Vintage Place Settings

Scenes from SVT – Four Unique Vintage Designs

Every event is a story, a unique narrative of joy, celebration, and moments that will last a lifetime. At our studio, we have the privilege of working with diverse clients, each with their own vision and ideas for their special occasion. Last month, we had four amazing clients visit us—two planning parties and two planning wedding reception tables. Here’s a peek into the delightful planning journeys that took place at our studio.


Bailey and Jacob envisioned a sophisticated yet playful mix of colors and textures. Their vintage-inspired table with mirrored place settings, three distinct color themes, and layered plates will create a captivating atmosphere that feels both timeless and sophisticated, while the variety in goblets and floral details ensures the look feels fresh, elegant, and contemporary. Simply beautiful!

When Sammi decided to celebrate her 30th birthday, she knew she wanted the night to be as vibrant, creative, and fun as possible. She envisioned a party where her closest friends could gather, enjoy delicious food and drinks, and get inspired by the idea of setting new intentions for the year ahead. And that’s exactly what she created: a birthday bash filled with pink hues, eclectic mix-and-match napkins, and a unique twist—vision boards!

Alison and Landon’s wedding reception table settings were a beautiful reflection of their love for nature and timeless elegance. The mix of brown with white and gold plate patterns created a warm, grounded foundation, while the pastel goblets brought the light, playful spirit of spring to the table. They also are using vintage teacups for appetizers, tall champagne coupes, and dessert plates with the same theme. Gold accents will be added with gold flatware and brass candleholders.

To our chagrin, we didn’t get photos of Amaris’ vintage choices. But, we know that her holiday party was a beautiful fusion of festive spirit and elegant sophistication. The combination of pink and clear glassware, gold flatware, charming pink cake stand, and elegant appetizer plates, were carefully chosen to create a warm, inviting atmosphere where guests could relax, enjoy delicious food, and celebrate the joy of the season.

One thing is particularly clear: the details truly make an event. It’s all about creating an atmosphere that feels uniquely personal and reflective of the couple’s style or the celebrant’s personality. At the end of the day, our goal is to help our clients make every guest feel welcomed, special, and a part of something truly memorable.


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Vintage Tea Party at Home Show

Southern Vintage Table Events – Raleigh Home Show Recap

What a weekend! Our first snow and our first show on the same weekend! We got to see how the Raleigh Convention Center went from black curtains with nothing on the floor to the amazing transformation of a buzz center of home focused vendors. Our mission was to remind the visitors that their space can be transformed into an amazing dinner party or a fun tea party. We hope we met the mark!

Joining us with the tablescape are two great vendors, Beau Papierer, who created the seating cards, and Ora Teahouse, who baked some of the yummy treats and brought the tea samples. Thank you, Terry and Trista.

Thank you, Erin Calibritto, Show Manager for inviting us and for the help from your excellent team. We enjoyed being a part of the show. Pssst – Do you see our table and the two ladies eyeing the tea party setup? 🙂


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Blue and white tablescape with green highlights

News – Vintage Tablescapes at the Raleigh Home and Garden Show: A Stylish Blend of Elegance and Charm

The Downtown Raleigh Home Garden Show serves as a gathering spot for home enthusiasts, designers, and folks who love to entertain. Amongst all the terrific vendors and exhibitors will be Booth 1233. Here you’ll find a unique take on classic table settings for special occasions. Our two submissions, a dinner party tablescape and a charming tea gathering, offer inspiration for those seeking to elevate their entertaining game.

Setting the stage for the perfect tablescape isn’t just about arranging plates and napkins—it’s about telling a story, creating an atmosphere, and curating every detail so that everything feels just right. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at some of the elements pulled together for both designs.

Stop by Booth 1233 and let these vintage designs spark your own creativity, providing ideas for your next gathering or event. And, most importantly, enjoy the art of hosting in a way that honors the elegance of the past while celebrating the joy of gathering with friends and loved ones.

Interested in a free ticket? Visit our Instagram or Facebook page for more information.


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Vintage Amber Goblets

And the years roll on… Happy 2025!

Oh, 2024, you have brought us much joy through the lovely clients and vendors we have met and worked alongside. We are getting ready for you, 2025, filling ourselves with hope and optimism.


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Christmas Ornaments on Tree

Sending Wishes for Peace and Harmony

— Postcard marked December 21, 1909 at 10AM.

