table plan

How To Style Long Wedding Tables

When it comes to wedding receptions, the traditional set up has often been for a long top table for the bridal party, with round tables through the rest of the reception set up.

But while the old classics are tried and tested go-to’s for a reason, that doesn’t mean you have to stick to it.

As the taste in venues has changed in recent times, with many couples going for more laid back, rustic venues, the demand for long tables has increased and it’s not hard to see why.

Whether going for a room full of long tables, one big long table or a mix or round and long, they are something you should consider for your wedding day décor, both for their convivial nature and for their eye catching impact.  

Here we look at options and ways to style them to the max. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly if you wish to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning and décor.

 

Chairs

There’s no hard and fast rules when it comes to matching chairs to long tables, but there’s no denying that a long table set up certainly evokes a more laid back, relaxed style for your reception. Think village hall chic, no set table plan, people sitting and chatting where they feel most comfortable and a really intimate feeling. With that, often the best chairs to match can be bistro style or Chiavari chairs. Keep it simple and leave them naked or if you want to add an extra layer of chic why not add some tasteful draping or even streamers?

 

Florals and Garlands

Long tables love long garlands. They are a match made in heaven. Whether you decide to go for long lush greens paired with crisp whites, or florals with pops of colour interspersed along the way, it’s all about that overhang at the end. A long contrasting coloured table runner is also a great addition, as are the odd tall focal points, such as blossom trees or candelabras to bring a really visual counterpoint to the finished look.

 

Finishing Touches

There’s no limit to the amount of finishing touches you can add to your long tables. If you want to keep to a budget paper pieces such as pop-poms interspersed with your garland can look really well, as can economical yet rustic chic wooden boxes and slices. Candles of differing sizes lined along the centre line will look absolutely show stopping, as will lanterns.

 

A Mix of Long/Round

The exact type of table set up will often be dictated by your venue, so when viewing options be sure to ask what is and is not possible in terms of the space.

The style of venue will often be a factor too. Barn or lofty style venues generally work best with long tables. It also depends on what look you’re after – formal or relaxed.

Bear in mind that often a contrast looks more eye catching than uniformity, so consider a mix of round and long.

 

 

Equestrian Wedding Theme

It is said that Ireland is the land of the horse and they aren’t wrong. Whether you and your partner have horses, ride horses, compete, ride for fun or are just horse lovers from afar, why not bring that joined passion into your wedding day?
There’s lots of really personal and beautiful ways to include horses, equestrian themes and accents into your wedding day décor.

If you’re both horse riders, then it’s the ideal way to bring a shared passion into proceedings, plus it will be a chance to put all those rosettes and trophies to good use too!

If neither of you are horse riders or owners, but still adore these stunning animals, then don’t worry, there’s still lots of ways to bring their spirit to the day too.

With all of that in mind, here’s some visual inspiration for you, 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.

Make An Entrance
If you’re a horse owner, then you’ve got to give arriving on horseback some serious consideration. Whether it’s the bride/groom arriving to the ceremony or the newly married couple arriving to their venue, this is guaranteed to be one special way to make an entrance. If you’re not a horse owner, but can ride, then be sure to look into venues that offer horse riding as an activity and check out their options in terms of hiring a horse for the wedding. If you cannot ride but still love horses, then why not arrive by horse drawn carriage?

 

Location
Channel the rustic charm of the stables by seeking out a barn style venue for your big day. Think lofty spaces, with high ceilings, lots of wood details and access to outdoor space. If you really want to channel the horse theme and know someone with an indoor arena, think about using that as your venue!

 

On the table
There’s lots of ways to have fun with your table décor, so why not stat with the most obvious – horseshoes for your favours/place cards! You could also use rosettes. Why not name the tables after your favourite horses, be it Black Beauty or Red Rum! Use trophies for your flowers instead of vases and use them as you centrepieces, interspersed with rosettes. Stirrups can be used to hold tea lights on the table or indeed look stunning as hanging tea lights.

Around the Room
If you or your partner have amassed lots of rosettes over a lifetime of competing on horseback, then why not put them to good use as your table plan or escort cards? Why not have a game of horse shoes set up in the outdoor space of your venue for guests to play. Use your old saddles as décor around the room, put flowers in your old leather boots and have some hay bales placed around the venue.

 

Images via pinterest 

Music Festival Wedding Theme

Did you and your husband or wife to be meet at a music festival? Maybe you bonded over your shared love of music? Either way, if you’re both total festival lovers, then it makes sense to channel this shared passion into your wedding day décor with a full on festival theme.

Causal is the key word to keep in mind here. It’s all about laid back fun. Think tents, wellies, food trucks, campfires and even bales of hay. Get creative with little details like access all areas passes, tables named after your favourite concerts and chill out zones for your guests to relax.

Above all, this theme is about having a little fun and throwing off traditional wedding conventions.

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

 

Venue

The venue is key to getting this theme right. So think beyond the normal hotel/function room style of venue. Instead seek out venues that offer outdoor sections and think tents and glamping. You can hire in a lot of the essentials yourself or with a wedding planner such as myself. There are also several venues that can offer the best of both worlds with festival themed outdoor areas, yet with the comforts of a luxury hotel too, so make sure you do your research before you go ahead.

 

Table Plan and Signage

While this sort of wedding is much more casual than a traditional wedding and a sit down meal may not be what you’re after, having a table plan is an opportunity to have fun with your favourite bands as names. Or why not have escort cards in the form of an access all areas VIP pass or wristband with each guests name on it. Signage is also important to let guest know how the day/night will work, especially as this sort of theme is a little different to the norm.

 

 

Table and Room Décor

Even if your venue isn’t quite a yurt in the middle of a field, you can still give it that festival vibe with the right touches. Think about having a record for each table name, use mason jars filled with tea lights or glow sticks, lots of bunting, string lights, streamers and Chinese lanterns to set the tone.

 

Creative Touches

Think about fun touches like offering guest wellies, have bales of hay to sit on as a chill out zone, rugs for snuggling up with, campfires and think about having food trucks and buffest style dining instead of a formal sit down meal.

 

 

 

Marble Wedding Theme

If you’re looking for an ultra-cool, right on-trend theme for your wedding day, then the marble effect is for you. Think minimalist, clean lines with subtle colour palettes and you’ve got it. Marbling is a great way to add texture and works incredibly well with greys, light pinks, crisp whites and greenery for a really modern touch to your wedding décor.
Of course you don’t have to stick to the rule book when it comes to this trend. Indeed, marbling doesn’t have to be confined to muted tones of grey. Remember those fun oil marbling effect paintings most of us did in school? Well keep that in mind when it comes to marbling embellishments and why not expand the colour palettes to include anything from pastels, to brights and bolds.
If you’d like to chat about this or any other aspect of your wedding day décor and planning, then please don’t hesitate to email me directly.

 

Stationary and Signage
Marbling works so well for invites and save the dates so have a look at the designs that are out there. A marbled menu on each place setting will also add visual texture to your tables. Also think about having some strategic signage throughout the day too. And they don’t have to be made out of marble, regular card printed with marbling effect will work just as well.

 

Finishing Touches
Think marbled table runners, dishes or napkins. Why not use some marbled ribbon wound around candles or lanterns, or why not just go for a few marbled accents such as balloons or aisle runners? Or instead of the traditional guest book, why not get a customised piece of marble for guests to sign? It can become a bespoke piece of art for your home afterwards.

 

Favours
Cakepops or cookies covered in swirls of chocolate will look stunning or why not get creative and make some homemade soap with marbling effect? Marble coasters with guest’s names can easily double as favours and escort cards and they don’t have to be made out of real marble either, regular card with a marble effect printed on it will look just as good. Or what about regular place cards sitting in marble stones?

 

Cakes
Your wedding cake is a great way to channel your theme and marbling is one of the hottest cake trends of recent times and it’s not hard to see why. From greys, to pinks and beyond, using marbling turns your wedding cake into a beautiful piece of art you almost won’t want to cut it will look so good.

