How to Set a Dinner Party Table for Less

Dreamily browsing for homeware and feeling a bit of sticker shock? Us too. Lucky for those of us not quite ready to make the investment in a full dinnerware set, there’s Social Studies. An impeccably curated entertaining emporium, Social Studies offers a “Rent” option, which includes full table settings for the night, priced out per guest. For our fellow maximalists: LaDoubleJ is on the menu. For those favoring a sleeker look, there’s the Dark Nordic, and minimalists will rejoice at the Gossamer option. Hosting a party for little ones? They’ve got multiple themed sets available as well – starting at just $22 per guest.

One expensive luxury you don’t need for your dinner party: scented candles. Ninety percent of what is perceived as taste is actually smell, which means that when your guests walk through the door to your home, you’ll want the sweet scents of the Alison Roman recipe you prepared wafting, not that of a cloying scented candle.

Instead, buy a 20-pack of votives ($7.99 to a scented candle’s $60+) and place them on top of your table runner. With twenty candles burning, it’s likely you won’t need to turn on your home’s lights, giving your table—and your guests—a beautiful glow.

Fresh flowers often feel like a necessary expense for a well-set table. And while we do agree that there’s nothing quite like a beautiful floral centerpiece, you don’t have to purchase a fresh one every single time you host. Dried floral bouquets (for LA locals, our favorites are from HERE) are often equally beautiful, and far more cost-efficient: you can reuse them time and time again.

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a tablecloth to set a tasteful table. In fact, you don’t even need a tablecloth to set a tasteful table. For a smaller group of guests, we love using this knit beach blanket in lieu of the traditional linens. This casual cream option, handwoven in Ethiopia, is a blank canvas without being boring. Throw a dried floral bouquet in the center of the table, pair with the Social Studies set, et voilà: the perfect table at a fraction of the price.