My mom did something like this and she got some canned tomatoes that came in a can and they had a really cool vintage looking label. So she washed that out and served those long bread sticks in there. She also took boxes, to give differen't "levels" to the food dishes. Place a table cloth over the boxes, and then the food dishes ontop of the boxes. Hope that makes sense!!! Not sure how to keep the pasta warm. I would say cook it right before serving. I would probably offer fresh garlic bread(long fresh loaf, butter, some garlic in oil from the produce deparment then toast it all) then maybe salad as well. Oh and olives! One of those neat long dishes for olives would be neat. Have fun!! I think I want to host the same theme!!

Caterers around here use that boxes & tablecloth trick, and it looks GREAT. Bunch the cloth up a bit and weight it down with fruit or vegetables, or maybe little vases or ornaments -- you'll see, you can get a very professional look even if you're not very "Martha."

I wouldn't try to keep the pasta itself hot, just the sauces. Do you have a crock pot/slow cooker, a chafing dish, a fondue pot, a hot plate or warming tray? I bet you can rent or borrow if you don't. But if (1) it's a very casual evening, (2) your kitchen layout permits, and (3) you don't mind cleaning the kitchen before the guests arrive (and then AGAIN after the party), you can just keep the sauces on the stove. Our friends have a chili party every year, and they use the stove and crock pots, and it's fine.

The way the pasta buffet is done in a professional venue is to have a propane burner or 2 and several non stick fry pans and a bottle of olive oil...
Have a big pot fo room temperature cooked pasta well coated with olive oil. When someone comes through the line, the server heats the small non stick skillet, puts a "once around" of EVOO in the pan and adds the amount of pasta for the next 2 or 3 orders.
He tosses the pasta with the oil over the heat....adds the sauce, tosses until all is hot and plates it up.
That way there is never any gluey pasta and every one gets a fresh hot dish.
Not sure you can do that as a buffet without a lot of attention to serving.
Linda C