Table Tips
It’s time to talk about one of the most glossed over topics about planning a wedding: the tables. Necessary? Quite. Hardwood? Not likely.
I don’t know what your wedding budget is. It could be the 34 cents you have left in your bank account after paying rent this month or enough to fly your entire guest list to New York for an all expenses paid day-to-night excursion at the Plaza. However, we can all agree that one luxury everyone can afford is the ability to handle even the littlest details effortlessly and with class.
Table Linens
I promise you, once everyone starts eating, no one will notice the handpicked color of your tablecloths. Your guests probably won’t even care, much less think about it, after they’ve left the table to dance for a few hours. I’m not saying you shouldn’t try to perfect every aspect of your venue down to the thread count of the table linens, but don’t waste your money on a tablecloth no one is going to give a second thought to. Try sticking to a classic white or ivory shade (some venues rent tablecloths which means you won’t need to purchase any) that will look elegant with whatever table runner and/or centerpieces your heart desires. The only thing your guests will make note of, is if the tablecloth isn’t floor length. The sight of table legs under the linen is usually regarded as tacky.
Escort Cards
Ah yes, the moment all “party of one” members want to get over with as quickly and painlessly as possible; like taking a shot [but not the fun kind]. It is a nice touch to leave hand-drawn escort cards at every seat in your venue with beautiful calligraphy scrawled names on them. However, it does look a bit silly to have all of your guests leaning over all the tables while playing a ten minute round of musical chairs just for everyone to get seated. I ask you, “Is the effort and money you put into those little escort cards worth it knowing the majority will end up in the trash?” Do yourself a favor and put out a big cute seating chart (or multiple to make things go more smoothly) where everyone can easily find their spot. I especially recommend the large seating chart for couples with a larger guest list whereas couples with a smaller guest list could comfortably get away with the personalized escort cards.
Seating Arrangement
What’s one of the easiest decisions you have to make you and your guest’s life easier? Not micromanaging the seating arrangement. Divide your guest list into groups of people like “The Smith Family” and “Coworkers” where everyone is in a group they would be most comfortable in and leave it at that. Assign each group to a table number and let the individual guests choose whichever seat they’d like. This will make everyone a bit more comfortable while letting you focus your energy on better things than “In what order, going counterclockwise around the table, should I put my second cousins in?” If you’re stuck with a particularly difficult situation, try to think outside the box with seating: Adding or removing chairs to tables can help move everyone around, make sure there’s a single’s spot such as at-the-bar seating you can use, or arrange the tables in a way where people can either be in or out of proximity from certain individuals without being at the same table.
