hannah jane chairs

Your Guide To Wedding Chairs

When it comes to your wedding day décor, chairs might not be the first thing that pop into your mind for a number of reasons. First if you’re trying the knot in a traditional church setting you don’t need to think about chairs at all. Second, your chosen venue will already have a particular type of chair option included in their packages and you might at first glance assume you have to go with those.
So you might forget about chairs all together and move on to something else on your list.

But you’d be wrong.

In fact, chairs can make a huge difference to the overall look of your wedding day and they need lots of consideration.

If you are saying your vows outside of a traditional church set up, then you’ve got huge scope to have some fun with seating.

But regardless of your ceremony, when it comes to your reception, don’t feel you have to go with the chairs on offer by your venue. There are lots of different styles of chairs and indeed ways to dress those chairs which you should consider before making any decision.

With all of that in mind, here’s some visual inspiration for you on the top three most popular chair styles I encounter, to get the ideas flowing. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly if you wish to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning and décor.

Chiavari Chairs
One of the most popular chairs of recent times, the Chiavari Chair actually dates back to 1807. It was created by Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi from Chiavari on the north-western Italian coast and has been a firm hit in gatherings ever since. This style of chair works well with a whole host of wedding styles and themes, from elegant, to modern, vintage and marquee. While the beauty of these chairs mean they don’t need any dressing up, they can look even more stunning with light draping.

Ghost Chairs
The transparent theme has been one of the biggest wedding trends in the last year and continues to be popular for 2019. Ghost chairs are the perfect way to bring the theme into your wedding day. These chairs don’t need much adornments, as the whole idea is the transparent effect they bring to the room. Keep them simple and only add the bare minimum for that on trend transparent look.

 

Hannah Jane Chairs
The Hannah Jane style of chair gives a nod to the beauty of the grace of the 17th Century. Again, these are chairs that don’t need much dressing up. Their design speaks for themselves and evokes a look all its own. Hannah Jane chairs work really well for that elegant or formal style of wedding.

Covers and Draping
Chairs are going to be one of the most noticeable things in your wedding venue or ceremony set up. So give some thought to how you want them to look. If you’re going for chairs and sashes, consider the colours of the sashes and remember you can go for mismatched sashes or alternative sashes too.

Even if you go for one of the design led chairs mentioned above, such as Chiavari, that doesn’t mean that you cannot add some embellishments or adornments to them. Chiavari Chairs look well with an element of draping, and adding florals or pom poms to the back of Hannah Jane chairs can look really stunning. But don’t rule out ribbons or streamers or even signage and the concept of having mismatched chairs too.

Marquee Weddings

A marquee style wedding is undeniably beautiful. There’s something about being out almost under the stars that just adds romance to a wedding day. So it’s not surprising, that it’s a trend that is always popular with couples. There are plenty of options to consider when planning a marquee wedding.

You could go with a traditional wedding venue that has a marquee for their weddings, or if you have access to a private piece of land or indeed you want to hire a piece of land this is another option to consider.

If you’re going with the former, then the pros are that you’ll benefit from the hotels existing facilities, however if you want ultimate control then hiring in your own option on private land is worth considering too.

If you’d like to chat about this, or any other aspect of your wedding day décor or planning, then please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

 

Hiring in a Marquee Top Considerations

  • The Cost

Often people assume that hiring in a marquee, works out cheaper than a traditional hotel setting. This isn’t always the case, so make sure to do your research first.

 

  • The Site

Finding the right site is crucial. If you are lucky enough to have access to a piece of land perhaps a family home’s garden etc., then make sure the area is flat with good access. If you are looking to hire a piece of land, again, make sure to do your research in terms of access, facilities and suitability.

 

 

The Planning

  • If you’re hiring in a marquee in your home or you are hiring a piece of land with no facilities, there is a lot to consider, from toilet facilities, to electricity, water, proper flooring, catering, crockery, a catering tent, heating, access, a bar and staff. While many catering companies can look after many of these aspects, often it’s good to hire a wedding planner such as myself who can take care of all these very important, but detailed elements of the day.

