EASTER ENTERTAINING IDEAS - FROM THE PERFECT SIMPLE TABLESCAPE, TO WHAT’S ON THE MENU

Entertaining

13 Mar

I’VE LONG BEEN A FAN OF GATHERING friends and family for dinners, parties, lunches… any excuse to spend time with loved ones and to immerse myself in concepting and bringing a creative vision to life! I love finessing place settings and foraged arrangements, perfecting a menu, dreaming up personal touches to make guests feel at home.

Planning can without a doubt still be stressful - trying to keep track of all the moving parts and pull something off without being left feeling exhausted at the end of it all.. it’s not always easy! So to help keep things as simple as possible, without compromising on the creative details, I’ve pulled together my top tips, below. And what better time to plan your next gathering than now with Easter just around the corner!

WHAT’S ON THE MENU

Include a simple-but-delicious menu, with a focus on what’s seasonally available.

Moving into Autumn here in Australia, capsicum, pumpkins, spring onion, figs, pomegranates, passionfruit, oranges, are all in season and all bursting with flavour.

Try an easy cheese board with figs for guests to snack on as a starter, a quiche with your favourite vegetables or an onion and gruyere savoury tart with a fresh side salad of spinach and pomegranate as a main, and finish with an easy to make orange cake for dessert.

A GO-TO PLAYLIST

Including a playlist is essential at every gathering. This is my go-to for something that carries through from afternoon to evening.

A STUNNING TABLESCAPE

Create a simple but effective tablescape. No need to overcomplicate this one – simple is still beautiful! Start with a couple of key pieces (dinnerware, cutlery, glasses), then add piece by piece to create visual intrigue through layered heights and materials, using items such as: candlesticks, foraged floral or greenery arrangements, a footed bowl with a big bunch of grapes draping off.

For this particular setting, I’ve let the florals do most of the talking, choosing purple hyacinths with bulbs on for a straight-from-the-earth aesthetic, keeping to an Easter palette. I included this natural tablecloth, a mix of glassware including handmade wine glasses to provide contrast against these stunning modern bowls, beeswax candles with vintage candleholders, and a favourite drop of Chardonnay!

SET THE MOOD

Mood lighting is everything. Candles are the easiest and most effective way to create a cosy and inviting atmosphere, and to elevate the aesthetic. My favourites to use are these beeswax tapers that create a golden, warm look.

Have everything prepared in advance so that when your guests arrive you’re able to set the tone and join them in a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere!