SPRING
SPRING PARITES MAY BE THE MOST ENJOYABLE KIND OF SOIREE TO DREAM ABOUT. Visions of butterflies and flowers, cold Prosecco served in pretty flutes and delicate china patterns can keep me up for hours. Dreaming up the perfect setting to celebrate an occasion – anything from the first tulip bulb popping through the dirt to a wedding shower or a birthday party – is simply something to savor and enjoy.
For this spring-inspired table, I couldn’t help but include some vintage small glasses in the most beautiful light green with a gold rim – they convey an understated hint of nature. Gold-rimmed white plates were the perfect fit for the place setting and champagne flutes adorned with gold balls seemed made for the theme. We added decadent gold silverware and vintage white linens with a small, embroidered butterfly.
Individual tiered cakes with exquisite sugar flowers on top are delightfully whimsical, and the coral charm peonies are a showstopper. A simple setup with rich details makes this table ready for any celebration. The pink and green color combo is about as preppy as you can get … but as you can see on the facing page, our summer table has a little prep in its step, too.
SUMMER
SINCE I GREW UP IN A TIME OF ARGYLE, TORTOISE SHELL AND "THE OFFICIAL PREPPY HANDBOOK," I constantly go back to that well of style. As I hinted in my comments about the spring table, pink and green is the ultimate combination when it comes to all things preppy, however, using alternate colors with a classic look gives a run for the money to the perennial pair.
We used white napkins monogrammed in navy and tied with an orange and white grosgrain ribbon atop a bright green glass plate. The navy and orange give both a summery and cool feel. It was a tough decision because this tabletop is available in every color of the rainbow. Orange, navy, green and white finally prevailed. Lemons and limes in fluted bowls make for easy satellite arrangements and white garden roses in a glass navy tumbler serve as an effortless centerpiece. Add in navy highball glasses, sleek silverware and slender glass vases with ranunculus and anemones to complete the look. Lemon and lime tartlets line up nicely on a white platter, ready to do their part of cooling you down on a hot summer day.
