Black, White & Green
This table is for a New Year’s Eve party; however, it would also work well for a Christmas table or other winter celebration. It is a black and white table with green as the accent color. I used a white tablecloth and a black sequined table runner with black chargers. The silver plates and disco balls reflect the white around them, turning them into their own shade of white on the table. I will share a couple of tricks to setting this table.
Skip the Tablecloth
If you have a white table, you won’t need the tablecloth and can skip that step. The reason to put a white tablecloth is for the black charger to contrast. Then the silver plate contrasts with the black charger and keeps the black and white look.
Use Paper Plates and Interesting Napkins
It is hard to have the right plate to match every table. When you don’t have what you need, turn to paper plates. And if you are worried about how sturdy they will be, buy enough paper plates for each place setting to have two paper plates. This will double the thickness and make them more sturdy.
I used shimmery see-thru napkins that went well with the center table decor. I tied a knot in each napkin and placed them in a visible spot on top of the plates. If you find that you don’t really have matching napkins, place them under the plate with the napkin hanging over the side of the table. This will make them less visible. Showcase things you want people to see and downplay others you don’t want to draw attention to.
Use Plastic Cutlery
The cutlery (in the photo below) is plastic, but it is realistic-looking. People can tell by its weight that it is plastic, but not by its look. There are so many beautiful plastic cutlery sets now. They come in many colors and can be washed and reused. Here is a link to some pretty plastic cutlery.
Disco Balls
I used large, medium, and small disco (or mirror) balls on this table. They look great on a party table but also work well as Christmas ornaments on a tree or placed in bowls with greenery. And of course, they also work for hanging at parties with lights on them to make them sparkle. Click here for a disco ball source.
Use Party Crackers
The champagne bottle (below) is really a party cracker. If you aren’t familiar with them, it is called a cracker because it will crack open with a snapping sound when opened. They are also party favors because there is a little surprise inside.
How to Open the Party Crackers
To crack open the crackers, have one person grab an end. Then have another person hold the other end. Both people pull at the same time until the cracker breaks open. One person will be left holding a surprise, and the other will be left with a handful of paper and cardboard. There is usually a paper party hat inside shaped like a crown. Other times there might be paper confetti. Crackers can be an ice breaker to get the party started. Click here for a link to these champagne bottle party crackers.
Add Green to the Table
Because I had the green party crackers, I decided to use green ornaments on the table with the disco balls. Luckily, I already owned green ornaments that matched the party crackers. To tie together the centerpiece, I used some greenery on the table runner. The greenery helped to fill open space and keep the ornaments from rolling off the table. You could easily pair a different accent color with this black and white table. To make the best impact, use just one color. It keeps the table modern and makes it easy to coordinate when there aren’t too many colors.
Black Goblets
If there is one color of glasses that I get the most use out of, it is black goblets. I use them all the time! They work for Halloween, summer parties, and winter parties. You can use glass as shown below or there are plastic goblet options. To see their versatility, click here to for a summer party with black goblets and click here to see a Halloween table with the same black goblets.
Votive Candles
So as not to compete with the black goblets, I used votive candles and holders. It added some subtle light to the centerpiece without overcomplicating it.
Champagne Glasses
The clear champagne glasses (below) are almost invisible next to the black goblets. That is good because the black glasses steal the limelight and don’t need the competition. However, because I know most people might want two different drinks at this party, I included two glasses at each place setting. It is easier to have them ready, so you don’t have to get extra drinking glasses during the meal.
Plan Ahead
To find the items you might need for your next party, look ahead of time. This will give you time to buy things online if you can’t find them in local shops. Fortunately, there are lots of beautiful paper plates, as well as plastic cutlery and cups, that no longer look like items for a child’s birthday party. However, in the end, always try to use what you already have on hand to make your own unique celebration table.
