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

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Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Event – A Vibrantly Vintage Lakeside Wedding

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

Vintage Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NCVintage Rental NCMaria 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.Vintage Rental NC

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 Rental NC

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!

Wedding

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

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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!

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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?

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Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Vintage Tips – A New Product for Removing Stains from Vintage China

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

A peroxide soak works to clean up stained vintage china as I attested to in a previous post, “Out, Dang Spot, On My Vintage China,”  but I have another product worth trying – denture cleaner. Using the two together, this cleaning episode is also dramatic and definitely worth sharing!

Recently I picked up a small set of vintage china that came with 4 very stained teacups. Someone suggested using denture cleaner to get rid of stains so I decided to do an experiment – denture cleaner vs peroxide. I put two tablets of denture cleaner in a container with two of the cups and dropped 1/2 tablet inside each cup. I added water to both cups and the container. For the other two cups I poured peroxide inside the cups and placed them in a separate container. I also added peroxide to the container to cover the very stained bottoms.

Over several days the cups soaked in the two solutions. I changed the denture solution several times and added more peroxide as needed. The denture cleaner did remove some stains very effectively but stripes of stubborn stains still remained. What was interesting was the stains on the two in the peroxide were uniformly lighter but neither of the soaking solutions thoroughly cleaned the stains at this point.

I decided the denture cleaner had done all it could so I put all four in the peroxide soak. Over the next week, after rotating the cups periodically and adding more peroxide as the water evaporated, the stains slowly faded.

Following their second long soaking, I put them in the dishwasher. The hot water in the dishwasher continued the cleaning process as I noticed amber colored drops of stain had seeped out of the porous china. It reminded me of the previous time when I had heated up peroxide-soaked plates in the oven. What happens is the peroxide solution seeps into the pores. When heated, the water evaporates and brings the stains to the surface. Take a look at the photos in “Out, Dang Spot, On My Vintage China”  to see what this looks like since I forgot to take photos this time.

One final hand washing and the results are stunning! The inner and outer stains are gone and these vintage cups look terrific!

bottoms

Peroxide does a terrific job cleaning stained china but, in this instance, I also think the denture cleaner helped. With my next group of stained dishes, I’m starting with denture cleaner but I will be ready with the peroxide soak if needed. Although the process can take time, it’s both cheap and effective. More vintage lovelies restored and available at Southern Vintage Table!

FYI – After writing this post, I decided to separate my tips from the “Features” category on my blog. So, you’ll now see “Vintage Tips” in the menu on the home page. We are always looking for ways to clean and restore vintage treasures so if you have a tip, please consider sharing. And, as always, thanks for your visit!

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Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Vintage Feature – The Living Energy of Organic Vintage Decor

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Organic, natural decor features once-living organisms – like wood, natural fibers such as burlap, feathers, shells, pine cones, moss, birds’ nests and even antlers. What’s terrifically remarkable is that the energy captured within these natural creations originated from our sun. How awe-inspiring is that? Maybe a throwback from my middle school teaching days when I decorated my classroom with all kinds of natural finds, I love using organic vintage decor.

I especially appreciate old boxes, crates and drawers with their rich, dark color and interesting grain patterns.  In my opinion, their scratches, dings and cracks make them more perfect and beautiful.  And, since they can hold things, such as napkins or gifts, they are utilitarian as well!

Photo by Katherine Miles Jones

Vintage baskets and woven articles are also wonderful to use on the table.  Whether it’s a tiered stand or a twig basket, they add texture and natural beauty to the tablescape.

In the yesteryear home, many household items were fashioned from wood.  Now collectibles, these not only add beauty, they remind us of a simpler time in our shared history.

I’m not sure why the distressed look is so appealing, but it certainly is chic!  Maybe it’s the added character or just the notion that it’s been well used and loved, distressed wood embodies the perfect vintage look. Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

When you stop to consider that captured within these natural creations is energy from the sun, you can’t help but be amazed and inspired.  These organic vintage treasures,  each with  a unique biological and manufacturing history, will add a beautiful, natural touch to a table or family event.  To see more of our vintage organic inventory at Southern Vintage Table, check out our new Pinterest board!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

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Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

 

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental

Vintage Tips – Staining with Tea for a Classic Vintage Look

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Renatl NC

Want the classic creamy vintage color for a tablecloth, lace overlay or any piece of cloth?  Try using a tea stain!  It’s easy, inexpensive and fast.

This past week I was on the hunt for a few more lacy overlays for Casi’s upcoming wedding. I finally found one beautiful crocheted tablecloth with several stains and one white lace overlay.  They had the dimensions I was looking for but I needed to do a bit of work on both.  For one I needed to get the stain out and the other I needed to put the stain in!

The stained crocheted cloth had to be carefully soaked.  After soaking in Oxiclean and gently washing 3 times followed by a concentrated overnight soak and a final wash, it is now ready.  I should have taken a before photo but you can definitely appreciate the after. So beautiful!Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

The white overlay had to be treated in an entirely different way – I had to stain it.  I wasn’t sure if it was going to work because it’s not a cotton material but it did!  Here are the easy steps.

First, steep the tea.  I used 5 family size bags and added  hot water to a pitcher under my Keurig machine.  I ran the water 4 or 5 times until the tea bag released all the tea color.  After stopping up my stainless steel kitchen sink, I added the brewed tea and enough water to cover the cloth.  One tip that was shared by the antique dealer I bought it from was to make sure the tea was evenly distributed so I used a wooden spoon to stir the tea.  Then I added the cloth.

