How to Arrange a Patriotic Fourth of July Tablescape

Photo: Parish Photography

“A hostess should always beautifully match her soirée,” says Christin Gish of Cloche Designs, an event planning company based in San Antonio, Texas. Just in time for Independence Day, Gish, and her partner, Laura Nell Burton, are showing us how to create the perfect tablescape for a July Fourth party.

For the festive occasion, the designers sourced items from the recent tabletop collaboration between Draper James and Crate & Barrel. “When it comes to patriotic tablescapes, we always detour in a chic way from traditional red, white, and blue,” Burton explains of why they naturally gravitated towards the pale blue tabletop items. For their Fourth of July bash, the two event designers and their adorable daughters wore pieces from Reese Witherspoon’s new Mommy and Me collection with Rockets of Awesome, too. “The stars aligned for us to capture this setting-the-table experience as a mother-daughter teaching moment,” explains Gish. “It’s now a special memory for us and our sweet girls.”

Below, they share how they set up the patriotic tablescape.

Plates and bowls: Draper James x Crate&Barrel “Magnolia” collection.

Photo: Parish Photography

Placecards: “We enjoy concepting non-traditional place cards. On this table we used cookies and set each place for a member of the family,” Gish explains.“We love thoughtful details! Place cards may seem overly formal, but they actually help guests relax because you avoid that awkward moment at the beginning of a dinner party when everyone wonders where to sit while the hostess has to direct traffic. Place cards are also a creative project that kids can own to help moms prepare a table.”

Photo: Parish Photography

Flatware: “A discontinued sterling pattern by Gorham called Etruscan,’ which is a simple Greek key pattern I’ve been collecting over 20 years through estate sales, Ebay, and Replacements.com,” says Burton. “You might notice a few mismatched sterling pieces in place settings, this is because I’m still missing some pieces, but this doesn’t bother me because I love a tabletop to look as if it has been collected with love over time. You might also notice that there is a child’s sterling silver set. We’re big believers in including children of all ages at even the most beautiful dinner table. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it!”

Photo: Parish Photography

Centerpieces: Traditional blue and white Chinese import pieces filled with red tulips and white peonies are simple, understated, and lovely.

Photo: Parish Photography

Stemware: “The wine glasses are vintage (they belonged to my paternal grandmother), and the water goblets are William Yeoward Crystal Fern, which were part of my wedding registry,” says Gish. “I swoon over all things William Yeoward.”

Photo: Parish Photography

Napkins: “We used Over The Moon’s gorgeous new Linen Dinner Napkins monogrammed in a blue Love Birds’ crest by Peep’s Paper Products,” says Gish. “They are absolutely perfect with those Chinese centerpieces! Every bride should have a set of these napkins in her trousseau.”

Photo: Parish Photography

Linens: And finally, a clean, crisp white hemstitch tablecloth lets all the other elements on this table shine!