 

 

Alice in Wonderland Wedding Theme

From the queen of hearts, to the mad hatter, the March hare and all the fun that goes with it, choosing an Alice in Wonderland theme for your wedding day is a great choice. If you’ve always been a huge fan of the Lewis Carroll classic then there’s no better way to bring it to life then with some nifty wedding décor. Think playing cards, the Queen of Hearts, Flamingos, hats, sweet treats, colour, rabbits, clocks, magic and everything in between.

Of course you don’t have to go all out and make like you’re in the Tim Burton film adaption of the book either. You can always add subtle Alice in Wonderland style touches which can work incredibly well too. Whichever you go for, there’s so many fun and eye-catching ways to bring the theme to life.

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

 

Table Plan and Escort Cards
Playing cards would make ideal escort cards or similarly cards laid out on a board for a more traditional style of table plan would work fabulously well too. Think about maybe having a key for each guest with an Alice in Wonderland style label attached with the guests name on it, or a teacup for each guest as their escort card/favour.

Table Décor and Centrepieces
Tea pots, be they on their own or stacked work incredibly well as Alice in Wonderland themed centrepieces. Also think about antique style pocket watches and clocks draped on the table or as the main focal point. Why not have pages from the book itself or playing cards? Flamingos and mad hatters style hats also work really well and can look truly stunning if you feel like making more of statement.

 

 

Photobooth Fun
Whether you’re having a professional or a DIY photobooth, an Alice in Wonderland style theme lends itself perfectly to lots of fab photo fun. Have a big box of props on standby, like Mad Hatter’s hats, queen of hearts crowns and trademark red hair, the Cheshire Cat’s grin, Alice’s Hairband, ‘off with their heads’ signs and everything else in between.

 

Cakes and Food
It wouldn’t be an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding without cakes and tarts and all manner of sweet treats… let’s not forget the Mad Hatters Tea Party. Have fun with your wedding cake and chat to your cake maker about what sort of decorations and adornments they can do. If you don’t want to go all out with your cake then have fun with mini tarts, cupcakes and cakepops with ‘eat me’ stickers on them and why not dress up your pre-reception drinks with fun ‘drink me’ labels too.

 

Free Seating Vs The Table Plan

There are certain aspects of wedding planning that can cause some potential headaches for the couple and the seating plan tends to be right up there with the best of them. There are many reasons why a seating plan can cause problems – family politics, personality clashes, groups or individuals who are shy and don’t know many other guests, where to put children and venues being strict on maximum numbers at tables. Plus as you chase those last RSVP’s and get later cancellations, it can all become a little overwhelming.

But don’t panic. The table plan doesn’t have to be a chore. Indeed, in recent times it’s becoming more and more popular to have your guests sit where or how they wish for your wedding reception, which removes the hassle from your shoulders completely and allows natural groupings to sit where they wish. Of course, this method is not without its own quirks. Indeed both approaches have lots of pros and cons, but both are worth considering. Never feel under pressure to choose either one and only go for what you know will feel right for you and your guests.

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

 

Free Seating –
The Pros –
• Ideal for smaller, more intimate weddings.
• A great choice if you’re having long tables or a more laid back style of wedding such as a glamping or festival themed wedding and works really well for a BBQ or buffet style wedding too.
• If you’re unsure as to whether completely free seating will work, then just assign guests to tables, but allow them to seat in whichever seats they wish.
• It allows natural groupings of people to come together.
• Leaves you without the headache of completing a seating plan.

The Cons
• Bear in mind that having no table plan can lead to chaos among the guests as they try to dash for a seat and some shuffling may be required to have all the tables filled.
• You may need to have extra seats or indeed tables on standby as guests may try and overfill some tables to sit with their friends or family members.
• Having no table plan can end up leaving guests feeling a little awkward if they end up being unable to sit beside people they know and are left sitting with strangers. It really depends on your guests and whether they are the sort of people who are happy to mingle with people they don’t know.

 

The Table Plan
The Pros
• The seating plan option works well for more formal style weddings with traditional table set ups.
• Often you and your husband or wife to be will know your guests well and you’ll know best where they should sit and who they would prefer to sit next to and a table plan allows you to do this.
• A table plan gives you complete control over the layout of the wedding. It’s the safe choice and you can minimise any possible situations where family politics, personality clashes or fiction might occur.
• This traditional option works well where you’ve got lots of mixed groups and leaving seating free may lead to some awkwardness.
• If you’ve got lots of children coming to your wedding a table plan allows you have control over whether to have a dedicated children’s table or whether you seat them with their family.
• If you like playing matchmaker and have some single friends coming to your wedding a table plan allows you to seat these singletons next to each other.

