Mismatched Vintage China Weddings NC Archives - Page 27 of 29

Southern Vintage Table Event – A Marriage Blessing, Baptism & Tea Party!

Last Saturday was a beautiful, reverent and memorable day for Summer’s family. After converting to Greek Orthodoxy this past spring, Summer and Andrew had their marriage blessed or “crowned” and their twin boys were baptized. You’ll love how Summer explains this family occasion. “We’ve been married 15 years, but we are revving up to get heavenly hitched in an Orthodox wedding sometime this summer. Why? Beauty, sacrament, and so we can baptize our babies.” And, because drinking tea is a big part of their family’s life, serving tea in beautiful vintage teacups had to be part of this celebration and that’s where Southern Vintage Table entered the picture!

Following the ceremony, friends and family were also treated to a lovely spread of healthy, delicious food prepared by caterers Molly and Raven. Plated on vintage tiered stands and serving dishes, the food included bacon and pickle deviled eggs, arugula and cucumber tea sandwiches, stuffed dates with chevre, pistachios, and honey, a variety of cheeses and fruits, chocolate almond cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, gluten-free brownie balls, and honey-fig cupcakes. Southern Vintage Table also provided a charming mix of vintage luncheon plates, silverware and tea napkins for the guests.

Summer also revealed there was another reason tea was important for this celebration – her new novel! “I am a writer, and my second novel, Tea & Crumples, comes out in October 2015. As you can tell from the title, tea is a big part of the plot. Tea is also a huge part of our family’s life together. That’s why we wanted to have a beautiful tea party to celebrate our twins’ baptism and our wedding. Your napkins, silverware, plates, and cups made it so special. It was perfect, exactly as I dreamed. Thank you!”

Wishing you many blessed years to come Summer, Andrew and family. Southern Vintage Table absolutely loved being a part of this memorable family event! Check out Summer’s blog, Writing Like a Mother, for more information about her upcoming book. It’s pretty darn awesome!

For Molly and Raven, this was their first professional event as caterers. Congrats! Molly specializes in vegetarian, vegan, and allergen-sensitive cooking. She would eventually like to do local and sustainable farm-to-fork cooking and likes catering for people who share her ideals about the relationship between food, community, and environment. “I have to say, you’re a really great person for caterers to work with- washing the dishes was actually really fun when we got to look at and exclaim over each beautiful teacup!” I know exactly what you mean, Molly. Thank you! And, one last shoutout – Linda, you rock!

molly raven

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Vintage Feature – A Celebration of Numbers

Like one of my favorite characters on Sesame Street, Count von Count, I love numbers and it seems like we are always counting at Southern Vintage Table – like, how many vintage blue & white china patterns we have, the number of salad forks in our collection or the length of a creamy lace overlay.

Sometimes, however, our counting means even more – they mark an achievement – and we have a few of them we’d like to share. Let’s start the countdown with 10 numbers we are celebrating…

~ 6,065 Views on Our Wordpress Blog ~

This past week we marked our one year anniversary on WordPress and, as of today, our view count is 6,065. We think this is definitely something worth celebrating! To everyone who reads our weekly blog, we extend our sincerest thanks!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

~ 1,242 Pieces of Vintage Silver-Plated Flatware ~

Okay, I didn’t really count each piece but we do have place settings for 200+ guests and many serving pieces as well. This cache of flatware didn’t come so easy – we’ve scoured thrift stores, estate sales, auctions, consignment shops, craigslist, ebay and more to find these glorious vintage patterns. Now, that’s certainly an accomplishment to note!

~ 882 Pinterest Pins ~

After one year we currently have 882 pins on Pinterest. These pins showcase our inventory at Southern Vintage Table. If you want to know what we have to offer, this is a great place to start.

~ 280 Facebook Likes ~

Thank you all for your “likes,” comments and post shares on our Facebook page! We love to share with you our new additions as well as our latest events. And, we love to hear from you!

