THE TABLE & ITS SETTINGS

in the grand scheme of things you might not really care about the table settings.  you’re probably even asking “kelsey, who really cares about the table settings?  why do i need to spend time worrying about this?  don’t i have more important things to decide?”  well, the answer is because if you are having a traditional sit-down reception (maybe a buffet or family-style dinner or a plated three-course meal) where your guests will be at a table, you will have options.  your caterer will bombard you with all sorts of linen colors and designs, standard table settings options and upgrades that are available, the chairs that come by default and then the fancy ones.  believe me when i say it can become a big blur very quickly.

my initial thought was “people are just at the tables to eat and then they’re on the dance floor and up and about after the meal is over, so why wouldn’t the regular options suffice?”  for us and our venue they wouldn’t suffice because they looked just a little too plain and needed a little something extra.  thankfully we had room in our budget to do a little upgrading on the tablecloths to elevate the whole picture a bit.  i could have gone really crazy with chair covers and gilded plate chargers, but the more i thought about it the more i realized that sometimes simple is better.  a little glitz and glam goes a long way, and as far as the table goes i had to remind myself that our homemade centerpieces with the upgraded tablecloths, tealights, silverware, favors, and napkins would be more than enough because folks are going to have purses and clutches and other items to place on the table and we don’t want the tables feeling too cluttered.  you certainly don’t have to do any upgrading at all if it isn’t for you or if you don’t have the funds, but the good thing is that if you are wise with your choices, you can get a big bang for a few bucks more.