels good, people will notice – and remember.
Images clockwise from top: AnnieX, napkin from my wedding; Tekla dish towels from Ikea; Ritz white flour sack towels from Amazon; La Tavola Linens
Is it cold where you are? Fall is most definitely in effect here – and to be honest, for what I am used to, it’s down right winter.
It’s cold, and so all I want are warm, comforting, homey things, like that roasted chicken. I also want soup, and lots of it. And I will likely be eating soup every week until the last snow melts. I have a feeling that comes from my mom. She often had soup on the stove, and in fact her french onion soup and clam chowder where so legendary that the neighbor’s would specially request them.
Having my mom’s recipes and techniques definitely help my soups, but the real secret – the fail-safe thing to have on hand – the only way to make soup restaurant quality - is homemade stock. Think about it, it’s the only way to have complete control. Can you imagine The French Laundry using Swanson’s?
Some people think white can be boring, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. White is lovely and clean and besides my personal favorite color, it is flexible! In terms of food and parties, white dishes and serving pieces are so easy, and they let the food and decor take the stage (where they should be)!
But just because you have white dishes, they don’t have to be plain jane…
Lighting can make all the difference – be it an intimate dinner at home, birthdays at a restaurant, dinner parties with friends, grand fêtes, you name it. We all know how important good lighting is to set the stage (and make us look better!!), but what is great it how easy and inexpensive it can be. Candles, like music and and the guest list, really are magic. These candleholders above are super affordable and really great looking! They can be found at cb2.com, but you can use any that you have at home. Candlesticks of differing heights and LOTS of votives are essential to a good party pantry. The more the merrier (& prettier)!
