Rustic:  For a more casual nautical scene, focus on the natural elements of the sea and ocean travels.  Use a variety of textures for interest with a focus on environmental and rustic features.

We start with a blue tablecloth symbolic of the deep blue sea and sprinkle sailboat confetti to mimic sunlight reflecting off the surface. The table is centered around a group of 3 complementing antiqued buoys of varying heights, each with 3 bold stripes.

Flanking the buoy centerpiece are a pelican swallowing a freshly caught fish and standing on 3 pilings wrapped in rope and a sea gull standing on a white piling with rope.  Both bird statuettes are carved out of wood. 

'Tying' into the piling rope and the rustic scene are two large monkey's fist rope knots, one on each side of the buoy centerpiece.  Finally, as a favor to each guest, one of three styles of buoy floaters is placed in the center of each dinner plate.

Continue the casual tone with light blue and white striped cotton napkins reminiscent of seersucker.

Refined:  Create a slightly formal setting and more refined look with crisp lines and intricate details.  Start with a bright white tablecloth to make your decorations clearly visible and distinctive.  Metallic red, blue & silver sailboat confetti will really pop-out contrasted with the white background.

Center your table around a dramatic towering lighthouse in navy blue & white or red & white. Make your centerpiece interesting and fun by including a variety of intricately detailed model boats and ships of different ages and styles, such as, an old world clipper ship, mounted sailboat, fishing shrimper with nets & traps, and a sleek modern sailing yacht.

At each place setting, use navy blue napkins against the white tablecloth.  Place a beverage napkin picturing a martini garnished with a red & white life ring and saying "Every hour spent near the water is a happy hour", in the center of each dinner plate or charger.

In keeping with the nautical colors of blue, white, and red with yellow-gold accents, create a dramatic splash of color to the scene by placing a bright red aperitif on the cocktail napkin at each place seating.

Decorate the yacht club bar area for the pre-dinner cocktails with this popular wooden sailboat and its carved wooden captain. Provide a little guidance to the scene with one of several possible lighthouses, such as, St. Augustine, Florida; Jupiter Inlet, Florida; Cape Hatteras, North Carolina; or Cape Lookout, North Carolina.

Serve drinks with colorful racing sailboat beverage napkins. And, for more nautical dinner party decorating for the bar, bathroom, lighting and entrance see Nautical Theme Decorations.