Bring Out the Good Stuff
February 22, 2015
All Images
jennifer Hagler Photography
By Buffy York
Last weekend Tim and I hosted a Pop-Up Dinner at our house with several of our neighborhood friends for Valentine’s. We all thought that a dinner in our home with a professional chef was way better than any night on the town, especially on a night like Valentine’s with crowds and the crazy pressure to have a romantic dinner.
I knew I wanted to set a really beautiful table without having the look of a Macy’s Wedding Registry. The place settings were a combination of plates and napkins and silverware pulled from all of our china cabinets, and mixing and matching china patterns and glassware made for hands down the most beautiful table I have ever assembled. There must have been 10 different initials engraved, painted or etched upon silverware, cordial glasses, china and napkin rings representing several generations of families.
However, the star of the show was the beautiful floral masterpieces designed by my friend and sorority sister, Charlotte Weatherly Wessel. Charlotte lives in Huntsville, Alabama and is unbelievably talented in the way of floral design. She has her own floral blog, Buckets & Blooms. I simply told Charlotte to do whatever she wanted and she created the beautiful arrangements photographed above using roses, tulips, spray roses, succulents, rancules, Lenten Roses and my daughter Alice’s favorite, Billy Balls. The “W” demitasse cups are from her own collection, and paired with a succulent, made for a perfect place card holder. She arranged one large piece for the center of the table and then added mercury glass and silver votives and vases filled with flowers dispersed the length of the table. It was amazing and It felt more like a magazine spread than my home.
Later this week I will be posting more on the evening powered by bartender and pop-up dinner extraordinaire Steva Casey and Chef Haller McGee. Stay tuned for all the details and the delicious menu.
February 23, 2015
Deborah PopePlease tell about your table. Reclaimed wood? What does the base/legs look like? Your table is beautiful!!!
February 23, 2015
Buffy YorkThanks so much Deborah! I sent you an email with pictures of the base of the table. I bought the table from a friend who was moving and no longer needed the table in her new space.–Buffy
February 23, 2015
Kathy WilesSimply beautiful!
February 24, 2015
RachelThat has to be the best idea for a Valentines Day Dinner! Spending time together with your favorite people in a gorgeous setting with food nobody had to worry about preparing-sounds amazing!
There are times I stray away from the tradition of china and silver and crystal, but I see pictures like this and can’t help but love it. I can’t think of any family holiday growing up where the fine china wasn’t used. Just something my mother taught me from a very young age-the power of tradition!
February 24, 2015
Katherine LandryLOVE LOVE LOVE all of this! Jealous of all the nice china and crystal! Wish it all belonged to me 😉 😉
February 24, 2015
Buffy YorkMe too!
February 24, 2015
AshleyJust found your blog and love it! Please share where you got the old fashioned glasses on the tray with the champagne flutes. Love the design on those! So fun and different!
February 24, 2015
Buffy YorkAshley aren’t they the best we all had a fit over them. They are vintage and my friend and floral designer Charlotte let me borrow them for the night. They were her mothers and Charlotte says she can vividly remember her parents having cocktails out of those glasses. I have been searching for something similar with a little luck. I am posting tomorrow on the dinner from that night and I will include links for similar glasses. Thanks for finding The Style Gathering and please feel free to comment in the future.
Buffy