Setting the Outdoor Table

As soon as the weather permits, we start hosting our dinner parties and celebrations outdoors. Rather than compete with our natural surroundings, we like to enhance our tabletop with elements that echo the beauty and simplicity of the season. Here are some of our go-to tricks for setting the outdoor table:

Incorporate herbs. Wonderfully abundant this time of year, herbs are an elegant, fragrant addition to the tablescape. Mixing varieties such as thyme, sage, mint, and lavender together in a vessel creates a pretty, unfussy look with plenty of interest thanks to different shapes, sizes, and colors. Go ahead and place a sprig on your place cards for good measure—it’ll make the overall look feel more cohesive. 

Stay in-season. In addition to herbs, which will be available all season long, we like to mix in strawberry plants as centerpieces through early summer, as the flowers add a subtle pop without stealing the show. As the season progresses, pick accent plants accordingly.

Keep the palette clean. Let the natural elements speak for themselves by sticking to creamy white linens and china, which will complement anything you choose to add. Votives in light neutrals will also add ambiance while still allowing the greens to shine.  

Photo by Kate Thompson of Betty Clicker Photography.