If you are anything like me, you look forward to the holidays all year. The holiday season can be a time of celebration, fellowship, warmth and love. However, we all know that preparing to host during all of the hustle and bustle can be quite the challenge. That’s why I’m here to help! I’m Madelyn, founder and lead planner here at Madelyn Tenney Events. Over the years, we have learned quite a few tips and tricks not only about hosting weddings, but about hosting all types of events for the people you love. Today, I am going to walk you through our process of designing an incredible tablescape from the ground up. Let’s get into it:
- Create a Mood Board
Creating a mood board is the first step for all of our design projects here at MTE. I encourage our clients to search Pinterest first for any and all ideas of what they want their event to be. Lean into your senses – save photos that encompass the feeling of the event that you want to host. It’s okay if at first your pins are all over the place! Do a quick purge and compile all of your favorite color schemes, inspirational photos, and aesthetic moments. Using a platform like Canva, combine all of your saves into one collage. You will quickly begin to see the foundation of the design and the vision that you are drawn to.
Tip – Save your board and use it as a reference when you are thinking about adding or building onto the event’s design. If your new addition doesn’t seem to fit flawlessly – leave it out.
- Choosing The Linens
The linens are the foundation to a good tablescape and design. If you have an antique or wooden table that’s beautiful on it’s own, you can leave the surface bare – and accessorize with specialty linens such as napkins. If you are hosting an event with more than one table – here is our formula to building the perfect linen combination: one neutral, one pattern, and one texture. (Thank you to Becky Baker for that tip!)
Companies like BBJ Tavola and Nuage offer free linen samples to be shipped to your door at no cost. I encourage you to play around with what linens fit into your mood board and vision, and then order a variety of samples. Look at them in all forms of lighting, and build a foundation that works well with what you envision for the table as a whole. If you are drawn to busy/patterned linens, consider keeping the tableware simple. Likewise, if you choose a simple linen foundation – you can often add more variety within your dishes and other tabletop additions.
Tip – NEVER forget to steam your linens on event day! Wrinkles and creases will cheapen the look that you have worked so hard to build. And don’t forget about the napkins!
- The Centerpiece
In our design studio, we add the centerpieces as the foundational building block before adding any tableware. During the holidays, there are many different directions that you can go with centerpieces – buy into the theming of that holiday. For example, consider adding pops of Magnolia leaves or Poinsettias at Christmas for a fun, festive look. Centerpieces don’t always have to be one central floral. At a rectangular table, add dimension by working in a variety of florals, candles (or other sources of light), and fun seasonal picks with differing heights.
Tip – If you are elevating your florals, make sure the base is clear or on four legs to maintain your guests line of vision.
- The tableware
Here is a checklist for the tableware that you will need –
Chargers
Dinner plates
Salad plates
Napkins (Included in linens)
Flatware
Glassware
Place Cards – (optional)
Printed menus or stationery – (optional)
Using the same guidelines as above, play around with the tableware to see what fits best with your vision. Rental companies like BBJ Tavola and Nuage also offer tablescape rentals. If you are having a hard time designing these with your layout, use a software like Canva to create mockups of your selections.
I always love incorporating sentimental elements – like your family’s china. If you have pieces that are essential to tie in like this one, you can work backwards with your design. Place the china first and design your other tablescape elements like linens and centerpieces around complementing the star of the show.
Tip – It is essential that you arrange your flatware correctly. Starting from the left, place your salad fork, dinner fork, (plate), knife turned towards your dinner plate, and spoon. Place the glassware above the plate to the right, any dessert utensils directly above the plate, and the place card directly above the dessert utensils. If you are including a bread plate and butter spreader, place these above the forks.
There you have it! The foundation for any great event is great planning and logistics, and this guide ensures that you will have a cohesive and beautiful tablescape every time.
Madelyn Tenney Events is now booking full-service planning for our 2026 brides. If you would like to work with us and have our team design and execute your perfect wedding day, you can inquire on https://madelyntenneyevents.com/.
Happy planning!
Madelyn
Photos by Hunter Hennes
