55th Annual Delaware Show

DON’T FORGET THE TUNES. There is nothing like music to set the tone for a party. You must have music, and it should reflect and reinforce the mood of the evening. SHOP YOUR CLOSET. Centerpieces for the table do not always have to be flowers. Study your cupboards and closets for items to use. Use what you have. CREATE A WARDROBE FOR YOUR TABLE. A table setting is like a collage: you start with an idea, one item, then build around it, layering in everything needed to complete the story. MIX IT UP . . . and I don’t just mean the cocktails. Experiment with different combinations of china patterns. USE YOUR LINENS. Crisp and clean—and beautifully ironed—are always the watchwords for table linens. LIGHT THE CANDLES, PLEASE. To me nothing is more mood enhancing and downright sexy than candlelight. Kill the overheads and dim the lamps—let the party begin. PLEASE BE SEATED. Place-card seating requires a hostess to consider her guests and who will be compatible with whom. Do not make your guests guess where to sit. — 21 —