Setting the Table(scape) - Part 1

Society might consider proper table settings an antiquated practice, but every event planner worth their salt knows the importance of a perfectly crafted tablescape. Both a science and an artform, creating a tablescape requires practical design and innovative flair. Chef and food blogger Stephanie Stiavetti rejects the classic definitions of tablescaping and describes this practice with more warmth: “Tablescaping is the act of creatively and intentionally arranging a tabletop so that it conveys a specific theme, mood, or experience.”

Tablescaping is more than setting a table, more than decorating said table, more than combining a seating arrangement with your florals and catering setup. It is a creative skill that, when done properly, ensures a seamless dining experience for guests and service alike; that guarantees the dining portion of your event is as memorable and transcendent as any other aspect of the affair.

“It is all about strategy and making sure that your design concept works. And it needs to work to create an experience,” said Jackie Watson (Jaclyn Watson Events) in her session Table Talk & Design Strategy at this year’s Catersource + The Special Event.

Here’s all you need to know about creating intentional, effective, and showstopping tablescapes.

An Alice in Wonderland themed tablescape from 2024 Gala Award nominee "Alice, Curiouser & Curiouser." Event by Peace Arch Hospital Foundation. Photo courtesy Brian Dennehy Photography

Why it’s important

As with any creative process, it’s important to understand the “why” behind what you’re doing. Crafting an effective tablescape is more than ticking off a checklist in hopes of creating a “perfect” table; it’s about determining what will make your event story shine through to your guests. 

In her session, Watson shared five reasons why it’s important to set a table properly:

1. Ambiance and atmosphere: This is the first thing guests see. By engaging all five senses, guests can be fully immersed in the event story. Your tables should fit seamlessly into the larger event design.

2. Guest experience: The better the dining experience, the more your talent will shine. When table settings are arranged thoughtfully, guests are directly impacted and feel like they’re part of the event. Also, your next client (aka, impressed guest) may be seated at the table!

3. Visual appeal and photography: Your tables should be part of the captured visual experience that can be used for social media and marketing. “The small, intricate details are also what get you published in the world of wedding magazines,” says Watson. Give your photographer a shot list; these photos can help you get published and give you marketing material.

4. Personalization and theme expression: A proper table feels personal to those breaking bread around it. Create a questionnaire for clients before they sign. Get to know them, ask very detailed personal questions (including memories, family issues, etc.).

5. Coordination and cohesiveness: Well-coordinated table settings contribute to the overall coherence and design. A well-produced event whose table design is lacking is a miss for your brand.

Once you have a compass for your design, you can start the process of putting the tablescape together.

Tall, elevated floral arrangements allow guests to see each other from across the table. Event by Jaclyn Watson Events. Photo courtesy JAG Studios

Getting started

As with any good process, it’s important to start with a good plan. This means fully understanding as much as you can about your client and all who will be in attendance. 

“My process of design begins with a 16-page—yes, 16-page—questionnaire,” says Watson. That’s how important it is to have a thorough understanding of the attendees. You can also use data from your previous events to gain a better understanding of the types of people you attract as clients.

Then comes the brainstorming. “After they fill out the questionnaire, I carefully go over and create a color palette,” says Watson (more on that on page 26), “then research all the latest trends and create a mood board for them to peruse. I look at so many things from Vogue magazine, Architectural Digest, Pinterest, other weddings, and storefronts, and I gain ideas that way.” Not only does Watson create a mood board—she shows it to her client and has them sign and date that they’ve approved it.

Creating the design takes more than an eye-catching mood board, however.

“When I design a tabletop, it is about using all five senses and asking myself when guests see a table, how it will make them feel, what they will smell, what they will see, what they will taste when they sit down, and what they will touch,” shares Watson. (For more on sensory design, read Once Upon A Theme from our Spring Issue.) This means thinking about how the linens will feel against someone’s leg, how the colors will stir up certain emotions, how the sensory experience will transport a guest throughout the dining portion of the event.

Fausto Pifferrer (Blue Elephant Catering & Events) wholeheartedly agrees. “When a couple enters the room for the first time, their eyes take in everything: furniture, linens, lighting. Why not have the table setting give the same energy?”

Watson also suggests creating layouts with platforms such as Prismm (formerly AllSeated), Merri, Tripleseat, or whatever works with the rentals. This allows the client to see what you are envisioning, too.

It’s important to note that this is not necessarily a quick process. “The design takes me months to figure out, which is why I do all the logistics first—finding vendors—then I work through the design process,” says Watson. “I work with the florist to understand what they envision for florals, the same with catering, how everything is plated, and what food we are doing that represents the colors we are using.”

This all-white wedding dinner table is accented by whimsically suspended roses. Event by and photo courtesy Eatertainment Events & Catering

Click here for Part 2 where we break down all the elements of a successful table design!