Of course most of us will never set the table at our receptions, but it’s important to know the difference between the formal and informal place settings for your big day. Your table setting should continue to reflect your wedding theme and formality to ensure a consistent and beautiful day. For any of you DIY brides, here is a little brush up for your team!
Now this is a fairly basic way to set a table. Depending on what part of the world you are in it can vary. Place settings are a great way to personalize your tablescape, even when following the “rules.”
Those are the basics, but as I mentioned before, you can get creative in the styling and presentations of each item! Cloth napkins are a must for a few reasons. 1. They look so much more elegant than paper, 2. they are environmentally friendly, and of course 3. they can be folded in many ways to dress up the appearance of the table.
If you have simple plates, one way to jazz it up is with colorful napkins and napkin rings. You could use vintage jewelry to make your napkins look simply elegant. I just love these images I found at Leslie Arna‘s blog site.
Ribbons, twine, broaches, flowers and feathers make great napkin holders, you just need to be resourceful and scavenge for the perfect item! Place mats, chargers, and table runners can also add some drama to your tablescape.
Love that idea–using vintage jewelry for napkin rings. I have a great collection of costume jewelry and always think I need to bring it out more often…
The other great reason to know how to set a table (other than to be able to do it) is to know what to use when–I’ve been known to look up a chart before heading to an especially swanky event just so I’ll remember which of the glasses are mine
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Jessica,
You are so right! A lot of guest, attendants, and the guest of honors for that matter, often have know idea “which fork is which.” Its a Pretty Woman moment all over again. Thanks for the comment, I really appreciate it!