Vintage Rental Decor NC Archives - Southern Vintage Table

Southern Vintage Table Event – Vintage Postcards Capture the Christmas Spirit

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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!

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!

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Vintage Feature – From Elegant to Rustic, Vintage Silver-Plate is Chic

Note to Readers – We’re back to updating older posts, redesigning the layout and updating photos/descriptions. This post, from February 2014, needed more editing that the previous ones since our silver-plate collections have become more extensive.

No doubt, we love vintage china, glassware and linens – the patterns, colors, and beauty all inspire us. But there’s another category of tableware from the vintage table to rediscover and admire – silver-plated dishes, flatware, and accessories. Whether elegant, casual, or shabby chic, the gleam of silver adds sophistication and richness to the table.

One cool feature of silver is the gradient from really tarnished to really shiny. We love shiny silver but I also appreciate the rich patina of the darker, tarnished pieces. This metallic range of colors translates into versatility and style!

The first silver we started collecting for Southern Vintage Table was flatware. We remember finding several in a bin at the thrift store and making that decision to bring silver flatware into the inventory. I knew it would take some time to build up a collection for a large gathering. Fork by fork and spoon by spoon, we now have beautiful, gleaming collection of vintage silver flatware patterns. How delightful that each guest may personally enjoy the beauty of silver with every bite!

Since we posted this back in 2014, we have added to the flatware collection. Vintage serving tongs, sugar tongs, butter knives, and cake knives and servers are available!

Along the way, we also have collected large beautiful vintage serving trays with handles, pitchers, a variety of teapots, bowls, and platters. Some unique pieces include a vintage silver-plate lazy susan, chip and dip round platter, wine coolers, and cake stands.

Want just a few accent pieces? We have a little bit of a lot – bud vases, small trays, goblets, candle holders – even a vintage hairbrush.

As you plan your next gathering consider adding touches of this precious metal to your table. Whether a little darkened with tarnish or gleaming with sheen, vintage silver will dazzle your guests! Be sure to check out more pieces on our Pinterest Board and our Silverplate Gallery page.

Vintage Silver at Southern Vintage Table

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Southern Vintage Table Event – Celebrating 25 Years Later

Note to readers – This is an updated blog from a combo celebration that took place 10 years ago, June, 2014. It was Mary’s and Lanis’ wedding anniversary and Mary’s birthday. Our vintage mis-matched lace tablecloths over the sea foam tablecloths is one of our all-time favorite looks. We remember searching high and low for vintage blue mason jars because they were very popular at the time. If these become “en vogue” again, we’ve got you covered. They are the perfect blue! Our vintage plate collection was limited at the time but we see patterns in the photos that we still have and a few we don’t. Today, we’d suggest that the plates be placed at the tables rather than the buffet so they can be better enjoyed.

One update – sadly, Snipes Farm is no longer operating as a venue. It had a great, natural vibe and the rental included Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning. Also, Porchetta is no longer operating and we’re not sure about Daisy Cakes. A lot can happen in 10 years! And, just to clarify, we did not place the flatware. At least that’s how we remember it… Finally, we have only changed the layout and switched out a few photos. We hope you enjoy this little time capsule!

The year was 1989 – Mary and Lanis were married and began their lives together. Twenty five years later, they wanted to bring their friends and family together to help them celebrate this sweet anniversary. Everything came together so perfectly – a rustic, lovely farm setting, freshly prepared food, spirited drinks, yummy desserts, fun music, and beautiful tables with vintage decor. How wonderful is that?

Snipes Farm, once a thriving dairy farm in Orange County dating back from the 1940s, was the perfect venue for their party. Mary chose a soft sea foam color for the dining table linens and the collection of vintage lace overlays from Southern Vintage Table created the delicate, vintage look. With floral help from friends Florence and Ennis, table centerpieces were artfully arranged in vintage blue and clear Mason jars with an assortment of roses, Mary’s favorite, and other colorful flowers. The end result was simply gorgeous!

The buffet tables began with stacks of vintage plates primarily in pinks and blues. The delicious dinner, provided by Porchetta owners and chefs Nicholas and Matthew, included porchetta, shrimp & grits, mixed vegetables, sautéed sweet potato with fennel, mixed green salad and warm couscous salad. The dessert table, covered with vintage tiered and cake stands, was ready for the yummy cupcakes and macaroons created by DaisyCakes.

Southern Vintage Table added more vintage touches to the party atmosphere. First, guests were greeted with a vintage distressed garden cart covered with flower bouquets in vintage Mason jars. The drink station showcased two terrific vintage pink treasures – a vintage enameled tub and a vintage Coleman cooler. On a table decorated with vintage tins and scale, Mary and Lanis shared their wedding album with guests. Other photos from their 25 years together were strung along the bottle wall at Snipes Farm.

Eating, dancing, laughing and celebrating – as you can see, it was a fun-filled evening for Lanis, Mary and guests. To the friends of Lanis and Mary – many thanks for sharing these photos!

Congratulations, you two. Here’s to the next 25! Anniversaries, birthdays, weddings, or family reunions – all reasons to invite Southern Vintage Table to help you celebrate your next life event!

