How to Set Up the Perfect Dinner Party

How to Set Up the Perfect Dinner Party

 

Hosting a dinner party can be a delightful experience, bringing friends and family together for an evening of good food, great conversation, and beautiful decor. At TP Events & Styling Whitsundays, we believe that setting the scene is just as important as the menu.

Here’s a guide to help you create a stunning dinner party setup that will leave your guests in awe.

Step 1: Choose a Theme

The first step in setting up a perfect dinner party is deciding on a theme. Whether you opt for a casual beach vibe, an elegant garden party, or a rustic country dinner, a cohesive theme helps unify your decor and create a memorable atmosphere.

**Ideas:**

– Beach Vibe: Use shades of blue, seashells, and driftwood accents.
 – Garden Party: Incorporate lots of greenery, floral arrangements, and fairy lights.
– Rustic Country:  Think burlap, mason jars, and wooden elements.

Step 2: Select Your Tableware

The tableware sets the tone for your dinner party. Choose plates, cutlery, and glassware that complement your theme. Don’t be afraid to mix and match textures and styles for a more eclectic look.

**Pro Tip:** For an elegant touch, use charger plates beneath your dinner plates and cloth napkins instead of paper ones.

Step 3: Create a Stunning Tablescape

The tablescape is the centerpiece of your dinner party setup.  Here’s how to create a show-stopping one:

1. Tablecloth or Runner:  Start with a beautiful tablecloth or runner that matches your theme.
2. Centrepieces: Use a combination of candles, flowers, and decorative items. Our artificial bouquets and arbour floral pieces are perfect for adding a touch of elegance.
3.  Place Settings: Arrange plates, cutlery, and glassware neatly. Add a personal touch with name cards or small favours at each setting.

**Pro Tip:** Use varying heights in your centrepieces to create visual interest. Tall candlesticks, medium-height floral arrangements, and low-lying decor pieces work well together.

Step 4: Lighting and Ambiance

Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood for your dinner party. Soft, warm lighting is ideal for creating an intimate and cozy atmosphere.

**Ideas:**
– Candles: Scatter candles of different sizes across the table. Our range of candle holders and lanterns can add a touch of sophistication.
– Fairy Lights: String fairy lights around the dining area for a magical glow.
– Dimmed Lights:  If indoors, dim the main lights to enhance the ambiance.

Step 5: Add Personal Touches

Personal touches make your dinner party unique and memorable. Consider adding elements that reflect your personality or interests.

**Ideas:**
Custom Menus: Print personalized menus for each guest.
–  Themed Music : Create a playlist that complements your theme and plays softly in the background.
– Photo Displays: Set up a small area with photos of past gatherings or themed decorations.

Step 6: The Finishing Touches

Before your guests arrive, do a final walkthrough to ensure everything is in place. Light the candles, start the music, and take a moment to enjoy the beautiful setup you’ve created.

We Can Help!

Planning a dinner party doesn’t have to be stressful. At TP Events & Styling Whitsundays, we offer a wide range of DIY decor items to help you create the perfect setting. From full ceremony setups and artificial bouquets to themed tableware and lighting options, our online shop has everything you need to bring your vision to life.

[Visit our DIY Online Rental Store](#)  to explore our collection and make your next dinner party unforgettable.

 

Do I Need a Wedding Stylist?

Close your eyes and picture your wedding day. Standing at the alter with the love of your life… the perfect moment. What do you notice around you? What colours do you see? What is the general vibe of the venue? How do you hope the aesthetic makes your guests feel? All these questions are what we as stylists aim to help you answer to bring your dream vision to life.

Lets face it, planning a wedding is hard work! There are so many little things to consider about the aesthetic of your wedding day. Flowers, colour palettes, textures, patterns, seating, signage, stationary, backdrops, furniture, crockery, linen and many, MANY more seemingly small specifics. This is what a stylist does. We focus on all the aesthetic aspects of your special day. We can either work with you closely from start to finish (concept to completion), or simply be there to be the extra set of hands on the day to set up your own beautiful DIY creations.

