So, you have worked out where everyone will be sitting for your wedding breakfast (and you have managed to separate those feuding aunts). Next, you should work out how you will design each place setting.
Whether you are hiring a venue decorator or doing it yourself, you need to know the basics of setting a table. Read our information, and advice, below.
Individual place layout
If you are holding your reception in a popular wedding venue, it’s likely the staff will know how to set their tables. But if you are having a DIY wedding, or the table layout has been left to you, then here’s a little basic information on how to arrange your cutlery.
Main course and starter cutlery
It is customary with cutlery to work from the outside in. As you can see in the photo above, a set of main course cutlery is laid out, fork on the left, knife on the right. Follow suit with the smaller starter cutlery on the outside of the main course cutlery. A soup spoon, should you need one, would sit to the right of the dinner knife.
Dessert cutlery
Above the main course and starter cutlery, you should horizontally place the dessert cutlery: a fork and spoon. The fork should be closest to the seat, the tines pointing to the right. The spoon sits above the dessert fork and points to the left.
Side plates
To the left of each place there should be a side plate and side knife for dealing with bread, rolls and butter.
Napkins
You can present these in a variety of ways. Rolling napkins and tying them with a bow that matches your colour scheme is an effective and simple way to display your napkins. Alternatively, learn some basic origami and stun with napkin rose, Bishop’s hat or fleur-de-lis.
Take a look at our article dedicated to wedding napkin folds and all of the various options you can choose from.
Glasses
Two wine glasses (one for red, the other for white wine), together with a small glass for water, are appropriate here. Place them in a group just above the knives on the right of the layout. The large glasses sit above the large knife, the small glass above the small knife.
Name place cards
Each place setting should have a piece of decorated or attractive card that indicates the name of the person sitting there. This makes it easy for your guests to find where they are meant to sit.
You could also specify each course the guest is having on the back of the name place, to avoid confusion for both guest and waiter! If you have a stationer working on your wedding, this could be a great thing to ask them to design.
Practical items for the table
There are other items that the table should have, that all the guests sitting there will share or use.
Table names or numbers
Table numbers are currently more popular, but this could result in an unplanned hierarchy. Therefore, naming tables might be a safer bet.
The most basic forms are metal stands, which can display the particular table number or name. Many brides and grooms get creative here and custom-make table name displays. If you do create your own, try to relate them in some way to the guests that are sitting on that table.
Dining-related items
These should include butter for bread and rolls, salt, pepper, other condiments, wine-coolers and so on. If you have planned for a somewhat communal meal, leave a space for the platter that portions are served from. Picture the meal so you can make sure you have left a space for everything.
Games
It could be that you have invited friends from different social circles. Therefore you need to make sure that conversation can flow and nobody feels awkward sitting next to strangers. Trinket games could work well here.
Similarly to crackers being a talking point at Christmas, consider scattering jokes or trivia around the tables. Or, create a word search related to you as a couple, or even a jigsaw puzzle. Furthermore, you could even swap out the pictures in Guess Who to match your guests! However, try to keep the activity as sociable as possible.
Space
Do you have many guests with glasses, or want to encourage the use of phones? Make room for these. Be creative; a cute glasses holder will show you have put thought into your guests’ needs. Moreover, it can help to avoid accidents like misplacing spectacles or spilling liquids.
Decorations
Linen
Tablecloths are traditionally white. But if you fancy getting creative, try buying in or renting some coloured linen. Bold colours such as red, blue, green or even black can all work well. Match your other linen such as napkins, or other decorations like table confetti, to suit the overall scheme. Consequently, if you decide to buck the trend on white linens then they’ll be easier to clean!
Centrepiece
Most wedding dining tables will feature a centrepiece in the middle of the table. This can consist of flowers, sculpture, or books. We’ve even come across weddings with live goldfish as a centrepiece! Discuss with your partner to come up with something unique and personal.
Candles
Candles can bring a little extra to any environment. Their soft, flickering light can give a romantic glow to your dinner table. However, be careful they don’t set anything on fire!
You’ll also want to double check with your venue before hand whether or not they allow candles – particularly in listed buildings. It’s not uncommon for venues to refuse candles. In which case, battery operated faux candles are an effective – and safe – choice.
Moreover, be careful with scents; a little can be lovely but too much might distract from the food.
Photographs
A wedding signifies the end of one stage of a couple’s life and the start of another. Therefore what could be more fun than printing out snaps from the past and decorating the tables with them?
For example: first date, school day, baby photos, parents’ wedding… The more embarrassing, the better! After all, it’s a conversation starter.
Wedding favours
Most often presented in small decorative cardboard boxes, favours are miniature presents from the bride and groom to their guests. They can contain anything from chocolates and jokes to bath products and even scratch-cards!
Some unique ideas include flower seeds and shot glasses. In addition, some happy couples like to spread their luck by giving a lottery ticket to every guest.
There are, of course, plenty of other ideas and ways to decorate and set out the tables at your wedding. This is just a basic guide to the most common ways of setting them up. Please come back soon, or browse our archives for more ideas on setting up and planning your wedding.