Here are the folks who helped with this lovely affair:
~ Snipes Farm Retreat ~
~ Porchetta ~
~ American Party Rentals ~
~ DaisyCakes ~
~ Fifi HiFi ~
~ Southern Vintage Table ~

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Vintage Feature – Keys Events Styles a Beautiful Blue and White Shoot

This year we have participated in at least eight styled shoots – perhaps a record for us – and we have benefited from the wonderful photographs shared with us by a host of talented photographers. Today’s shoot was courtesy of Monique of Keys Events and Tierney Riggs Photography.

The blue and white theme paired with our vintage amethyst goblets and natural wood pieces is one of our favorites! We also love CE Rental’s blue and white tablecloth, which proves that too much of a good thing can be grand!

Thanks, Monique, for showcasing our vintage goods in your lovely shoot. We look forward to showing these to our clients! Be sure to check out Keys Events!

Vintage Feature – The Charm of Vintage Tins

Today’s post is an update from 5 years ago! When writing about the charm of vintage tins, we believed our clients would love and appreciate their beauty as we did. Voila – many did and below you’ll see photos of how sweet they look filled with flowers, cookies, or just by themselves!

So, here’s our updated version from February, 2014 with a few new photos sprinkled in as well as SVT’s new logo at the close!

We have fallen in love with another vintage item – tea, candy and biscuit tins. Tins, as they are called because of the tin-covered steel sheets they are made from, vary in colors, patterns, shapes, lids and sizes. The ones we have collected for Southern Vintage Table are simply charming!

Photo by Annie Watts

A flat tin is perfect as a stand for just about anything! With a set of bar glasses, a stack of plates, a vintage greeting card or a plate of cupcakes, these tins add color and history to the table. Of course, you also can put things inside, like your forks, spoons and knives or cookies!

Tins
Photo by Ginny Corbett Photography
Photo by DHS Photography

The vibrant colors of these tins are amazing! Notice the different types of lids on this set of vintage tins.

This classic blue and white vintage tin is pretty both inside and out. When we picked this up from the thrift store shelf, an employee said to be sure to open it up. The inside of the lid is also decorated – a small built-in tray!

We discovered that many of these are probably from the 40s-50s and up to the 70s. Filled with candies, cookies and teas, they became popular items in gift shops and department stores. The majority of our collection has a “Made in England” mark but there are some from Holland, Germany, and America. A few have no mark at all. One thing is certain about these lovelies; they have decorative and even functional uses on the vintage table!

Tins

These lovely vintage tins once held delicious things for us to enjoy. Now, decades later, they continue to enchant us with their sweetness and charm. Add a little vintage delight with our vintage tins from Southern Vintage Table!

Here are a few resources about vintage tins.
What to Look for When Collecting Vintage Tins
Celebrated Biscuit Tins
Biscuit Tin – Wikipedia

Southern Vintage Table Event – Honoring the Chefs of Thanksgiving at Our Annual Family Reunion

Thanksgiving 2018 for the Bass-Heath-Roberson families and friends was amazing! Fifty years ago the tradition began with our parents and grandparents who traveled far and near to share a homemade Thanksgiving feast. This time-honored ritual has become a favorite holiday celebration and we are grateful for the many memories this day has created for each of us.

Honoring our chefs, past and present, was this year’s holiday theme. Along with our beautiful white stoneware plates, green, brown, and amber goblets, multicolored napkins, and bakelite flatware, we incorporated vintage kitchen decor down the guest tables. Vintage sifters, graters, egg cups, and kitchen tools transformed into vases, filled with foraged florals, berries, moss, and greenery.

We’ll be back next year to do it all over again! Many thanks to Sandy, Rowena, and Sherry for setting the tables and designing the centerpieces. Also, we salute the Rolesville Masonic Lodge for their many good deeds and for generously allowing us to use their meeting hall for our family gathering.

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental

Vintage Feature – Three Client Reviews and Three Vintage Views

For wedding professionals, there’s nothing more delightful than receiving kind reviews from their clients. Because we are passionate about our vintage wares and what they represent, we truly love sharing them with others. We strive to do our best to be accommodating, polite, and timely with all of our interactions and events. These three client reviews from Wedding Wire help us know that our collection and efforts are appreciated!

Emma – April, 2018

“Shelly was great to work with and I really enjoyed getting to visit her studio to try different colors and patterns for my wedding reception tables. The mix-and-match blue china and glasses were whimsical yet classic and added a nice touch of color to my tables. There were tons of options to choose from! She was flexible with pick up and drop off.”

Renée – April, 2018

“If you are looking for vintage place settings and rentals for your wedding or other special event, look no further! Southern Vintage Table has everything you can imagine! Shelly is wonderful to work with and was so accommodating through the whole wedding planning process. Shelly and her team did a fabulous job and went above and beyond to make my daughter’s wedding reception even more beautiful than we could have imagined!”

Mallory – May, 2018

“I got the most compliments on my wedding about the table settings and the dishware! Everyone LOVED the eclectic pieces and creativity! The staff was very professional, timely, and accommodating. Would recommend Southern Vintage Table to anyone! Thank you for making our wedding so beautiful!”

