Instead of a pressed tablecloth, the highly polished wood of the table itself brings warmth and depth.  It allows the whites and pastels to pop off of the dark background and doesn't compete with the linens or silver accents.

Small details like Pottery Barn bunny salt and pepper shakers and a painted ceramic menu card add whimsical and elegant touches.


Beautiful napkins embroidered with pink and blue flowers add color to the silver and white place settings.  The coordinating but not matching blooms seem more relaxed (but not too casual).


This Vera Wang stemware is one of my absolute favorite possessions.  I pull it out for every occasion I can.

Instead of traditional wine tags, I tied miniature mercury glass eggs (Pottery Barn) in pink, green, blue and silver to the stems of wine and water glasses with pretty scalloped ribbon. 


To protect the table and add a little extra shine, I used these gorgeous embossed chargers to back each place setting.  I'm a big fan of mixing high and low end pieces - the chargers were from Amazon (no longer available, unfortunately) and cost around $20 for a set of six, while the silver rimmed place settings are from the Parchment collection by Mikasa and were wedding gifts from generous relatives!


The centerpiece - a pure white, heirloom soup tureen filled with 3 dozen pink roses - is elegant and simple to put together.  Thanks to a local farmers market, it also looks much more expensive than it actually was.


Easter and spring themed details on the buffet and round serving table add color, and sweet yet playful touches.


I love this hatbox overflowing with hydrangea and peonies - it looks like something out of an English garden!  The hobnail bowl is filled with paper mache eggs purchased for $4 at Michael's.  I used some gold Rub n Buff to add shine - easiest egg decorating ever.  (And no funky smell after two days!)


The buffet will most likely be filled with tasty goodness by the time Easter dinner rolls around and the little extras that sit there now will probably move to our mantle.  Currently they include a fresh bouquet of hydrangea, roses and wildflowers, a small Boyd's bunny (named Emily Babbit!), and an antique tea cup filled with more gold-flecked eggs.  On the other side, sits my own very-loved stuffed bunny (I named him Benjamin), and a small bird cage featuring another antique tea cup, and nest of eggs and flowers.



I have to say, keeping it simple is making my life much easier this year.  With the table taken care of, I can focus on a wonderfully scrumptious menu (perhaps I'll use one of my top five favorite ham glaze recipes that I featured last year) and take some time to sit and enjoy the meaning of the holiday and the friends and family that it brings to the door.

Do you have any plans or traditions that you'll be breaking out this weekend?