This month we focus on the home, specifically the quintessential Aiken home, in the sense of entertaining. When you think of the Southern home, there is an unspoken extra room that we use especially in the spring and summer afternoons, and that is the porch. Well, the porch, patio, sunroom, wherever you and your guests talk, gather and dine. We share exciting news, frustrations, secrets, goals; we share our lives on the porch.
We went to one of Aiken’s most respected interior designers, Catherine Hersacher of Bespoke Fine Interiors, to stage and prepare the perfect dinner party tablescape on the exquisite patio in her downtown Aiken home. In honor of the many equestrian events this month, we incorporated that theme in the shoot. Being an equestrian herself, Catherine delivered flawlessly.
No tablescape would be complete without florals, so Catherine called in floral designer, Kate Van Cantfort of Southerlee Farm. Instead of going traditional, Catherine and Kate used local vegetation all harvested by Kate and preserved after the shoot. The lush greens and subtle variegation of the greenery, paired with the soft sunset, made for the perfect shoot and definitely caught the guest's attention.
Some may ask why. Why go through all the effort to stage and prepare a dinner party? Why invest in special plates and napkins for one event? Why plate the food beautifully when it’s just going to be eaten? The answer, in short, is fellowship. Fellowship that creates connections and helps guests make meaningful memories. Having a vision, theme and design for your table creates a visual feast for your guests. They connect through noticing details, trying new food, experiencing the unique mood you choose to provide, even noticing the unique textures of the table linens. Catherine and Kate sourced pieces from their own collection as well as pieces from Thoroughbred Style.
A beautiful table sets the stage, but the food is the main attraction. For the meal, Catherine chose several options for her guests which provided the perfect flow. Before the guests sat down for dinner, she offered an assortment of fruits, a lovely charcuterie board from Blue Collard Market and pimiento cheese dip. Cork and Cap Bottle Shoppe in downtown Aiken provided the perfect wine options, a chardonnay, and cabernet. When the main course was served, guests enjoyed a beautifully roasted chicken with brussel sprouts prepared and styled by Catherine and Kate.
Needless to say, the dinner party was a great success, and it left us wanting to plan our own outdoor gathering soon. We hope that we encourage our readers to as well.
Thank you to all who contributed and attended-
Catherine Hersacher
Bespoke Fine Interiors
(home, art direction, table, dishware, silverware, food styling)
IG @bespokefineinteriors
www.bespokefineinteriors.com
Kate Van Cantfort
Southerlee Farm
(floral design and event styling, food styling)
IG @southerleefarm @katevancantfort
www.southerleefarm.com
Kelly Smith
Thoroughbred Style, LLC
(horse plates and cashmere blend blankets)
IG @thoroughbredstyle
www.thoroughbred-style.myshopify.com
Blue Collard Market
(charcuterie)
www.bluecollard.com
Erin Eisle + James Alford
Cork and Cap Bottle Shoppe
(wines served and displayed)
IG @shopcorkandcap
www.shopcorkandcap.com
Also joining us on the patio, Emma Van Cantfort, Daniel Hill from Bridlewood Farm, and Morgan Purvis with Old Barnwell.