~ 200 Guests ~

One question often asked is how many guests we can accommodate. With our inventory of china, flatware, linens and glassware, we can now service 200 guests. Now, that’s a festive feat!

~ 71 Blog Posts ~

We love writing and sharing our thoughts about anything vintage and so far we have 71 blog posts to attest to just that. Check in with us each Sunday to find out more about our latest vintage find, see photos from our most recent event or hear about our vintage adventures. We appreciate each and every visit!

Vintage Milk Glass Vase with Dried Flowers

~ 65 Vintage Whitehall Glasses ~

We now have 65 of this fabulous vintage glassware pattern in a rainbow of colors. Our goal is to have 100 in our inventory. Of course, we also have lots of other terrific vintage glassware patterns in these colors as well, definitely enough for your 200 guests.

~ 21 Pinterest Boards ~

Check out our fabulous vintage inventory, organized on our 21 boards. From elegant vintage china to vintage decor, we have so many wonderful items to help make your gathering unique and fun!

~ 18 Events ~

From birthday tea parties to holiday dinners to wedding receptions, Southern Vintage Table took part in 18 events this past year and loved every one of them! Thank you for inviting us to share some vintage with your special occasion.

~ 1 Year Anniversary! ~

Drum roll, please… And, now for smallest number but perhaps the biggest cause for celebration! Southern Vintage Table has been open now for one year! It’s been quite an adventure – collecting, researching, cleaning, repairing, photographing, identifying, writing, posting, washing, archiving, sorting – and we have loved every bit of it. Gosh, how to you thank everyone for their support and kindness? Simply and sincerely – Thank You.

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Southern Vintage Table Event – A “Spirited” Southern Tradition Delivers a Perfect Day!

With Ralph’s bottle of bourbon buried at the wedding site, the perfect day was delivered! According to Southern Living, legend has it that all you have to do to insure fair weather for your outdoor wedding is bury a bottle of bourbon, full and upside down, on a beautiful, sunny day weeks before the wedding date. After Mary, the quintessential Southern lady, read that bit of Southern tradition, it just had to be done for her and Ralph’s beloved daughter, Melanie. Well, it magically worked because Melanie’s and James’ wedding day was magnificent – perfect temperatures and a gorgeous Carolina blue sky.

After the wedding ceremony, Ralph digs it up!

Southern Vintage Table was thrilled to be a part of this celebration! Our first assignment was to set up a lemonade greeting station for guests as they arrived to this joyous occasion. With a charming assortment of vintage punch cups and two vintage punch bowls, Mary’s Yaya friends – Cis, Louise, Jami, Pat and I – served lemonade and welcomed guests. Rock Quarry’s vintage 1950 truck was parked next to us, joyfully bedecked with wedding photos of the bride’s and groom’s families. Southern Vintage Table‘s vintage suitcases and trunk helped complete this endearing tribute.

The second station was the coffee bar. Pairing the vintage teacups, Cis, Jami and I arranged them on the table. We also displayed several on the rustic shelf above. What a beautiful table with the teacups all lined up! At the end of the evening it was fun to see which teacup guests selected for their coffee as they enjoyed the delicious wedding cake baked by Sweet Memories Bakery.

Perfect day, perfect wedding, perfect love and all oh-so Southern! More photos coming later from photographer, Martha Manning.

Congratulations, Melanie and James! We all wish you a life full of love, happiness and joy!

We also want to send best wishes to Jill and David who were married on this gorgeous day in Graham. Thank you so much for inviting Southern Vintage Table to be a part of both of your wedding days.

Participating Vendors
Rock Quarry Farm
American Party Rental
Durham Catering Company
Sweet Memories Bakery
Southern Vintage Table
Martha Manning

PS – Thank you, George, for sharing these fabulous photos of this beautiful, happy couple!

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Vintage Feature – Happy Yellow Vintage China

If there is one color that embodies happiness it has to be yellow! It’s the color of daffodils, sunflowers and sunshine. Now that spring is officially here, it’s the perfect time to showcase our inventory of yellow at Southern Vintage Table!