I quickly made sure all of the cloth was getting soaked in the tea.  Standing there at the sink, I continuous moved the cloth through the tea water.  Periodically I lifted it up to check on the color.  When I got the soft creamy color I wanted, I wrung it out and put it in the dryer under low heat with a lavender dryer sheet.  Don’t rinse or you’ll lose some of the color but the good news is that if you stain too much, you can rinse some of it out before drying. Also note that the dryer may pick up some tea stain so after I dried this lacy overlay, I put in a brown towel to clean off any of the tea color on the dryer drum.

Here’s the before and after!

The perfect creamy color!  Now I have to remember to hand wash this as recommended but that’s no biggie because I can always dye it again. Want to add a little vintage color?  Use tea!  These and other lovely vintage overlays, crocheted and lace, are available at Southern Vintage Table.  Our inventory is growing and we have many different sizes available.!

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Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

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 Livinglegend 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.

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
Rock Quarry Farm’s vintage 1950s truck

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.

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

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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Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

 

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Vintage Feature – Inspiration from P. Allen Smith with Unconventional Planters

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
This unconventional planter is made from a Harkerware bowl. There was a chip on the underside so I drilled a hole in the bottom, planted some sedums and placed it on a candleholder pedestal. Love this look!

My friend, Carrie of Fernrock Farm, shared with me a terrific episode from P. Allen Smith’s Garden show.  It featured a farmhouse dinner table set in one of my favorite vintage patterns, Blue Willow.  With beautiful bouquets of yellow-green flowers and blueberry springs in a lush green outdoor setting, the dinner party was ready for guests. The second part of the episode was devoted to unconventional planters made from logs and branches. Carrie often has these at her stand at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market. As we were talking about my blog for this week, Carrie suggested I share my own version of unconventional planters in milk glass, porcelain, metal and wood. Brilliant!

I love vintage milk glass and with hens and chicks and other sedums, the milky white color just pops!  I supplied the milk glass compotes and Carrie filled them with the greenery for an upcoming wedding next month. She and Gerri made a burlap bowl so the arrangement can easily slip out of the container. They are so charming!

Have a chip, crack or handle broken?  No worries – turn the unusual or beautiful china dish into a planter! Drill a hole in the bottom with a porcelain drill bit and it’s ready for planting. These two cups are from a vintage Franciscan pattern from the 1980s. Below is an assortment of teacups, creamers and bowls filled with sweet sedums.two cups

Metal dishes are even easier to convert into planters and Fernrock Farm usually has vintage copper molds available at their market stand. I found this blue metal pitcher someone had used to mix paint. The inside looks messy but who would know with a beautiful mix of sedums hiding it?  The two metal bowls, one aluminum and one silver plated, also make wonderful, distinctive planters.

Here are two whimsical planters – a fountain and a egg basket.  The pump on the fountain no longer worked so I drilled a few holes in the bottom for drainage and the basket is so quaint with a small plant tucked inside!

I love this transformation!  With a vintage blackboard framed sign, guests immediately feel welcomed with this greeting station!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

These lovely, sedum-filled, unconventional containers and planters are available from Southern Vintage Table. Add vintage and garden beauty to your table at your next gathering!

Be sure to also check out Fernrock Farm‘s offerings on their Facebook page or visit their market stand at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings. Their locally grown flowers are beautiful, especially the dahlias!

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Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental

Vintage Feature – 5 Reasons to Invite Southern Vintage Table to Your Next Occasion!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental
Photos by Live View Studios, Katherine Miles Jones Photography, Katelyn James Photography

Planning a birthday party, wedding reception, baby shower or any special occasion?  Here are 5 reasons why Southern Vintage Table can help you make it an unforgettable event for your guests!


Reason #5:  Southern Vintage Table is a one-woman-owned small business. As a small business, personal, individual attention is top priority. Working together and sharing ideas with you to create a gathering that is unique, beautiful and memorable is as important to me as it is to you!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
Photo by Anna Kirby Photography

Reason #4:  Going vintage is eco-friendly and environmentally responsible. Our inventory of dishes, silverware, linens and decor are all vintage items found at thrift stores, auctions, yard sales and consignment shops. Many family treasures also have been generously bestowed to Southern Vintage Table by friends. When we use, repurpose and repair vintage treasures, we are not only reducing our ecological footprint, we are embracing something very profound – that our shared past is to be revered, not thrown away.

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
Top left photo by Ginny Corbet Photography; top right by Katherine Miles Jones Photography; bottom right by Live View Studios

Reason #3:  Vintage means variety. There’s retro vintage, rustic vintage, boho vintage, elegant vintage, shabby chic vintage, farmhouse vintage and simply vintage. Invite Southern Vintage Table to help you uncover your vintage style!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
Top left & middle,bottom right photo by Katherine Miles Jones Photography; bottom left by Live View Studios

Reason #2:  Vintage has a story to tell.  Encapsulated in every vintage dinner plate, goblet or silver spoon is a unique history.  Once set on the family dinner table or present in the home of women such as Edna, Clara Mae and Clementine, these now vintage pieces bring a rich, historic energy to any occasion.  While sharing them brings me tremendous joy as the proprietor of Southern Vintage Table, I also imagine their previous owners would love that their family treasures are appreciated by so many today!
Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC
Top right & left photos by Katherine Miles Jones Photography; mid top by Katelyn James Photography; bottom photos by Ally & Bobby Photography

Reason #1:  Vintage instantly brings smiles. Setting a beautiful table with vintage treasures connects the love of families across generations.  The collective positive energy radiating from each vintage item creates a wonderful memory-making experience and your guests of all ages will love it!  Embrace your vintage style and invite Southern Vintage Table to help you with your next family gathering!

Southern Vintage Table Vintage Chins Rental NC
Top left photo  by Theo Milo Photography, top right by Gents & Belles Photography;, bottom left by Scott Faber Photography; middle bottom by Kait Miller Photography.


Southern Vintage Table Vintage China Rental NC