Southern Vintage Table Event – Amanda & Nathan’s Lakeside Wedding

http://www.amyallenphotography.com

Amanda contacted Southern Vintage Table early July about renting our vintage china for her October wedding. She loved the look of our elegant collection and thought it would be perfect for her lakeside wedding in Four Oaks.  Along with our vintage dinner and dessert plates, our vintage tiered stands were featured on the dessert table as well.

Of course, her vision was so on the mark!  We weren’t present at this lovely affair, but thanks to her talented photographer, Amy Allen, here are a few beautiful photos featuring our elegant china collection at Amanda and Nathan’s fall lakeside wedding.

http://www.amyallenphotography.com

“I have to say your dishes absolutely MADE the wedding!! They were the perfect touch!!”  Thank you, Amanda!  We definitely agree. See more of this beautiful affair on Amy’s blog!

Best wishes to you, Amanda and Nathan and thanks again, Amy for sharing your photos!

http://www.amyallenphotography.com

 • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Event – A Marriage Celebration for Taylor & Cameron

http://kristymay.com

My previous two posts revolved around a special event for our family – the marriage of our daughter, Taylor, to the love of her life, Cameron. Two weeks ago I shared how to make a no-sew bunting in preparation for our party and last week I posted a few photos from that evening. This week it all comes together as I have more photos of our lovely celebration as well as the cosmic back story of Taylor and Cameron’s romance.

Ever since she was a young girl, Taylor wanted to visit Australia. It was her dream. In fact, as her friend, Thomas, reminded her, she declared that not only was she going to travel to Australia, she was going to marry an Aussie man. Well, the cosmos must have been listening because that’s indeed what happened.

Her chance to visit Australia came as a Study Abroad student during her sophmore year at UNC-G. Within two weeks of arriving at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Taylor met Cameron and they started dating. When Taylor returned to UNC-G after her semester abroad, they continued their international relationship. Cameron came here for a year and Taylor went there for several more. Eight years following that first date, they married in NYC with friends Ryan and Jamie at their sides. Then they came home to celebrate with family and friends.

Taylor and Cameron wanted a family party rather than a wedding reception. With The Big Barn Convention Center as our venue, I knew Southern Vintage Table‘s vintage casual china collection would be a perfect match. The Big Barn, a rustic, historic venue just outside of Hillsborough, is owned by my husband’s cousin, Donna. Donna was so pleased we were having Taylor and Cameron’s party there because she was present thirty years ago when Randy and I celebrated our marriage, right there at The Big Barn. A sweet cosmic message, I am convinced!

With the venue set, I began brainstorming ideas for the tables. My vision of blue & white and yellow casual china patterns on vintage printed tablecloths was a good start but I knew I needed more help. Fortunately, my sister, Sharon, is the owner of RSVP-Events so I went to see three of the savviest women in the event-planning business – Sharon, Tammy and Lindsey. With their advice and expertise, I started finalizing our vintage family theme.

Blue & white and yellow vintage china plates, clear vintage goblets, vintage silverware and white napkins, pansies in milk glass, small bouquets of yellow, blue and white flowers from Fernrock Farm and, as the main feature, vintage kitchen printed tablecloths. At Southern Vintage Table, we have a growing collection of these wonderful table coverings, but we didn’t have quite enough for our party. Luckily, Priscilla, another savvy friend, let me borrow a few from her amazing collection.

After Carrie took me to pick up flats of pansies at a local plant store and my dear Yaya friends signed up for the appetizers, we were almost set.  All was left was to order the BBQ, slaw and stew from Allen & Sons and an assortment of homemade pies from K&W. Joy was preparing her famous southern-style green beans and Rowena was baking wedding cookies. Lastly, Anne Honeycutt’s DJ service was going to bring the music. With Jami’s gorgeous floral arrangements featuring Fernrock Farm‘s flowers, here’s how it all came out!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

As you can see, it was colorful, casual, vintage and beautiful!  But, more importantly, it was fun and wonderful to celebrate this sweet occasion with our dearest friends and family. The loving cosmos has graced Taylor and Cameron and we are all very excited for them.  Cameron, welcome to our family!

http://kristymay.com

Many, many thanks to these awesome, kindhearted and generous folks!

