One of my New Year’s resolutions for this year was to entertain more.

I’m always saying to my husband, “we should have so-and-so over,” or “this recipe is delicious, we should make it for a dinner party.”

But here we are, married for 6 years and we rarely have people over. (All that serveware I registered for going to waste!)

So, this year, I decided to host a Cousin Potluck Dinner for the cousins on my dad’s side of the family. A dinner party that was 18 people big. #gobigorgohome

The main inspiration for this dinner party was this paper placemat. It’s elegant, yet casual and has a fun vintage feel to it.

I knew I wanted to highlight the design with a clear glass plate (9 inches) and silverware that mimicked the drawn cutlery.

I also wanted to keep the black and white theme with a marble placecard. These are actually marble subway tiles from a hardware store..less than $1 each!

The centerpieces were a combination of white hydrangeas, white roses and mini pink carnations.

 

Along with the black and white theme, I wanted it to feel warm and romantic. I found tall candelabras at Goodwill and paired them with small mercury glass votives filled with roses.

All in all, my first major dinner party was a success.

It was such a fun evening full of candlelight, beautiful flowers and amazing memories <3 Thank you to my wonderfully large family for joining me for our first annual Cousin Potluck Dinner!

Hope this helps you plan a black and white soiree of your own!

Rentals (Chiavari Chairs, plates, silverware, napkins, water glasses): Party Plus Rentals
Paper Placemats: Hester and Cook
Black and White Straws: Target
Marble Placecards: Lowe’s

L,
Mrs. Alex Paul