Formal, rustic, casual, country-style… No matter what style of wedding theme you have decided upon, you need to give some serious thought to your place settings.
That’s because when your guests arrive at the table and see where they are going to be sitting, you want them to be super-impressed at the stylishness of your table.
Chiffon works so well along the centre of the table and the added scented eucalyptus on top gives it the perfect botanical look. Not forgetting the matching napkins to the greenery with place names.
Your wedding place settings actually begin with your wedding table plan, which shows everybody which table they will be sitting on. This should be somewhere easy to spot at the reception, maybe near the doorway or by the wedding cake.
Tie your wedding table plan in with your stationery theme and colours. So if you’ve opted for formal stationery, your table plan should reflect this. If it’s a bit less formal, then the same applies.
The table plan will have a number next to each guest’s name showing them they are on Table 1, Table 2 and so on. Alternatively, you may want to call your tables after places, events or things that mean a lot to you. Perhaps places you have visited whilst travelling together or names of your favourite films. This is something you can have a bit of fun with and talk to your fiancé about.
At the top of every place setting, you will want to have a place name. Well, that’s if you have decided to have a full table plan, having decided who is going to sit next to whom. On the other hand, you may just want to show people to a particular table and let them decide where they sit.
Here are a few table place design ideas that we’ve put together.
Blush pinks mixed with rose gold metallics are a very popular choice for brides just at the moment. Our Kent East stylist created an ombre theme here, mixing up the rose gold with soft pink chair drapes (tied with diamante brooches) and roses in different hues of pinks on the table and metallic place names. All topped off with pink, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. Fabulous for a summer evening wedding (or a wedding in winter).
Sequinned table runners look smashing paired with gold or silver charger plates! Spot the napkin here, folded to look like a camellia. This is the sort of place setting that really has the wow factor. Guests will stop and look at the place setting and probably take a photograph to put on Instagram! Just gorgeous.
You can read more about metallic wedding themes here.
Your flowers should also tie up with the colours of your place settings, which has been done beautifully here by a stylist. Roses in corals and pinks interplay with a folded pink napkin. Also, can you spot the ribbon wrapped pink macaroon on the guest’s side plate? The menu has also been printed in coral pink. If your budget can stretch to printed menus it’s a lovely, professional touch and makes a good memento of your wedding day.
If you’re having a DIY wedding, one way of creating place settings simply but effectively is to have fresh flowers for every guest tied loosely to the napkins. They decorate the tables beautifully and act as a favour for every guest too. Men can put the flowers in their buttonholes if they wish! Roses are a classic, but depending on the time of year, you could use narcissi, lavender or gerberas. Ask your florist to suggest some flowers. However, the flowers will need to be kept cool and moist so that they don’t wilt and they should be laid out on the place settings at the last possible moment.
Try and consider the season in which you’re marrying when you’re creating your place settings. The rich blue one above is perfect for an evening wedding in winter. Sparkling silvers and blues give the feeling of an ice palace and yet the blue chosen here has a depth of colour that makes it warm, rather than cold. Again, effective use of a sequinned table runner here, matching up the napkins with a rose on every plate for each guest. Other than the rose, this table is without flowers, the final flourish is an elaborate silver candelabra in the centre of the table, with tea lights reflected in a mirror underneath.