Consultation & Lights: RSVP-Events
Flowers: Fernrock Farm
Venue: The Big Barn
Caterer: Allen & Sons, K&W
Music: Honeycutt DJ Services
Tableware, Decor: Southern Vintage Table
Wedding Photos: Kristy May Photography

Floral Designer: Jami
Appetizers: The Yayas
Beans: Joy
Cookies: Rowena
Tablecloths: Priscilla

 • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Event – Celebrating with Taylor & Cameron

It’s been a crazy week getting ready for our family gathering and I haven’t been able to work on my weekly post but I do have a few pictures to share from last night.  Many, many thanks to family and friends who helped celebrate the marriage of our daughter, Taylor, to her Aussie husband, Cameron! More to come next week!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
Blue, white and yellow themed plates with colorful vintage tablecloths

 

Check in next week!

 • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Event – A Romantically Vintage Wedding

Photo by Anna Kirby

Rebekah and I started working together last fall on the table details for her wedding reception. For their September wedding, she and Joey had chosen Mt. Lebanon Chapel in Airlie Gardens for the ceremony and Saint Thomas Preservation Hall in downtown Wilmington for their reception. Saint Thomas Preservation Hall, a restored former Catholic church built in 1846, is a wonderful setting for a vintage wedding reception. They had fallen in love with its beauty and to complement its rich history, Rebecaa wanted vintage table settings. As you might guess, Southern Vintage Table was thrilled to help!

Her wedding reception vision was vintage romance with elegant vintage china and goblets. In addition to the vintage inspired guest tables, Rebekah and Joey’s dessert table idea was both unique and personal  – they wanted to offer their favorite tea flavors with the wedding cake at a tea and dessert bar. When she shared this idea with me, I remember thinking what a wonderful idea!

With our vintage dessert plates tucked in the drawers of the vintage cabinet provided by Simply Put Vintage Rental, and our teacups displayed on the vintage sewing machine, also from Simply Put Vintage Rental, the dessert and tea bar was charming and beautiful!  One of my favorite features on the tea bar was the samovar, a Russian hot water kettle. Finding this treasure was very memorable and you can read more about it on this post, “Vintage Adventure – A Thrift Shop Miracle.”

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

We set the tables with our elegant vintage china collection.  My staff (aka friends, Mary, Louise and Jami) layered the dinner, salad and appetizer plates to create a beautiful, mixed and matched setting for each guest. Along with our vintage silver flatware, napkins, clear goblets and gorgeous flower arrangements by Kickstand Events, the reception tables were splendidly romantic!

As a special request from Rebekah last fall, Southern Vintage Table gathered a collection of small vintage goblets for their wedding toasts, and although we don’t have photos of these from that evening, we do have a previous post that features them, “Vintage Feature – Small Vintage Goblets are Perfect for the Wedding Toast!”  We think you will want them at your wedding, too!

airlie gardens wedding-4

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rentals

Congratulations and best wishes to you, Rebekah and Joey!  Thank you for letting us be a part of this romantic, lovely and magical experience. Also, thanks to Anna Kirby Photography for many of these extraordinary photos and, again, to friends Mary, Louise and Jami for all of their help!

Folks who helped with the beautiful, romantic wedding reception include:

Photography: Anna Kirby Photography
Reception Venue: St. Thomas Preservation Hall
Event Coordinator: Jill White
Floral Design: Kickstand Events
Vintage China and Tableware: Southern Vintage Table
Vintage Furniture: Simple Put Vintage Rental
Reception Entertainment: Stray Local
Caricaturist: Bill Smith
Catering: Pine Valley Market
Baker: One Belle Baker
Lighting: High Performance Lighting

 • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Vintage Feature – My 5-Step Plan to Sort, Organize & Let Go

Southern Vintage Table has now been in business for about a year and a half but I have been collecting vintage things for almost two. As I reflect on these past two years, I can hardly believe how much I have learned! When I started this company I knew almost nothing about vintage anything. Really. I don’t think I even knew the name of one china pattern and I can’t remember ever ironing a napkin or polishing anything silver. As I gleefully embraced my new-found enterprise, I collected in a frenzy. I probably went hunting at least 5 days a week and, as you can imagine, have amassed quite a collection for our rental business.

