Now that we are well into Spring, I wanted to share some of my favorite entertaining essentials for the season. It was not easy creating this list, as I have found so many fabulous entertaining accessories. With that said, I have selected the following items not only because I frequently use them, but they are also unique, aesthetically pleasing and under $30!
3- Tiered Serving Piece
This is a piece that I actually acquired during the "Lilly-palooza" event at Target a few weekends ago (see here for my complete story). Originally I had come across this multi-tiered stand in the serveware section and thought it would be great for serving petit fours, desserts, etc… Upon arriving back at home, I called my mom to tell her about my newest acquisitions. It wasn't until she asked me to send her a link to the new serving piece that I realized it was actually a jewelry stand! Learning this interesting bit of information didn't phase me. I have used this piece multiple times for serving food and have yet to use it for jewelry, but apparently this piece is multipurpose!
I love the elegant aesthetic of this 3-tiered piece. The gold and cream color combination goes beautifully with most of my serveware pieces and looks great when paired with a variety of brightly colored Spring flowers. In addition to the aesthetic, this piece is also a great space saver. My favorite use for this piece is to hold all of my cheesescape crackers and accompaniments.
Paper Table Runner
I first debuted this accessory in my post on Spring Cheesescaping. Since this post, I have used this paper at least half a dozen times. I absolutely LOVE disposable table runners. Why?
- They come in an assortment of bold colors and textures, which are perfect for framing your neutral serving dishes and other entertaining accessories.
- The roll of paper actually lasts a long time. As I mentioned, I have used this paper at least half a dozen times and still have what appears to be a very full roll of runner paper remaining.
- Post party clean-up is a cinch! Instead of having to collect all of the crumbs and sticky food particles from the table after a party, I simply roll up the paper and throw it in the garbage.
- This roll of table paper is under $30. Considering how many uses I have gotten out of this paper so far and all of the other benefits, I consider this price to be very reasonable.
Gold Cheese Knives
Gold flatware has been all of the rage lately. I am certainly a huge fan of this look, however I haven't been able to justify the price (especially since I already have a full set of everyday flatware). My solution? Gold Cheese Knives! These cheese knives are an updated look at an affordable price. In addition, I love that this gold cheese knife set comes with a spear for serving pre-cut charcuterie and a flat paddle, which is perfect for using to serve chutneys and/or fruit preserves.
Edible Flowers
Nothing screams "Springtime" like floating a flower in your cocktail! As you may have seen in previous posts (like this one), edible flowers are my latest go-to cocktail garnish. Unique, natural, pretty and at a cost of $1.69/container you really can't go wrong incorporating these little gems into your next party.
Bud Vases
Spring means flowers and lots of them! Since flowers are my go-to decor accessory this season, I have decided to get creative with the way they are displayed (both arranging and vessels). My favorite vessel as of late is the bud vase. Why?
- Versatility- Bud vases allow for a floral pop of color in a variety of spaces. Instead of just using one large arrangement on my coffee table when I am entertaining, I will arrange 4 small bud vases interspersed with votives. I am also a fan of using bud vases to adorn my kitchen window sill, bedside tables, dining table, bar and even my bathroom countertops!
- Affordability- I have bought the majority of my bud vases from my local flower supply store at a cost of roughly $2.49/vase. What is not to love about that?
As I mentioned at the start of this post, it was a challenge to keep this list of Spring entertaining essentials to only 5 items. The possibilities for Spring entertaining are endless and there are so many fabulous products/entertaining accessories on the market at the moment. My best piece of advice is to look beyond the face value of any item you are considering buying. Thank goodness I didn't look at the label of my latest cheesescape serving piece in the store. If I had looked at the label of my 3-tiered "Jewelry" Stand prior to purchasing, I don't know if I would have gone through with buying it. As always, I hope this post has provided you with a new perspective and inspiration for hosting your next Spring soiree.