Message – “Dear Bro, will be home Thurs eve, Goes to Middletown 5:34 – Guess it’s up to you to meet me. Love to grandpa, ma. and self. Sister”


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Vintage Christmas Mantle

News – Vintage Holiday Decorating

Getting ready for the holidays? We have just begun at home and have pulled out some of most treasured decorations collected years ago. On the dining table are some of our nesting “dolls”. They are so fun to open to find the smaller ones inside. The greenery came from the back yard.

Below is the mantle-scape which features a collection of vintage cats, crates, trays, books, and thrift-store petite trees. The tall wooden kitty in the middle is very special – it was an 18th birthday gift from my boyfriend who is now my husband. (He hit the mark on this one and we are definitely vintage!)

We also played around with a couple of holiday tablescapes at the studio. The green and deep red layering of plates are a nod to the holiday colors but with a bit of vintage swag. Our favorite decor items are the little trees that are nestled in the vintage milk glass vases but we think the grass chargers are not needed after all. Too bad we didn’t get that photo!

That’s it for today’s post! We need to dig out a few more holiday decorations, go online to do a little shopping, attend a dinner party with friends, and meet with two potential clients this week. Just the right amount of busy for us!


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Vintage Postcard with Berries

Southern Vintage Table Event – Vintage Postcards Capture the Christmas Spirit

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Today’s post is an update from one published in December 2015. We have only edited some of the photos and gallery designs. As I read through the post, the memories of this amazing holiday dinner came alive again. When I asked Priscilla about reposting, she wrote, it was “such a beautiful. happy memory you created having my church friends around John and I that Christmas.”

I’ve known Priscilla for well over 20 years.  Our friendship began at Culbreth Middle School – she taught 6th grade science and I taught 8th grade science.  We both loved to find and decorate our classrooms with all kinds of natural things – pine cones, turtle shells, skeletons, rocks, bird nests – whatever we could find or get. As kindred nature and vintage enthusiasts, our tablescape visions for her annual Christmas party were totally in sync.

When we were planning for her party, Priscilla brought out these two incredibly huge pine cones that were at least a foot long!  Of course, I wanted to know what kind they were and where they came from.  Well, it turns out they are sugar tree pinecones that come from a tree that grows in California.  She saw them at a science convention and thought they were amazing and wanted some for her classroom. So she wrote a letter – a time before email – to a colleague who lived in California and asked him to please send her a few sugar tree pine cones so she could share them with her students. You see, Priscilla has this way about her that when she shows you something she loves, you instantly fall in love with it, too – that’s what made her such a terrific teacher.  She loved science and so did her students. Shortly after the letter was mailed, a boxful of these exquisite beauties arrived at her door and were part of her classroom for many years. Who would have known that these same pinecones would be adorning her Christmas table years later and I would be helping her set the table? As you might imagine, we shared a good laugh about it all!

In addition to the many varieties of pinecones around her lovely home, she also has a wonderful collection of vintage Christmas postcards dating to the early 1900s. The artwork and the handwritten notes on the back portray a time we all love to imagine. Here are just a few. I included one photo of the handwritten message and address on the back – no zip code!

Vintage Christmas Postcard
Vintage Christmas Card Back

With her collection of pinecones and vintage postcards, and the vintage milk glass glassware, white linens, china and silverware from Southern Vintage Table, our table design was ready.  We both knew it was going to be exceptionally special!

On the day before the party, the first table we set was in the dining room. We decided to use a vintage green tablecloth with vintage white doilies to accent the rich brown of the pinecones. The vintage postcards were scattered about for guests to enjoy.  What a terrific touch to this vintage tablescape!

Our next set of tables were in the living room.  Here we used crisp white vintage tablecloths and with the Christmas tree as a backdrop, the end result was just beautiful!

Desserts, punch, and teacups were ready for guests after their delicious meal. Don’t you love the bold poinsettia pattern on the vintage tablecloths?

Thank you, Priscilla, for inviting Southern Vintage Table to be a part of this special day for you, John, and your friends.  Merry Christmas to all and best wishes in the new year!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

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Vintage Colored Goblets

Scenes from SVT – Two Weddings and Two Tea Parties

Next year’s calendar is filling in nicely as we finish out this year. Today we will introduce you to two wedding clients who have designed very cool tablescapes for their guests and one client who offers tea parties, complete with speciality hand-crafted teas and treats.