Now, however, as hard as I know it will be,  it’s time to sort, organize and let go of a few things. As I begin this arduous task, I have come up with a plan – as my friend, Mary would say – and here it is in 5 steps!


 

Step 1: Pull out my least favorite china patterns.
The operative phrase here is “least favorite” because frankly, I haven’t seen a pattern I haven’t liked.  But there are a few in our collection that kinda disappear on the table. Admittedly, these were some of the first pieces I picked up and if I were to find them today, I don’t think they would become part of our inventory.

 Step 2: Reduce the numbers of the same pattern.  
When I first started my collection, I couldn’t help myself – if I came upon 20 plates in one pattern, I’d buy every one. Today I am a bit more savvy and, if it’s a new pattern, I’ll buy no more than 5. With our philosophy, “a little of a lot”, I want to have lots of many different patterns rather than multiples of the same. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule; I have a few patterns that are just extraordinarily beautiful and I cherish each and every plate in that same pattern.

Step 3: Coordinate a visit to a reseller.   
Fortunately, I live close to a huge china reseller and can easily sell my extras to them.  The trick is to find out what they are buying and that’s pretty easy. I called and asked for a quote in the patterns I wanted to sell.  They sent me one via email and now I know their offer and what to pack up.  I made an appointment and I’m headed there next week.

Step 4: Sell via a yard sale or Craigslist.
I’m still working on the details of this but I’m considering joining a parking lot sale a local antique business is sponsoring. For $25, you get 4 spaces to sell your wares. Sounds pretty easy. But then again, I may just skip this step and go straight to Step 5.

Step 5: Donate to a local thrift store.
The only hard part to this step is deciding which one. We have many in our area that support a host of different causes and that’s a good problem to have!  I think most of my things are headed to a no-kill animal shelter re-sale store, one of my favorite places to find things for Southern Vintage Table.


With my plan in place, I am now at step 3. By next weekend, hopefully I will have reduced our inventory to our best offerings, ready for your next event! Of course, letting go also means more room for the new, like this vintage cake plate I picked up this week. Don’t you love the manufacturer’s mark on the back?

~ On a side note, the graphics for this post were created using one of my favorite iPad apps, Camera360 (thank you, Caitlin, for sharing!) and BorderFX, a free plug-in for Apple’s Aperture.  I had fun creating them!

 • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

 

Vintage Colored Goblets with Vintage Plates

Southern Vintage Table Event – A Vibrantly Vintage Lakeside Wedding

Vintage China Rental NC

When I met Maria last spring, I felt this instant connection as she shared her wedding vision with me.  She and Jonathan were getting married at Bass Lake and, like all couples, they wanted their wedding to be memorable for themselves, their family and friends. Even though we all appreciate the look of delicate, elegant, vintage china, Maria’s vintage wish for their wedding was whimsical, cheerful and vibrant. I was certain our casual vintage china collection with vintage jewel-toned glasses would fit perfectly!

The mid-century vintage collection at Southern Vintage Table is wonderfully eclectic – some patterns are bold, some are demure, and others are just charming – and seeing them all together is delightful.  The spectacular sparkle on the tables was our gold, green, pink and blue vintage goblets.  With our vintage stainless collection and vintage napkins, the final look was so lovely!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
Vintage Rental NC
Vintage Rental NC

Maria artfully designed her vintage-inspired welcoming station.  Along with our vintage suitcases, crate and books, Maria created a collage of photos clipped to framed chicken wire, decorated a mailbox for cards and displayed a welcoming sign for her guests.  She also used a vintage window to frame the seating charts which stood on our large easel. This happy wedding ended with a dazzling sendoff with the sparklers ready to go in our wooden bucket.