The Cons
• Some can find a table plan cuts off sections of guests from others and that groups don’t get truly to intermingle as much as with free seating.
• It can be a headache to put together a seating plan if you have some possible personality clashes on the cards and your venue is being a stickler on having a set number of people per table.
• Table plans can come across as quite formal and if you are going for a more laid back vibe at your wedding, then it may not be for you.
image 2

Fabulous Wedding Frames

Frames are the super versatile piece of wedding décor you cannot do without. Easy to source, relatively cheap and with a style to fit practically any wedding theme, they really are invaluable. From framing cute signs, love quotes, or pictures, to using them more creatively as the seating plan, centrepieces, or as backdrops or impromptu photobooths, they are a must.

Search your favourite high street shops for value frames in the likes of Dunnes Stores, Tiger, Ikea, Debenhams and so on, but don’t forget to look for some antique versions in auctions or online too! And if you’re a DIY lover then don’t be afraid to give the frames your own personal touch by either upcycling to decorating them to fit in with your theme.

If you’d like to chat about this or any aspect of your wedding plans or décor, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.https://www.perfect-details.com/wedding-help/

 

Pew Ends
For a new take on pew ends, consider getting smaller frames to hang from each pew. You could fill them with black and white photos of your parents and grandparents as a nice nod to past generations in your family, or indeed fill them with pictures of both of you from when you were children up to adulthood the closer each pew gets to the top. Also think about filling them with your favourite love quotes either.

 

Signs
From signs welcoming your guests, to your favourite love quotes, the story of how you fell in love, signs directing guests to the different parts of the festivities, or details on your guestbook, frames will spruce up these up in an instant. Look for frames that fit in with your theme, be it glamorous, rustic, vintage, barn style, Gatsby, garden or anything in between.

 

Table Plan
Whether you want to have just one large ornate frame with the tables listed or you want to get creative and use lots of little frames laid out on a table or presented on a board, there’s no doubt that frames look fabulous for your table plan. Plus you can find a frame to fit in with whatever theme you have chosen. Don’t forget you can always use the frames again around your home when you get your wedding photos back!

 

Centrepieces
Frames are the perfect choice for your wedding table centrepieces. What’s great is that they can be either the main focus, or they can be just part of the overall look. For example you could have a picture of each of you at the age of the table number in a frame as the main part of the centrepiece. Or you could have a frame with a page from your favourite books on a stack of books. Similarly a still or quote from a film within a bespoke frame, or a framed map of a part of the world you have both been to will work really well. In the same way, frames can also become just an element of the centrepiece by adding a subtle extra with simply the number in a frame that suits the décor. The possibilities are endless.

 

Photos and Photobooths
If you want to get creative then make sure to have some frames at the ready for photo time! You can easily set up an impromptu DIY photobooth with a frame and a camera yourself for lots of on the hoof fun. But also consider using frames in your official wedding shots too. Chat to your photographer about setting up some clever perspective shots with the bridal party holding a frame and the couple situated within the frame from afar, for some truly stunning pictures.

 

 

Glitter Wedding Decor

Let’s face it, winter brides and grooms to be can afford to be liberal with the glitter. At this time of year, more than any other, you can really go all out and inject lots of glitzy accents and glitter wedding decor into your day. While summer has its obvious charms, there is just something about this time of year that makes for a uniquely beautiful atmosphere and with the festive season on the horizon, winter weddings just naturally lend themselves to a touch of glitter. And it’s also quite amazing how the right balance of colours and glitter can make a room feel warm and cosy when it’s cold outside! Never forget glitter doesn’t just have to be gold!

As an award-winning wedding planner, I’ve helped dozens of couples to bring their winter weddings to life with a touch of seasonal glam. So if you’re a total glitter-fiend, then this post is for you, as we look at lots of amazing ideas for décor, centrepieces, photo props, table plans and much more to whet your glam-loving appetite. In the meantime, if you’d like to chat about how I can help with your big day plans, then please get in touch.

