A Wedding Reception Place Setting with a Tropical Flair

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Featuring simple ideas for putting together the elements for a tropical-inspired place setting, which can be applied towards a luau themed engagement party or rehearsal dinner.

You may not have plans for heading off to the Big Island to celebrate your wedding party, but you can sure bring a dose of “aloha” spirit to your table’s place settings and have your own memorable luau - right in your own hometown.

Selecting a Tropical-inspired Color Palette for your Table

To create this place setting, we selected a tri-color palette that would anchor the entire piece together. For this, we selected purple, green, and chocolate brown as the main colors with each color representing the different elements of the table. First, purple would be our inspiration for selecting the flowers. Second, green served as the guide for the table accents. Lastly, brown would function as the color for our place mats and plate chargers. To serve as a neutralizing color, we chose an off-white or light ivory/beige color, which would also serve as the base color for the entire color scheme. You can also use a fabric in a light shade of lilac, pink, or yellow.

Suggested table accents and accessories that you can use:

Abalone Shell Picture Frame - The luminescence of an inlaid abalone frame (seen above) provided a slight tint of purple with subtle blue and green colors; making it an ideal choice to use as a table number holder. This frame can also serve as a menu card holder. Alternatively, you can use the frame to hold a photo, which can then be displayed at the cake table for a decorative accent.
Orchid Flower - A purple orchid was used to add life to the overall place setting - you can use plumerias or hibiscus as substitutes. Since real orchids can be expensive to obtain, you may also want to try floral decorations made with silk flowers.
Rattan Charger Plate - Using a 13″ charger made of dark rattan was ideal because of the rich texture it added to the table. You can also use a gold beaded or clear plate charger, which is equally elegant.
Table Napkin - By selecting a color that would contrast well with brown, we chose a mustard yellow table napkin.
Gold Organza Ribbon - The shimmer of an organza ribbon was the perfect way for tying the silverware together.
Chocolate Brown Place Mat - To match the dark brown shade of the rattan plate charger, we used a rich chocolate brown place mat. Alternatively, you can also use a lighter place mat that would match the light tan shade of the plate charger.
Linen Table Cloth in Ivory - A light colored tablecloth in ivory or off-white provided the best way of completing the setting in an elegant way.