SC - Help with presentation

[Michael Macchione]

Greetings all,

I've got a small problem.  I'm running a feast in the near future with a
Mid-Eastern theme. The theme was thrust upon after I had agreed to do the
feast.  This wasn't a problem since I was given enough time to do some
research (which was desperately needed since I had never done such cooking
in my life).  The problem arises when recently the Autocrat tells me that
she has invited the Barons and Baronesses of some local groups to sit at
High Table.  This was unexpected since my shire hardly ever has a high
table at feast, mainly because we are something of a young shire in the
boonies of the kingdom ("you're in the East Kingdom??? Are you sure???")
and thus doesn't have much in the way of precedence  (at a feast in our
shire a year ago I was fifth in line in precedence with an 8 month old
AoA).  

Anyway, I hadn't even put any thought to having a High Table.  

>From what I've seen at many feasts, usually something special is done for
the High Table, an extra dish or something special for presentation.  Now
here comes the problem, since I hadn't planned on a High Table, I hadn't
budgeted for it nor had any ideas  on how to spruce up the display.
Initially I was thinking about just decorating the trays with some
flowers, but then it suddenly dawned on me, this is a mid-eastern event,
carnations, daisies, roses etc wouldn't look right.

So I was wondering, does anyone have any ideas about what might be a
simple (i'm artistically challenged), inexpensive and mid-eastern way to
spruce up a feast.

Kael