The finishing touches

You want yours to be an event to remember, so think about special elements and unique presentations. Simply changing your platters, adding garnishes or personalizing place settings can take your event from mundane to memorable.

• Use unusual items as seating cards - small picture frames or potted herbs, candles, ornaments, pinecones or shells.

• Dim the lights and use candles for a more dramatic effect.

• Music makes the mood. Think about the tempo and set the volume appropriately. You should be able to hear it but also have conversation over it.

• Take tips from your favorite restaurant: Add lemon slices to water, sifted powdered sugar to deserts and herbs to butter (piped with a pastry tip or scooped with a melon baller into individual pats).

• Instead of ordinary old serving platters, use mirrors, wooden cutting boards or food (bread bowls or heads of cabbage) to present food.

• Mix store-bought foods with homemade to keep things both easy and impressive.

• Decorate plates using sauces in squeeze bottles or plastic bags with the corner cut off.

• Allow people to try new things and experiment with new tastes. Include a little something different, whether it be ethnic food or a luxury item like caviar.