Lets talk about why you might need a stylist to help you with decorating your special day:

  • If you simply cannot wrap your head around the concept of decorating, are really struggling with the creative aspects and have no clear vision, it might be time to look to the professionals!
  • If you want it all! There are just so many little bits and pieces from every wedding you’ve seen, and you want to incorporate it all! But how? Lets work it all out and give you some clarity.
  • You have no idea where to start, where to finish, and anything & everything in between. We’ve got you!
  • You have it all sorted, but you just need that extra set of hands to set up on the day. Here we are.

WHY SHOULD I HIRE A WEDDING STYLIST?

  • A wedding stylist will sit down and take the time to get to know you and your partner. We help you uncover the exact style and look you are after, talking you through each and every little inclusion and how that will help tell the story of your relationship.
  • Weddings are personal, they are beautiful, and they hold SO much love… they shouldn’t be overly stressful and overwhelming! Hiring a stylist can help take so much of that stress and anxiety off your hands.
  • A wedding stylist will take your wedding to a whole new level aesthetically. We make your wedding one to remember – with gorgeous bespoke pieces hand crafted with intention and love. No vision is too big or small!
  • We can create or purchase pieces of art that personally and specifically reflect you and your partners personalities and love story.
  • We already have all the inventory, so you don’t need to worry about what to do with all the stock after the wedding!
  • We give you creative direction and clarity. Its very easy to get overwhelmed with all the possibilities styling a wedding brings!
  • We make sure you don’t waste your money on things that wont work with the overall look, whilst helping you make the absolute most of your budget. Sometimes its easy to get swept away in the “ooo I want this! I’d love that!” but when too many different things come together, it can throw off the synergy of the wedding… we ensure that doesn’t happen!

  • It’s cost effective! By doing DIY, buying in all brand new decorations yourself gets very expensive, very quickly!
  • Here at TeepeEvents & Styling we keep on top of all trends, from modern colour palettes used in floral arrangements, to those instaworthy fabrics for your napkins and tablecloths.
  • DIY wedding styling is very stressful, so hiring a stylist will relieve a lot of that stress and pressure, whilst helping create a blanket of calm knowing that everything is being completely taken care of, from creation to completion.
  • We know the venues very well and work very closely with the venue operators, so we know what styling possibilities work and what doesn’t. We also take into consideration things like weather and wind. Here in the Whitsundays there are certain venues that experience more wind than others, which make certain styling choices impossible. By having knowledge of these things, we are able to work closely with our brides & grooms to find alternatives and solutions to make their designs work! This is something a lot of couples don’t always think about before hand with their DIY styling and it can unfortunately leave them disappointed on the day if it doesn’t work out the way they had hoped and dreamt about.

  • Finding the right suppliers can be a really daunting and difficult task. Wedding stylists work with multiple different vendors every single day, so we are the perfect people to consult with to find the perfect fit for you! This will save you hours of research and potential disappointment! We will never recommend a vendor that doesn’t align with your brief.
  • A stylist will set up on your big day and make sure all the creative aspects are all in line and perfect. All the stress is off your shoulders!
  • The entire overall look of the wedding, from pre ceremony to sparkler exit, is completely intentional and very well thought out. From the texture of your table cloths, to the slight fragrance of your candles setting the mood, to the particular shine of the paper choice for your menus, to the way each and every single rose head are pointing on your arbour. Every single decision has been made with intention to successfully and synergistically tell your love story.
  • Putting together a design brief is one thing, but successfully bringing that brief to life and making sure it is executed beautifully is another. This is our profession and this is what we are so incredibly passionate about. Here at TeepeEvents & Styling, execution and delivery of exquisite aesthetics is what we live and breathe.

The entire styling process for your big day should be an exciting and seamless journey. If you are looking for some extra creative direction, or just an extra set of hands, we welcome you to get in touch with us! We cannot wait to discuss your vision and bring your dream day to life.

Lets chat!

Happy planning!

Kellie & Michaela

TeepeEvents & Styling