The prominent feature of the dessert table was the stunning cake with its vintage record player pedestal.  The dark vintage wood against the creamy cake icing and vintage overlay created a dashingly dramatic look. The vintage dessert plates and dessert forks in vintage silver trays completed this gorgeous display.

Vintage is a style with many interpretations.  It can be romantic, elegant, shabby chic, retro, bold, charming, quaint or any combination thereof. For Maria and Jonathan, vintage meant sharing a vibrant, memorable experience, filled with love of family and friends.  Thank you for inviting Southern Vintage Table to be a part of your wedding day. Wishing you endless love, joy and fun!

Photo by Rachel Dennis

These folks helped make this a memorable wedding for all:

Cake: Erin Lodeesen, Friend of the Bride
Photography: Rachel Dennis, Friend of the Bride
Videographer: Cinema Film
Appetizers: The Fresh Market
Officiant: Raudel Hernandez
Photobooth: A Picture to Remember Table Settings: Southern Vintage Table

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Event – New Pinterest Boards Feature SVT Events

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NCIn a recent post, A Celebration of Numbers, one number we were very excited about was our 18 events at the end of our first year. Since that post, Southern Vintage Table has provided vintage items for 13 more happy occasions – a birthday party, a baby shower, nine weddings, one dinner party and one family reunion.  We are so happy to share our vintage dinner plates, luncheon plates, silverware, reception table decor, vases, teacups, tiered stands, serving dishes, vintage glasses, milk glass pieces, lace overlays, tablecloths, napkins, suitcases, trunk, wooden ironing board, blackboard frames and so much more!

Now you can see photos from many of our events on our new Pinterest boards. With images from actual celebrations, we hope you will be inspired to see how we can help with your next family occasion. As always, we are very appreciative when you entrust us to be a part of your special affair!

SVT Weddings
SVT Birthday Parties
SVT Baby & Wedding Showers
SVT Family Dinners

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Vintage Feature – A Mélange of Vintage Vases


Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

The purpose of a vase is simple – to hold pretty flowers. The vase, however, is also the frame for the bouquet, creating a look that might be beautiful, elegant, colorful, fun or whimsical. Today’s post, short on words but long on photos, features the eclectic mix of vintage vases and containers at Southern Vintage Table and how they display their lovely flowers in many different ways.

 

 

 

 

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NCBeautiful flowers always are appreciated at any affair and even more so when framed in a vintage vase or container. Southern Vintage Table has many choices – milk glass, blue mason jars, petite ceramic, silver pitchers, green glass vases, teapots, sugar dishes and creamers, small bottles and even a Coleman jug or two.  To see more of our collection, take a look at our new Pinterest board, Vintage Vases.  More pins are on the way!

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Vintage Feature – Vintage Metal Trays

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Another delightful vintage accent for your next event – decorative metal trays. Along with their metal partner, vintage tins, these trays are beautiful, historic and practical. As I surveyed our small, growing collection at Southern Vintage Table, my organizing instinct just kicked in. I decided our vintage collection fell into three categories: advertisement, decorative printed and hand painted.

Advertisement Trays

This grouping of trays tell a story about America in the early 1900s. Heinz, Pepsi and Coke were three of many companies that used trays to advertise their products. Although these are reproductions of their original run, they are all vintage 1970s.  Check out the evolution of the latest fashions depicted in these advertisements!

Decorative Printed Trays

These trays, with their printed motif, are all interesting. The round tray has a well around the center, perfect for crackers or cheese, and the raised center could hold the dip – in a vintage bowl, of course. The small red floral tea tray is very dramatic and would definitely add color to a table. The gorgeous, romantic rectangular tray, made in England, is a Daher tea tray from the 1970s. A bowl of treats would look so sweet on this lovely tray.