Thank you, Emma, Renée, and Mallory, for your lovely reviews and for trusting us to be a part of your wedding day! To read more client reviews, go to Wedding Wire and our newest collaborator, The Knot.

Vintage Feature – Shiny Vintage Silverplate

Cleaning silver can be messy and time-consuming but the results are always so satisfying! We have been putting this task off for a while but this weekend turned out to be the perfect time. In fact, it turned out to be a Zen moment.

With the counter covered in plastic, new gloves donned, and Yaya apron protection, the polishing began. Piece by piece in the silent studio, the dark tarnish was wiped away. While being “in the moment” over the period of several hours, we cleaned vintage flatware, trays, and teapots. Remarkably, the dreaded task had become a cathartic experience.

In the pile of mostly butter knives, there was a pair of forks, but, as it turns out, not an ordinary pair. As the tarnish came off, two etchings were revealed. One was etched with Mr and the one with Mrs. We recall finding these in a thrift store bin, but didn’t realize we had the pair. What a nice surprise! Notice how the Mr fork is smaller than Mrs. There must be a wonderful backstory!

After finishing the flatware, the cleaning and polish continued. Kymberly came by this week to choose decor for an upcoming church tea party. She needed 12 silver teapots/pitchers and 12 silver trays for her centerpieces.

Here’s the after-polish-applied look…

…and here are the shining results!

Ahhh, the feeling of wiping off the old and revealing the shiny underneath is certainly fulfilling; our task turned out to be more than cleaning silver. And, it’s important to remember that It takes time for the tarnish to reappear, and when it does, it can be wiped cleaned again.

Have a wonderful week!

Southern Vintage Table Event – Handpicked Showcase of Makers & Experts at The Parlour at Mann’s Chapel

How delightful and humbling to be invited to the “handpicked showcase of makers and experts” at The Parlour at Mann’s Chapel, a beautifully restored historic chapel! This charming venue is absolutely perfect for intimate gatherings and we love being a part of any affair held here.

The evening was great fun for both vendors and guests! Tasty bites from a cadre of talented caterers and food vendors – Columbian chocolate treats, homemade ice cream, champagne, mac & cheese, cake, coffee & donuts, cookies, cider, petite salads, and speciality drinks – were enjoyed by everyone. The beautiful tablescapes, handmade paper products, glorious florals, and samples of guest favors as well as vendor services such as hair, makeup, photography, handwriting, and planning were part of this showcase affair.

Our post today includes photos of our table, taken by the talented Rebecca Ames, which was all decked out with the magnificent locally farmed flowers from Fernrock Farm.

Sending out kudos and thanks to hosts Aimee and Yvette, owners of the The Parlour at Mann’s Chapel, for inviting us to this gala event, Fernrock Farm for the gorgeous fresh flowers, Priscilla for her sparkling spirit and support, and Rebecca Ames for her lovely photos! To see more of Rebecca’s photos from the evening, skip over to her blog post. You won’t be disappointed!

~ Here’s a salute to all of the fantastic vendors! ~

A Signature Welcome, Abigail Porter Bridal Yoga, Amanda Blair By Design, American Party Rentals, The Bardot Beauty Bus, Bri Bakes, Carolina Livery, Cat Call Collective, CE Rentals, Chad Biggs Event Planning, Chatham Cider Works, Chatham Rabbits, Chef Paris Fine Southern Catering, Choco Sweetness, Cottage Luxe Boutique Event Rentals, The Gathering Company, H+L Catering, Happy Tines Calligraphy + Design, Heir Raleigh, Ida Lou Bride – Fine Bags & Trimmings, Juniper and Rye Floral, Kast Events & Co, Krystal Kast Photography, Laurel Calligraphy, Lil Photobus, Mason Dixon Designs, Mood Fleuriste, Party Tables, Pinola Camper Bar, Rebecca Ames Photography, Salt & Smoke, Simply Cakes, Southern Sugar Bakery, Southern Vintage Table, Tenco Coffee Truck, Top Off Events, Trillium Workshop, Two Roosters Ice Cream, Wink Hair & Makeup

Vintage Feature – Pre-Open House at The Parlour at Mann’s Chapel

Dang – We wanted this week’s post to feature before and after photos of The Parlour at Manns Chapel’s open house but it just couldn’t happen! Our weekend is joyfully packed with this gala event, a mother-daughter tea party, and a Sunday bridal tea shower we are hosting with the dearest of friends.

This post is being written Saturday morning before heading over to Fernrock Farm to fill brass vases with Carrie’s gorgeous flowers. Then Priscilla and I are going to The Parlour at Manns Chapel for our evening open house. Sunday morning our destination is the Kings Daughters Inn in Durham to set up and host our bridal tea party. Busy, busy, busy and we love it!

Here are a few photos of our Friday afternoon setup sans beautiful flowers by Fernrock Farm which will add that last bit of gorgeousness. Our setup showcased our 5 vintage collections – white stoneware, elegant florals, blue and white, bold retro, and wildflower stoneware – along with samples of our vintage table decor. More photos of the evening will be forthcoming!

Can’t wait to hang with Priscilla and these vendors tonight!