Let’s start with vintage china patterns that feature yellow flowers. We’ve got Golden Button by Taylor Smith & Taylor, Starlight by Salem China, Summertime by Staffordshire and Forsythia by Knowles. Aren’t they all lovely?

I adore yellow roses and this vintage pattern is beautiful! I can’t find the pattern name but the mark on the back says American Ironstone.

Yellow also shows up in many bold, geometric vintage patterns. This collection comes from Royal China and Taylor Smith & Taylor.

Watch your guests smile when they see your table set with vintage yellow china patterns. Southern Vintage Table also has an amazing collection of vintage amber goblets and tumblers that are the beautiful compliment!

Vintage Feature: “Forget-Me-Not” Vintage Pattern is True to its Name

According to German legend, a delicate little blossom was almost forgotten when God was naming all the flowers. “Forget me not, O Lord,” cried the little flower. God decreed, “That shall be your name.” How charming!

Wikipedia describes another tale that explains the pretty shade of blue. As the Creator was assigning colors to the flowers, he heard a soft whisper, “Forget me not.” The only color left was a little bit of blue which was given to the small flower. As the story goes, the flower was delighted and so are we as we admire this lovely midcentury pattern created in its honor by Myott & Sons of England.

I first saw this pattern at Elma’s Copper Awning in Mebane. In a previous post, I mentioned that she and Scott bought this set of china for me at an auction as part of our bartering arrangement. I immediately fell in love with the creamy color, the swirl around the rim and the color of the delicate flowers. With these features, it’s perfect for mixing and matching with some of the other vintage patterns at Southern Vintage Table.

Let’s start with the dinner plate. Here are several different looks this charming pattern can create with other lovely vintage patterns!

Whether on the outside as the dinner plate, or inside as the salad, the “Forget-me-not” pattern is sweet!

Southern Vintage Table is also fortunate to have serving pieces in this lovely pattern. With such a beautiful color and pattern, Forget-Me-Not on your table will help make your gala affair unforgettable!

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A Vintage Adventure – Bartering for Vintage!

The first time I stepped into her shop, I didn’t meet Elma but I did meet her daughter who was minding the store for her. It was on a Saturday afternoon and my friends and I were on one of our many adventures together. Our agenda this time was to start at Dick & Jane’s Martini & Tapas Bar for lunch and well, a martini, and then browse the eclectic shops on Clay Street in Mebane. When we walked into Elma’s shop, The Copper Awning, I realized that I couldn’t slow my friends down to give me time to look through her interesting collection, so I made a mental note to return the next week to see what vintage things I could get for Southern Vintage Table.

Elma was there on my next visit and I explained to her that I was looking for miscellaneous vintage china and tableware. She told me she had some terrific finds in her back room but she needed to get it organized before I could take a look. One peek at that back room and I knew she was right – I would come back later.

The following week I returned and when Elma saw me, she smiled. “Well, I haven’t had a chance to do much back there but I’ll make a path for you.” More than a few things were moved out of the way and then she left me to look. I started making a pile of a few things – a wooden box, milk glass goblets, vintage books – and as I am surveying the room filled with stacks, boxes and bags of “stuff” as Elma calls it, my plan came to me. I walked back into the front. “Elma, I said, “you need help getting that room organized and I would like to offer my services.” I suggested a bartering deal – my organizing skills for vintage things. She loved the idea and so did I!

I’ve been there several times, sorting, organizing, opening boxes and cleaning in that back room and basement. We have carried things from the back room to the basement and from the basement up to the showroom. We have moved cabinets, shelving and bins. I’ve been there one week to return the next to find a room in the shop totally restaged. This past week she had a gorgeous wedding dress displayed on a table complete with matching shoes and bouquet!

So what treasures have been added to our vintage inventory? First, we have more beautiful goblets – milk glass, crystal, pink and blue – and a few dainty teacups. We also now have a nice collection of vintage tins to add to a tablescape – love these!

