How To Set The Perfect Easter Table

Like any holiday, there's no better way to celebrate Easter than by gathering friends and family around your dining room table for a festive meal. While we all know the importance of serving delicious food and refreshing drinks to our guests, Southerners believe that it's equally important to have a beautifully set table to showcase the carefully crafted menu. If you're feeling stumped and in need of dining room ideas, you've come to the right place.

The Southern Living collection at Dillard's has you covered with Easter-worthy products for every element of your table—including pastel-infused linens, cute bunny figurines, and serving trays for your deviled eggs, Hummingbird Cake, and Easter ham. Take a look at some of our favorite products below, along with a step-by-step instructions on how to create a bright and cheery tablescape for this special, family-filled holiday.

Choose Your Theme

We know setting and decorating a table for a big event like Easter brunch, lunch, or dinner can be overwhelming! Which is why we asked stylist and tablescape artist extraordinaire, Buffy Hargett, for her best styling tips. Her advise is simple: Stick to a theme! With all of your elements, return to a central theme with your table—be it a neutral palette, fun napkins, or even pretty colored glasses—will make your Easter table feel cohesive. Take a look at the playful Easter tablescape below for inspiration.

Select Your Linens

Every table setting begins with the beautiful base, so you first decision should be, do you want a runner, full tablecloth, or bare table? A runner will draw guests' eyes to the center of the table so it's a great choice if you're looking to showcase an array of tulips or Easter bunny cake, while a full linen, such as the one below, will turn the entire table into a colorful new canvas.

Create a Centerpiece

The style and size of your Easter centerpiece should depend on the style of your gathering—formal, casual, al fresco—and how many guests you're planning to seat at each table. Looking to not make a big fuss of flowers? Consider bud vases that you can fill will seasonal blooms such as tulips and ranunculus. Another idea: Opt for two or three medium-size arrangements and place them equal distance across the table. This way you can fill the empty areas with serving dishes and maybe even a wine chiller or two.

Showcase Seasonal Serveware

We believe deviled eggs deserve a spot on every holiday table, but they absolutely do at Easter. Incorporate the holiday favorite into your tablescape with this deviled egg tray—it works whether you're serving family-style, at the table, or along the buffet. Not to mention this dish is a great gift for the host if you're traveling to someone else's home for the holiday. This scalloped cake stand and bird-adorned serving tray are also favorites.

Perfect Each Place Setting

In addition to covering the table with linen and lining up a special centerpiece, you can't forget about guests' individual place settings. This is where your loved ones will sit, enjoy the meal, and appreciate that a spot was reserved for them. Much like our advice with the centerpiece, how above and beyond you go on each setting really depends on the budget and vibe you're going for. Feel free to mix and match new pieces with holiday heirlooms to create a space that feels both seasonal and intentional.

Incorporate Bunny Figurines

A bunny figurine is the cherry on top of any Easter tablescape. Sprinkle a few down the middle of the table, at each place setting, or around the room where your family will gather.