First, here are Natalia and Sharon, her future mother-in-law. It didn’t take long for us to see how much affection is felt between these two. Natalia and Trent, who will be married next September, wanted a fall inspired look but with a twist. Oranges, greens, pink, and peach are found in the assortment of vintage plates, goblets, and even the bottle bouquets. We are excited about crafting these for their tables!

Meet Trista, owner of Ora Teahouse. This delightful business woman first rented from us this past spring and this November she hosted two more tea parties. With her speciality hand-crafted teas and delicious savory and sweet treats, her tea parties are heavenly. What a honor for us to help with her tea-centered gatherings! For more information about Trista and her business, go to this article on Shoutout North Carolina.

Our third client is Margot, accompanied by her cheery planner, Rebs, owner of Events by Reb. They both came to the studio with an open mind, ready to explore our offerings. This was her first stop in her wedding planning because she loves vintage and wanted her reception to work off the choices she would make here. How nice for us! They landed on a vintage blue and white theme, with glass salad plates, green goblets and tumblers, clear wine goblets, and silverplate flatware. Her decor will include a wooden centerpiece, brass elements, and brass-framed table numbers. Blue and green are a favorite color combination for us!

It was such a pleasure working with these clients and we have more coming over this month. Looking forward to our creative meetings!


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Thankful pumpkin with Autumn Tablescape

Thankful for Family, Friends, and You

"Give thanks for each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night.
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything their goodness sends."
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Found Vintage Treasures from Boston Visit

Feature – Vintage is Eco-Friendly

Being an eco-friendly business is almost a necessity in today’s environmentally conscious society. Which is a good thing, right? Without tooting our horn too loudly, our business wins big in this arena. Here are some of our environmentally safe practices.

Our inventory is a collection of treasures from the past. Dishes, goblets, flatware, linens, and decor have all been found items – in thrift stores, second-hand stores, some estate sales, flea markets, auctions, and online resources. Almost every trip we take involves a couple of side visits to the local thrift stores or flea markets where the goods might be unique to the area. The most treasured resource, however, were the gifts from friends, acquaintances, and even folks who were looking for a place where their family collections would be appreciated and used. We especially love these additions.

Most of our shelving, tables, chairs, and some of our carts were previously used. When we first moved out of the house and into a business location, we got lucky and found the most sturdy set of shelves from an auto parts store that was going out of business. These are the ones we use for the dishes and glassware and they can hold a lot of weight. Wooden shelving from our home and thrift stores were collected one by one and pieced together to hold vintage books and assorted decor. We did need to buy wired shelving that will last almost forever.

Our studio walls are decorated with vintage artwork and trays either found at thrift stores while some were generously gifted to us. Their florals and botanicals suit our inventory beautifully!

We have also upcycled a few items – boxes from old wooden fan blades, “vintage” cigar boxes, decoupaged vases from bottles, and dried floral bouquets in bottles.

The workhouse of a dishwashing machine came second-hand from another location. It’s energy efficient, recycles the sanitizing rinsing cycle water to wash the next load, and cleans a load in about 3 minutes once the water heats up. The dish detergent we use is Mrs. Meyers, which is “made with essential oils & other thoughtfully chosen ingredients.”

To protect our clean dishes for our clients, we use a food-safe plastic which is made with “eco-friendly bio-assimilating plastic.” And, when a crate comes back to us unopened, we will reuse the plastic bag as a garbage bag. Surprisingly, we have little garbage but the bags on used crates are definitely trashed.

The crates and racks used to hold and transport dishes and goblets are used over and over again. Some of them were found secondhand but many had to be bought new. When ordering these, we try to make the order large enough to justify the packing and shipping.

For items that need some protection, we are now using pillow cases and napkins to wrap them. These were found at a thrift store and are washed after every use. This transition from bubble wrap has created a more secure wrapping and is reusable.

Of course, we recycle cardboard, bottles, paper, and cans. It’s easy to recycle the cardboard with a bin on the property, but we take the other home to put in our home recycling bin. To save paper, we use email and phone meetings to correspond with clients. Rental orders, contracts, and packing lists are all attached to emails.

Have we bought anything new? Well, we have. We love block napkins made in India and we have purchased several sets to complement a boho tablescape. Miscellaneous supplies, such as plastic containers for linens, teacups, and coupes, are needed to keep our studio organized.

That’s a wrap! It may be more information that you ever wanted to know, but we wanted to emphasize that being eco friendly means a lot to us and our business. We hope you appreciate our commitment!


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