My favorite addition, however, is a gorgeous set of vintage china called Forget Me Not by Myott china. This set is perfect – cream colored with a swirl rim and sweet blue flowers. I love the pattern but mostly I love how they came to Elma’s shop. Scott and Elma bought them at an auction for me. Such an act of kindness! Look for an upcoming “mixing & matching” blog with this beautiful pattern.

This chance meeting has flourished into both a business arrangement and a friendship. I’ve met her husband, daughter, granddaughter, son and daughter-in-law when they have stopped in at the shop as well as her friends and helpers, Scott and Patsy. I have learned that her story is even more interesting than the collection of “stuff” she has in her shop – she’s a retired civilian Marine, she volunteers at her granddaughter’s school, she sings in her church choir and she was in the Pentagon on 9/11.

Check out The Copper Awning on Clay Street in Mebane. Not only will you find something you will love, you’ll meet the delightful, generous Elma. Be sure to say hi for me!

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Vintage Feature – Mixing and Matching with a New Set of Vintage China

I came across another beautiful set of china that fits perfectly with the vintage china collection at Southern Vintage Table. This vintage set belonged to Grandmother Belle and, according to her daughter in law, was used on special occasions. I can imagine how delighted Belle must have been when she set her table for her guests with her fine china! This pattern is by Grace China and called Formal Garden. Discontinued in 1939, it was made in pre-war Japan which means it’s at least 75 years old!

This pattern is truly beautiful, but I think the sweet floral design stands out even more when mixed with other vintage patterns. Here’s a collection of place settings featuring the Formal Garden dinner plate with a medley of salad plates. Some patterns are contemporaries with Formal Garden and others were manufactured decades later. Such historical richness in a place setting!

Here are a few photos with the soup/salad bowl and the dessert plate. Charming!

Another gorgeous vintage china pattern in our vintage china collection ready for you to share with your guests! Contact Southern Vintage Table for more information about our event packages with our lovely, vintage wares. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Vintage Feature – New Additions to Southern Vintage Table

It’s time to catch up with some of our new additions to our inventory here at Southern Vintage Table! We have found a little bit of everything and we know you’ll love them all!

We added three new teacups to our growing collection of lovely china. This one is gorgeous, inside and out, with its purple flowers and gold trim. This vintage set is by Royal Sealy China of Japan.

Here’s a version of the Blue Willow pattern that I had not seen before. This pair of teacups were made in Occupied Japan, making them a bit of a collector’s item, and this dates them between 1945-52. I didn’t notice that detail until I brought them home because I was taken by their beautiful cobalt blue color with gold trim. What a nice surprise!

It was an amazing week as far as pink glassware! I found three Jeannette Glass Cube footed tumblers from the early 1930s. The pair of pink embossed goblets are a little less vintage. The pattern, Arbor by Noritake, was discontinued in the late 1990s.

The next three finds are now in our vintage decor collection. One is a vintage jug that would be perfect for a spray of flowers and the another is a vintage flour sifter. They belonged to Belle and they are probably from the 1930s-40s. The vintage wooden box is from a thrift store nearby – I love the rough, darkened wood!

Found this trio of charming dessert plates at a flea market. I love the hand-painted dogwood, something I can’t walk away from since the dogwood is our state’s official flower! The pattern is Dixie Dogwood by Joni and although they’re a bit crazed, I appreciate their beauty.

We added to our milk glass collection with these three vases. Their regal design is a new one for me!

Perhaps my favorite find is this beautiful, hand crocheted lace overlay. It’s incredible! I found it at a local thrift store so I do not know anymore than what I can see – but that’s saying a lot!

These and other unique vintage items are now available at Southern Vintage China. Add a bit of beauty and history to your next happy occasion!

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Vintage Feature – Small Vintage Goblets are Perfect for the Wedding Toast

We love vintage glassware! The feel, the look and the history embodied in a tumbler or goblet speaks to us. So when a client asked if Southern Vintage Table had one hundred small clear vintage goblets for the toast at her wedding, we told her, “not yet, but we will!” With this request from Rebekah an extra element of fun had been added to our vintage adventures. Every thrift store and antique shop we have visited in the past month has been very focused as we search for the perfect collection of small vintage goblets. Here are just a few we have found so far.