 

Ceremony
There’s no reason why you can’t add a touch of glitter to your ceremony, be it in a church or another venue. Just check in advance if the venue are happy with the glitter aspect as it may require some clean up. Think about glitter aisle runners, or just glitter sprinkled on the aisle or to the side near the pews for a more affordable option. Glitter frosted pine cones and winter flowers make for ideal pew ends, as do sparkly chair covers or even glitter stars to adorn the aisle.

 

Table plans & Escort Cards
When it comes to table plans and escorts cards and glitter, the sky is the limit for how creative you want to get. Everything from a straightforward glitter dusted table plan, to feathers dipped in glitter for escort cards, glitter pegs with guests names attached and even some fake fruits such as pears, sprayed with glitter make a stunning impact. There’s not much that glitter can’t make better!

 

Centrepieces & Table Décor
You can really go to town with the glitz and glitter when it comes to your table décor. For some budget friendly DIY options, why not vamp up some winter branches with glitter? They’ll look stunning in a large vase. Sprinkle glitter of varying sizes or sparkly shapes on the table itself, dust birdcages, mason jars or candle sticks with glitter for an eye-catching centrepiece, or if you really want to make a splash, why not use a glitter ball for the centrepiece or some glitter tablecloths!

 

Foodie Favors
Nothing brings a smile to someone’s face like an edible treat dusted in glitter. It makes for a really fun effect and once you get your hands on some edible glitter, the world is your oyster. Think doughnuts, cupcakes or cakepops which make perfect foodie favours, or indulge your guests with a mini bottle of bubbles at their seat covered in the glitter of your choice.

 

Photo Props
Finally don’t forget to capture the beautiful glitter effect in your wedding photos! Have cones of glitter for guests to throw when the camera is shooting, prepare a glittery backdrop for a photobooth, or glitz up some fun photobooth props too. Use some glitter dusted LOVE or initial signs and don’t be afraid to get creative and maybe have the bride or groom take off their shoes and walk in the glitter to make some really creative shots. Chat to your photographer in advance and they’ll have lots of ideas on how to maximise the glitter effect.

Travel Themed Wedding

While not every couple chooses a conscious theme for their big day, it is a nice touch to try and include your shared passions in some way. Why? Well for one thing, it will make the day feel more personalised and special, as it will reflect both of you as a couple. Many couples have a love of travel, for example, and indeed this theme is one of the most popular I see as an award-winning wedding coordinator. It’s popular for some many reasons- You may have taken a year out travelling the globe together, or indeed met while you were away. You might both be from Ireland, but live abroad in places such as Australia or Canada and have come home to say ‘I Do’.

Here are some of my top tips for travel related décor in your wedding day. If you’d like to discuss your wedding day needs in more detail, please get in touch.

Stationary
Giving your wedding stationary a bit of a wanderlust makeover is a simple way to inject a bit of personality into proceedings. Think about having mini passport style save the dates or boarding card invitations, travel themed menus or even orders of service for the ceremony.

 

Table Plan
The table plan really allows for some fun, no matter what your theme is. But when it comes to a wedding theme you can ramp up the cute factor with all sorts of maps related seating plans, globes and luggage tags galore.

 

On the Table
Small things done well can really bring the wow factor to your wedding and a travel theme is no exception. Simple centrepieces of your favourite travel books, mini globes, postcards from your favourite destinations as table names, and real luggage tags as place cards can look stunning and be a bit of a fun ice breaker for the guests too.

 

Food
Your wedding cake is always going to be something of a centrepiece that most guests take the time to have a look at. So why not make it a cornerstone of your theme? Think tiers of suitcases, globes, cruise ships, planes, the Eiffel tower, the Sydney opera house and anything your imagination can think of! And don’t forget your canapés. If you and your partner adore sushi from Japan, or can’t get enough of American BBQ why not reflect this on your pre-dinner canapés or your midnight snack?

 

Photo Props
Finally, using props in your photos is a lasting way to include a travel theme into your day. Think about using vintage suitcases for some of the pictures or have guests throw plane shaped confetti!