 

  • Have a Contingency Plan

While, your professionally set up marquee should be able to withstand the elements, it’s worth considering having an indoor back up plan, especially if you’re having a winter wedding.

 

  • Free Reign

While as you can see there are some drawbacks to hiring in your own marquee, the beauty of it, is the ultimate control you’ll have over the look of the day. If you want a glamping style tent, a tepee, or a grand fairy-tale marquee, with this option, the only limit is your imagination.

 

If Your Venus Has a Marquee

This can be by far the most straight forward option, as you really will benefit from the best of both worlds, with the hotels facilities, plus the special marquee feel. When it comes to décor, try and maximise the ethereal beauty of the marquee –

 

Lanterns and Pom Poms

Chinese lanterns and paper pom poms strung from the ceiling look fabulous, but don’t forget traditional style lanterns and hanging tea lights too.

 

Bunting

Bunting and tents or marquees go together like bread and butter, so have fun with this look. It’s also a very easy to source and an inexpensive piece of décor.

 

 

Lighting

Think about using bistro or string lights, gobo lights, uplighters and coloured lights to set the tone and atmosphere.

 

Chairs

Chairs can really make a difference on the overall look of your marquee. Think about pretty Chiavari or Hannah Jane chairs.

 

 

 

Wedding Chairs

When it comes to your wedding day décor, never forget you don’t have to automatically go with what your hotel or venue is offering. For example, if they only offer regular style chairs with plain covers and you’ve always had your heart set on chic Chiavari Chairs then it’s worth asking your venue if you can hire these in for the day. Similarly you don’t have to go with the sashes they have to choose from. Instead think about what fits in with your particular décor and theme.

Indeed your chairs can play a huge role in the overall look of the wedding venue and it’s worth giving it some serious thought ahead of the big day. Think about adding adornments such as pearls, pompoms and even streamers to chairs instead of covers and sashes. Look at the different style of chairs that are out there, such as Hannah Jane chairs or wooden style folding chairs and how they’ll fit in with your theme.

If you’d like to chat about this or any aspect of your wedding day décor, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

 

Chiavari Chairs
The epitome of elegance, the Chiavari Chair dates back to 1807. It was created by Giuseppe Gaetano Descalzi from Chiavari on the north-western Italian coast and has been a firm hit in gatherings ever since. This style of chair lends itself particular well to weddings. They look ideal in all sorts of settings from a traditional hotel set up, to marquees and even in barn or rustic style venues where the contrast looks really well. Generally these chairs are left with no covers, as the details on the back are key, however you can add some adornments such as pompoms or florals to enhance the look.

chiavari chairs

 

Hannah Jane Chairs
Another really elegant choice, the Hannah Jane style of chair gives a nod to the beauty of the grace of the 17th Century. Again, these chairs don’t really need any covers, as the detail is the main draw. These chairs work really well for most wedding set ups, but particularly for those that are aiming for a more formal or elegant feel, rather than that of a more rustic, laid back style of day.

hannah jane chairs

 

Bistro Style Wooden Chairs
These work really well for a more rustic style of wedding and particularly well for barn or even marquee weddings. The beauty of these chairs is that you can dress them up or down as much as you want to fit in with your overall theme. Think about streamers, floral garlands or even mismatched cushions. Also consider folding and non-folding chairs.

 

Covers & Sashes
Covers and sashes have become something of the norm for many weddings, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with going for that look. Classic and elegant, it’s always a winner and covers immediately add a sense of grace to any venue. Plus you can choose almost any colour of sash to compliment your overall theme. Think about tying the sashes in bows at the back or the side and don’t be afraid to add more adornments to the sashes too if you feel it’s necessary. The beauty of the covers is that it gives you an elegant yet uniform canvas to work with.

Alternatives to Covers
Finally, if you hate the idea of traditional chair covers but you still want to add some of your personality to your chairs, then don’t be afraid to add all sorts of adornments to them. Think about fresh floral garlands or pompoms. Streamers can also look stunning, as can signage, pearls, mini bunting and posies. The only limit on this one is your imagination.

 

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