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental — Wexford by Anchor Hocking

We are almost there, Rebekah, with your one hundred small clear vintage goblets and we must admit, we’lll probably still be looking way beyond that count. We definitely will be ready come September!

If you have an upcoming wedding, please contact Southern Vintage Table. We have an extensive inventory of vintage china, silverware, glassware and linens, and if we don’t have exactly what you want, we’ll do our best to find it!

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Vintage Tips – Out, Dang Spot, On My Vintage China!

My focus this week at Southern Vintage Table has been to clean and organize – linens, silverware and china. As I shared in last week’s blog, I was given a set of vintage china – a beautiful cream-colored pattern with red and blue flowers around the rim. Most of the pieces were in impeccable condition but some of the plates were discolored. I was determined to find a way to get Lillian’s china cleaned. Well, keep reading ’cause I have some good news – it can be done!

Here’s the before – washing in hot, soapy water didn’t touch these stains!

Here's after soaking on 8% hydrogen peroxide overnight and then being in a warm oven for one hour. — Here’s after soaking in 8% hydrogen peroxide overnight and then baking in a warm oven for one hour.

All clean! Amazing transformation! — Amazing transformation!

Here’s how it was done. I first researched how to get discolored vintage china cleaned and below are three articles I found. Be sure to read all three because they each convey slightly different information but most importantly, there are safety precautions you’ll need to follow if you decide to use hydrogen peroxide. Of course, there are many more articles about cleaning china so you may want to do your own search for ideas, but this is certainly a good start.

Safely Removing Crazing Stains from Porcelain/Pottery

Removing Stubborn Stains from Antique Limoges Porcelain

Miss Mustard Seed – How to Clean Ironstone and Houzz

I first tried OxiClean soaks by filling the sink with very warm water and adding a full scoop of the detergent. I soaked the dishes overnight, checked them in the morning, removed the cleaned items and refilled the sink.

I did this all week and many items came completely clean. I could tell some stains were fading but they were still visible so I went to the next level – 8% hydrogen peroxide, which I ordered online. The article mentions to be very careful with hydrogen peroxide and I will agree – it will hurt if you touch it with your bare hands! Be sure to wear protective gloves.

One of the articles mentions to fill a container and soak the entire dish. I didn’t have enough to soak all of them so I poured the solution on the plates and the bowls and let them soak overnight.

In this case, you can see the hydrogen peroxide seeping into the crazed cracks where the discoloration is lodged.

The next morning I poured off the solution into a container so I could reuse it, put the plates and bowls on the cold racks and then set the oven to 200 degrees. Per the directions, I baked them for 1 hour. When I removed the pieces, I put them in hot soapy water. As the article warns, do not put them in cool water straight out of the oven or they may break.

Do not preheat the oven ! — Do not preheat the oven!

The first time I removed the dishes I was so impressed with the technique! All of the dishes were definitely cleaner and most were completely unstained. Some needed a second go-around. Only a few still had some discoloration but it was hardly noticeable, especially when you saw the before and after.

After cleaning Lillian’s dishes, I tried the technique with two other sets of dishes that had similar stains. These two didn’t need baking because the hydrogen peroxide bleached them overnight.

before bowl — Before soaking in 8% hydrogen peroxide

Before... — Before soaking in 8% hydrogen peroxide

Right now, I have one final sink of dishes soaking in two scoops of Oxi Clean. I also added a stash of vintage napkins and I already see that the stains are disappearing! It’s been a long process and I am still at it, but what terrific results! If you have dingy or discolored china, read through the above articles and decide what technique you should use. It’s definitely worth the effort! One final note, if you have crazing, this will not fix the cracks but it will help remove the stains between which making them much less noticeable.

PS – As far as my long ago goals, I’m finished with the silver and still working on napkins but should have them finished this week! I’m crossing my fingers on that one…

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