The oval “Old Ironsides” tray was produced in 1976 to mark America’s 200th anniversary  and would be perfect at a bar or drink station. As the story goes, the wooden sides of this 18th century ship, officially called The Constitution and named by George Washington, were so strong that British cannon balls would bounce off.  One other tidbit – it was one of the first original six frigates of the Unites States Navy and is the “oldest commissioned ship in the world still afloat.”

Hand Painted Metal Trays

These three trays are literally works of art.  As you can see, each has a handwritten note or signature that gives it that one-of-a-kind uniqueness.  I think each qualify as tole trays – hand painted metal trays.  According to French Garden House, tole refers to a tray or metal ware that has been painted.

Tole refers to decorated tin and iron wares from 1700-1900; but most people also use the term to refer to various painted metalware from the late 19th to mid 20th Century… American Toleware features fruits, florals and symbols. Mostly these pieces were painted by amateur artists using the “one stroke” technique with the paintbrush loaded with several colors at once.

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Along with our vintage tins, collection, these vintage trays would add beauty and history at your next gathering. Our collection of both now can been viewed on our new Pinterest board, Vintage Metal Tins & Trays!

For more information about metal trays, check out these articles.

French Garden House

Antique Coca Cola Trays

What is a Tole Tray?

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Vintage Feature – For the Love of Chickens

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Each week I wait for an inspiration for my Sunday post.  Typically I don’t actively look but instead I trust, with my antenna up and ready, that I’ll receive this cosmic message. It’s kinda magical – waiting for something you don’t know when, where or how it will appear – but it can also be a little nerve-racking if nothing has shown up by week’s end.  But, knock on wood, that didn’t happen this week and my inspiration was truly delightful.

Here it is –  these darling, vintage tea napkins with embroidered roosters.  I found them at one of my favorite haunts and instantly loved them. As I studied their delicate stitches, so many questions came up. Who did these once belong to … who would stitch small roosters in the corner of her tea napkins … was tea time a daily part of her life … did she love roosters…? As I stood there, admiring these dainty, charming napkins, I knew my inspiration message had arrived. Chickens and roosters!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

I went through our inventory at Southern Vintage Table and starting pulling together vintage items that featured chickens and roosters.  I knew they were there but I hadn’t thought of them as a group onto themselves. Not surprisingly, I came up with some dishes, baskets, a tub and salt & pepper sets.

First, let’s look at the dishes and start with, of course, deviled egg trays!  My aunt Aline always prepared deviled eggs for our family reunions and she also loved to collect deviled egg trays.  I am so pleased that two from her vast collection are now available at Southern Vintage Table.  Thank you, Aline!

These vintage patterns and dishes all feature chickens and roosters. I especially love the Provincial pattern by Scio and Weathervane by Taylor, Smith & Taylor. There’s something wholesome and good about having a chicken on your plate or in your bowl!

 

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
Weather Vane by Taylor, Smith & Taylor

Here are more vintage chicken treasures in our collection – two chicken baskets, a pair of roosters and even an enameled pan with a painted rooster on the side.  Aren’t they all charming?

 

As I am taking these photos, I remembered the first time I met a chicken.  One summer our family, with eight children aboard, loaded up the station wagon and made a road trip from Maryland to Dunn, NC for a long visit with mom’s parents, Susie and Wiley. With chickens, pigs, a mule and a huge vegetable garden, we learned how to gather eggs, pick peas and feed the pigs.

In the cool evening air, we often sat under their big tree and, with an enameled pan in our laps, we shelled peas while Grandma’s chickens roamed freely in the yard. I remember how much Susie loved those chickens, calling out to them by name and throwing corn at their feet, but I also remember that she made the most delicious chicken and dumplings. Sigh. Some tough lessons were learned that summer and I am so grateful for that time we spent on the farm with my hardworking, loving grandparents.

My sisters, brothers and cousins all have these sweet childhood memories about our summers on our grandparents’ farm. Today when I see a chicken, real or on a vintage napkin, I oftentimes think about Susie. Add a little vintage chicken to your next family gathering. Chances are someone will have a cherished memory to share as well.

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

• — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — • — •

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC