Is podcast is brought to you by what my reading the UK's most influential wedding brand. You comfortable? Yeah, look I've got a cushion under my bum. Hi, everyone. Charlotte's is getting yourself comfortable ready for a episode. This is the 26th episode of the podcast. Do you know that no, but I do now you do now so does everybody else and what are we gonna talk about? Today's of marks? No doesn't Mark the start of the series of episodes back Deco because we've already done I'll style haven't we we have so if you haven't listened to that episode yet and you're thinking about how you're going to style the aisle and go back and listen to that that was series 1 episode 5 Can find it on the show notes. We're hoping that every few weeks were going to be able to cover a new element of deck or aren't we? Yeah from flowers to outside Decor to lighten it such a and we're going to talk about today. She'll little at wedding-breakfast decal. So we'll specifically your table what goes on the table the chairs the rounding the table because actually it's quite a lot of guys honest there is quite a lot and it's all like one big table package, isn't it? Is it is? Okay. So should we start by talking about the chairs? Yes. I just can I just say to the list of that? I realized how this sounds yeah, listen to this great podcast. Was it about just just chairs? Just talked about plates, but you have to think about a see you. Do you have to think about all these things? In fact, if you have ever read the bought my wedding book your day away. I dedicated a whole double spreads which my editor at times like really go to having a litter picture around table and then all the items that are on it and labels explaining what they were so that the reader could get a really good idea. Idea, yeah of the layout how many things has to go on? It actually can be quite cramped. Yeah. And when your wedding venue ask you if you want the charger plate or something. You don't know what that is what you need to know don't you and then you have a charger plate of every single play and then another play in a side plate. Yeah and a wine glass and a Tumblr and a champagne glass and 13 for because I mean, that's a lot of stuff funny table. Where's the room for the centerpiece exactly and the wine don't forget the wine. Okay. So let's start with the chairs and we've not lost our minds. We promise we I presume that these days most venues have nice chairs. Don't we? Yeah, because when I got married it was not nice chairs this hey mine were black and blue nice but these days you don't really have to worry about the whole chair cover debacle is the most common jazzed to the venue's have is that very sort of like whitewashed wood. Yes spindly. Yes, and the other one. That's the bit where you put your bum. Yeah, the seat the seat bit is often. Like I say her natural linen. Yeah, they're very inoffensive on they well blend in with the background. Yes, it's me. But if you then you just have crappy chairs, then you can always hire those sort of chairs in. Yeah, you should have exactly and speak to you any about it. Yes. I have you got an alternative. Yeah, and can I have chosen? Yes, and who's going to sort that out do that for me when they arrive Etc. So we've just said that your chairs are probably absolutely fine as they are but you can use your chairs to add an extra element of Decor to your table, but you know, perhaps you don't want too much on the actual table, which is I think we would advise and we'll get to a little bit later in the episode. But you still want the impression of there being some really gorgeous deck or there are a few options open to you when it comes to using your chairs and the show notes. You can find links to weddings that show all these sorts of options as well. I'll be honest. There's going to be a lot of weddings in the show notes because I lied some just cracking table Decor over the years. I've seen students narrow it at long is long. I've tried to make it very diverse and full of different. Ins and you know budgets budgets and all of that sort of thing. So hopefully there's something in there to inspire everybody. Anyway flowers is an obvious one. Yes, and again somewhere the way you can possibly repurpose. So you might decorate the ends of your chairs in your ceremony brunettes at the end of each like yeah line, if you like to at the end of each line and then yeah, can you move those chairs into your wedding breakfast? Yeah. So two birds one stone. Yeah, or if you having chairs in your ceremony as a writing room you may have a You might yeah, so as all your guests in the ceremony are looking at the back of your chairs. Yeah, it might be nice to have something a bit squishy and fancy. Yeah, I'm literally like a Garland. Hmm. Then you can repurpose as you were saying earlier those particular chairs and have them as your chairs for wedding breakfast solutely and you could try and work it so that in your ceremony, you've got enough chairs with flowers on that when you move them to your wedding breakfast, it's like every other chair or something so you should only your coordinate in what the Design of your rooms going through like from real start to finish but we're all look for that repurposing. Wherever you can do that absolutely trying to it's going to save you money in the long run and less landfill less landfill and less time really it means you've lost only have to set up ones that have chairs and then that all just gets moved through. Yep to the other room. We need to do speak to you then you make sure they know exactly what the plan is. Yeah. Another popular thing. We see a lot is people add in signs for the back of the chair. So Mr. And mrs. History, mr. Mrs. And mrs. Such as cetera and again, they can be moved into your wedding breakfast room. Hmm. I think just bear in mind with that unless your seats are like in the middle of the room. Once you've moved to your wedding breakfast. No one's going to see that sign are they so it's you need to think about your setup for things like that like the flowers. Yeah aafrin and I know I know examples of where that's happened before. Yes, if you think about your positioning your Saviour having quite a traditional head table Yeah. So like my head table, for example our backs face the back wall. Yes, I'm so anything that was on the back of my shares was a big waste of time. Yeah, so make sure if you're going to spend money and spend time that people can actually see it. Yeah, so what if you've already maxed out on your flower budget you could use ribbons and there's different effects. You can create with ribbons. So you were saying about the most common chairs now being sort of those spindle E1 so you can sort of interlace the ribbon around the back of the chair quite a statement to it and also low Ribbons over the top or so but when I'm talking about ribbons, I don't just mean like a nylon ribbon you can get from your local market. There's so many different types of ribbon to create different effects. So you could use a raw silk or something like that, which is much softer more floaty bit more delicate again links to loads of weddings with examples of those in the show notes. So everybody can have a good look and see or think that would suit my burden or oh, yeah those bright nylon ones would actually suit my wedding really well, whatever you think another thing to consider is you could potentially have Of different chairs to everybody else if you want to make a bit of a statement about you know center of attention on a while. Yeah when my friend got married her and her new husband sat on Thrones. Why not because she thinks she's Victoria Beckham. If you can't if you can't do it that day. She didn't ask the crowd but you know, she did have the throne but it's just a way of adding another element to the deck or yeah, I think that's all about chairs. There's not too much you can really say about chair chair the chair, isn't it? She talked about table in an ex? Yes. Let's So I table in and I mean cloths Runners napkins any linen based products that you might put on again venues will have very plainly lens. Usually a white or Ivory table cloth. Same napkins not necessarily providing table runners at all. Yes unlikely. I think isn't it that they have I'd take donors. Obviously you might have beautiful tables, which you just want to leave as they are like a natural wood or something. Yes. Yes in like that and of course if you've got a trestle table, yes, I know around here. Able then the likelihood is they will be an actual word and to try and put a tablecloth on one of those. Yeah would be quite the challenge. Yes. So table runners basically. Yeah, it's about that would work for that particular style take yeah, you can still style your table without a tablecloth. Like you say using the napkins the runners Etc. Let's get into that a bit more about how you can actually do that. So A bear in mind that the linen that you use can completely transform. On the whole look of your room. So we've just said about having you know, normally it's a white tablecloth or whatever if you check much and changing all those white tablecloths to a pale blue tablecloth, the whole look of your room is going to be entirely different. So really think about if you want to go for some sort of color or Texture or embroidery or something like that and you tablecloths how it's going to have an impact on the whole thing. Yes the room big enough to take all of that all of those elements and it depends like their what's important to you. If you love fabrics and textures that you just say Saying yeah anything about I know you want to invest in hiring some embroidered tablecloths. Yeah, then that massively reduces the requirement for flowers. It's a you know, we've had weddings before where we've seen full-on sequin tablecloth. Yeah, which you know just look amazing and actually like you say, then you don't need so much to go on top a few candles and that is all you need. Yeah, if you have a very plain tablecloth, but you want to Vamp it up. We just talked about adding a runner to it. You generally will see In on a trestle table, so the long thin tables, but you can have them on round tables as well. There's no hard and fast rule about not being able to use them on a round table and Runners will come in lots of different types of fabric. So you can really create a field depending on what sort of fabric you go for. Yeah. Let's run through some fabric options. Shall we may be and then people will have an idea of what to ask for based on the sort of feel they want to create. Yeah and the look other theme and all of those things so, Satin is a very smooth fabric made of silk can occasionally look a bit shiny. So just be careful on the type of satin you go for but if you want that sort of look see sort of feel you could go down the satin root and the same with chiffon that's also made of silk. But sometimes it can come in a nylon. It's one of those you want to feel these things as well as when you feel them that helps you understand how it's going to look when it's all draped and all those sorts of things. So just check if you want the silk or the nylon chiffon version. It's really lightweight and it's got an element of transparency to it. So you get that drapey saw Yes vibe from chiffon again some cracking examples of that on the show notes. You could look at a brocade fabric which is where silks woven and that gives the fabric a little bit of texture. So it's not a lot of texture but it just gives a tiny little bit of something adds a little bit more Dynamic to the runner. You can look at valve it. Yeah, which is very in invert in Interiors, isn't it? Just so I mean everybody knows what valve it is. You've got it's got that really looks element to its soft. It's warm, even whatever color you have valve in it. It looks warm because it's got that texture to it. Obviously, there's cotton which is fairly informal. So again for you more laid back Garden E-Type weddings and things like that a normal cotton would be nice that there's nothing really to looks about cotton. It's not really giving off any sort of Glamorous Vibes but it works really well for more low-key head back. I didn't linen is also really nice choice some if you have a rustic you sort of wedding. We all know Linens got that nice texture to it, but it's like weights not too heavy and you can usually get Linen in a lot of Shades as well. It's an early Muslim. Yes, which we've had in quite a few shoots actually. Yeah, because that's very easy to style. Yeah and iterate and yeah, absolutely. Yeah, that's a great show and previously I'd mentioned Or silk when I was talking about the ribbons for the back of the chairs. It's got a really lovely movement to it. So if you're having quite a classic Whimsical e type of wedding, you can like rough little ruffle it and it looks so soft and you've got your files is or whatever it is you might have on your table. You can sort of drape it around them to know what I mean. So it's all really soft and light and feathery and dreamy like raw silk is really good for that cereal. Thank you going to use all the words. Thank you. And then the last obvious one is lace. Hmm because looks great as a table runner, especially if that's part of your whole aesthetic. Yeah them around for that. Yes, exactly all together. Yeah. Yeah your Veil all that sort of thing it can or type the lace can just tie it all together. I hope that's really helpful and has given you or some idea of the names of these types of fabrics. When you see them you now got an idea of old that might be raw silk or whatever and to give you an idea of the sort of cost for these items. This is very, you know, just from One Supply but to give you an idea we have a supplier in the list called SAS weddings where you can hire some of these items. So for example, they will hire out chiffon drapes for chair backs for three pound a chiffon table runner will cost you ten pound to rent from then so that gives you an idea of the sort of caution. Ten tables hundred quid. Yeah, but again that might negate some requirement for lots and lots of flowers. So it might work actually pretty cool exactly. So do a bit of research on these things have a look at all those weddings on the show notes and see if a runner is your thing. Or not if it's not another way that you can help bring color to your tables. Bring some texturing is through your napkins. So you mentioned already that you'll probably be provided with a white napkin from your Venue, but your napkins don't have to be one in a fold it going to roll it you are you going to sign up with some string or some ribbon? Yeah, they're gonna have those fancy shiny silver ring jobs that you can get over them. They might do might they Might have your little favors put on there you might have a little bit of piece of Decor on there, you know a flower or yeah or a sprig of eucalyptus which we know is very popular and and also they're not only a place for you to add interest in things to the napkins themselves can be interesting. So we see color pop napkins hombre died napkins or manner of things which really are so subtle but just really set the table deck off. Yeah. I know I keep going on about it, but in the show notes as wedding. As we're all those things are Shone so bright napkins patterned napkins all the sorts of napkins Under the Sun. I mean who knew I've gone through the archives and I was thinking wow, there's some really talented and creative couples over the years because some of the things I just think it looks so good. How do you come up with the idea of that for your table design? Anyway, you'll see for yourself when you've shown it. So next let's talk table. Where as in buses Crockery. Hurry, shall we go through what is a basic table? So let's do that. What's on the table? Basic Round Table eighth place settings. Yeah that you would have the good numbers neck because tens a bit over Europe in squash. Yeah, we do like an 8 8 seater in the middle. Yeah is whatever you choose for your centerpiece. Yes, you would then have ate dinner plates. Yeah eight side plates you would you would have a start of all kind of main fault. Look you wrote and also the dessert Fork and Spoon. Okay. Yes at the top of the plate. Yes. I'm still with you would have if you'll start a knife. I'm a knife. You would have a red wine glass. Yeah, a white wine glass of champagne flute. Yes and a tumbler for water. Yes, then of course, you've got your napkins and potentially favors Mmm Yeah. You see where I'm going with this I can see there is a lot of stuff. There's a lot going on for you then got a charger plate. Yes your dinner plates and they do look good because they just add some color and texture then you have to make sure that you've got the room absolutely to that as well as wives better than 10. Yes. You can obviously combine some of these things. So for example, you could place the napkin on the side plate and then you could tie that up in the past. We've just mentioned with twine or Ribbon or a sprig of something rose marine and lovely. Yeah, and that means that you're saving space, but you're also able to To add your personal touches in there as yeah, definitely and I think other things that are like ad hoc to what goes on the table depending obviously on what sort of food you have and all that sort of thing is like water dishes and condiments and the actual wine itself place-names the water jug the table number all of these things is a lot a lot of stuff and if you want to buy the book your day away available from Amazon and all good bookstores. You can refer to page 1 7 2 + 1 7 3. There you go, which explains all of this in detail? Yes. Yourself? Why not? This is Claire really want to be on the QVC Channel one day and I'm hoping that someone's gonna spot my talent when the body cuts and invite many things. I think you're you know, three quarters of the way down. I'd like to do a challenge for selling something of really absurd. Would you mind if we can hook that up to think anyone from QVC is listening if you are Charlotte's up for the challenge. Okay. So you've mentioned that we have potentially a charger play. You've got your dinner plate your side plate. Will they just be white or are you going to use your Crockery to bring a bit of personality? TT table, well, there's plenty of hire companies loads again, you know and you can have anything from mismatched China to super super Glam. Yes, you can scour charity shops vintage shops for amazing Crockery if you want to go for a bit of a mismatch that yeah and a lot of what we're talking about is venue based, isn't it? Because you might be completely planning or own back Garden wedding all yet hired a free space somewhere. Yeah and having TPS or whatever. It might be or Marquis. Yeah, and then essentially this kind of like the world's your oyster. Susan it with regards to make Trinity higher ed and how you want everything to look. Yeah. Definitely another good way to add some color and interest your table Decor is through colored glass where yeah, so wine glasses water bottles. The Tumblers could be a different color and adapt to be like wild multicolored glass is I mean, they can be if you want them to be but they don't have to be and I remember when we went to atoms but in Adam is our creative director. They had a really subtle blush-colored. Yes. I just may say that It looks so lovely just added a bit of warmth to the table and say yeah and so Stark. Yeah and I'll always remember that was that they were they looked really really effective. So that's another thing to consider again. You could go collecting or you could hire those in he also had while we're on the subject of his wedding which was gorgeous and obviously in the show notes. That's Elysian Adams Wedding if you want to see what Adam looks like he had ombre candles on his tables as well. Do you remember that? Yeah, they were like Russia coppery sort. Hombre, yeah, they were really nice. So you need to go to the show notes to Charlotte and refresh my memory myself and then there's Cutlery which is sort of finishes off this section of table where you are likely to be provided with a bog standard silver Cutlery from your Venue, which all catering company whoever is if you're hiring people in which is fine. Hmm. It's one of these things where you can change that and you don't have to have the silver. You can hire in Gold bronze black just one practical note here. Yeah. He's one guy. Please do make sure you check the actual Cutlery if you're writing in okay, because I know a little story. Is there a story here? There's a story here where I am and this is what you have to be careful of with. This thing is is it's not all style over substance because people are have to use the cutlery that's very true. And there was an example where the main life was really a butter knife. Oh and they had steak. Oh dear how how does date knives? No. Because they didn't come in quite a day. Oh, right. Yeah, so then they had to go and get these great big steak knives. That's what was available that on the venue. That's such a good tip to think about what you're you know, oh, wow. Okay noted Okay. So we've covered chairs Linens and tableware the next thing to look at that you may have on your table is your stationery. So what station you might you find on your table? So table number or name which we've mentioned Place cards, which we have also mentioned menus. You may also have some adult things often. We will see sparklers people put their sparklers for later on their table settings which sort of double up as a bit of a piece of Decor because they often have a piece of paper to go along with it to explain that you'll be lighting the spark. Was it 7:30 or whatever it might mean or maybe you're providing some sort of like mini quiz for your guests. Keep them occupied during the dinner or perhaps you have implemented a speech Kitty where everyone throws in a pan and guess how long the speech is going to be you might have paper or whatever it is for that also on that note that speech Kitty should go back to the bride and groom. Yeah, just FYI. We know we know that if you win don't be greedy and there's 200 guests and you got to and your quiz. Yeah, why are our drinks? Yeah shop for everybody by a nice bottle of champagne for the my degree. Yeah these go back into the wedding just me. Let's get there for all your guests are listening. Okay, so aside from having table names or numbers that match your stationary so you could have those, you know printed as you would with the rest of your stationary. You can also make a bit more of your table names or your numbers. So we've seen names and numbers ranging from ideas, like spray-painting wooden numbers obviously with spray paints so great way to go because you can make it really fit your theme so you can get more industrial sort of spray paints more pastel colored spray paints all those sorts of things. We've had acrylic signs that could be like the underground all these Amazing Ideas that people have used still has a budget perspective as well. Yeah, if you are paying for a stationer to do everything for you. Yeah, there's ways that you can combine everything so menu. You don't need to give everyone The Table menu. You just have one menu in the middle of the table that everyone can sort of pass around every other seat. Yeah, you could have your place name, which could have the menu. On it or you could have some kind of Decor that is the name of the table rather than having. Yep a number that's done a certain way again, which negates the need for other kind of Decor. Yeah, again, there's examples of this in the show notes, you know, people are using black mini flags all sorts of things, which really just does add that extra element. Yeah, and and it's thinking about okay, how do I personalize it yet? How do I make it fit into my budget and Provide all of the information to my guests that is required. That's right. And I think if you're struggling to think of how to display your table number your table name or your place car on a great way to decide how to decorate your table is to think seasonly as well, which can help you come up with some great ideas. I mean we've seen things from Summer weddings with Lemons with names pinned into them, which again is in the show notes for all. Often weddings, we've had people use pine cones to display their place cards all these little ideas when you sit down and you think about the season it can really inspire you with some really great ingenious ideas. So if you're struggling with a theme just thinks he's in the about what's available and the time that you're getting married what will work and you know, if it's a winter wedding maybe you want snow globes or something like that. You can get really creative with them seasonal decor and the other thing is as we've said before is your wedding should Reflect your personality. So think about the things you enjoy, you know, the things that mean something like music like music like maybe into ballgames perhaps you could use Scrabble tiles for your guests name vinyl or vinyl if you're really into music all these little things just really think about yourself and what means something to you and that will really help you come up with the themes and the deck or let's talk about centerpieces the main of our just a small caveat. Yep. They need their own podcast. Where are they? Yeah, they do because there's so many different options and varieties and yet we do do more of these episodes that are more specific to ideas and creativity rather than practical planning. Yeah, whereas this episode is more about practical planning. Yeah. So okay centerpieces. You have to work out how much room you have and dude. I've been to a couple of weddings where the brides are said the opposite of what you might think. I'm about to say. It's not it's not that they took up too much room, right but that they didn't have enough. Oh, right. It's in the Bob's. Oh, right. The fat was just barbell the space. Okay. Now this will depend on the other items. You have no table. Yeah, how big your table is? Yeah, which is why I would always recommend if you are booking a venue or indeed if you are hiring yet, I tables feel Marquee or TP or whatever it is to have a demonstration. Or go to a wedding fair, if it's of any new and see for yourself the size and dimensions of that table how they stack the chairs how they set up the plates and forks and all the rest of it and knives and spoons just so you don't think I'm suggesting it just have a thought although you can if you want because your day Your Wagon that's why I was saying so you have a look at the table and its entirety so that you understand how much room there is yep makes sense. So when the wedding each table had a And peace are nice. Which I think is great. Yes again, you might have lots of ideas and not be outside on one. Yeah, so have 10 love that why not and this particular wedding had all different types of silverwares like goblets and everything that that from antiques shops that they scoured lots of amazing books because they really like books and amongst all the silver and books were different sort of but of ours is and things like that, right, but they just felt they didn't have quite enough. Okay, fill the space, right? Okay, which brings me on nicely to you? How do you feel the specs if you're really into florals and you are relying heavily on your florist is good to have a florist. The either is familiar with your Venue. Yeah, or they at least go and see the space that you've got yet. If you read the book you'll day away. I'm so sorry. I've mentioned this so many times as possible. I think that's just the way it's found out. Then you will see lots of different ideas for yeah centerpieces. And the way that we have styled it which might give you some ideas for your own wedding. Yeah, you do not have to have the same centerpiece for each take you do not know to make your room have lots of interest you could consider having different heights. So allows ndp's High centerpieces. Yeah thing about high centerpieces is Becky that just be careful. You're not blocking. In the view across the table because but you know, you have this asthmatic more annoying no massive wide thing and you can't see days and you know, you don't want to remind have a lot of jokes. Yeah, you don't want to run the risk of one of your guests trying to shift your Center piece actually assessing how so yeah, just saying it's just being aware that if you do put some sort of big pillar in the middle of your table. You could have a strict the pillars and it also might restrict some of your guests being able to see you at that if you've got that sort of Layout of top table at the back of the room. It's going to restrict some guests from being able to see you and you're doing speeches and things like that. Yes, just being careful of the varying height. It might get in the way of photographers videographers exactly that sort of thing. And also if you have got your bits and Bobs, you know different people might move them aside. Yeah, and then you've got you know, you goblets Nev ours is to one side. Yeah your books to the side menu just got Dave's face you have little he's such a attention seeker isn't mine. No, grief, when we say you've not got enough. I don't want to worry people. Yeah, as in you have to spend loads of money. You have to have 500 things on your own you want a but it really is about looking at that space. Yeah and working out how for you personally you can incorporate your personality in there the things that you like whether that's you know, you really want to concentrate on the stationary. Yep, or the flowers and you can do all those things without having to have a full table, you know, we see a lot Trestle tables that you know the deck or runs the whole length of the table down the center and it's there's a lot you have little clusters. You can do it in small clusters that sort of how I did mine because I had Trestle tables and I did mine rather than running the whole length. I had books and tea pots and vases and things on my table centerpieces and I just did sort of five clusters going down the table rather than having it at full health, which look amazing, obviously, but you then looking at That it cost you more money. You've got less space for you salt pepper and all those little things. Yes Emeritus. Yes, of course sometimes more isn't more sometimes less is more. We've got some yeah examples of that as well. We have and in terms of Bud vases. Yeah single stems. Yeah, they never go out of fashion. Like they never do you can pick seasonal flowers and or foliage depending on when you're getting married. Yeah it is. Very very reasonable. Oh, yeah, and if you're doing a DIY wedding, you can literally you can do it yourself you have and we've got a tutorial actually, haven't we? Yes, that's fairly recent. So we're going to link that in the show notes. So Lisa are used to all of our DIY tutorials. She did this like beautiful example actually their own in her own back Garden. Yeah just shows how it's impacting table that shows you just how easy it is. Exactly another really great example of where less is more and not overdoing it works really Ali well is Laura and Richards winter wedding which again is on the show notes she will be the bride in the red dress. Hmm, which is something we see very rarely but done so so well and you can see how they've achieved a really subtle and inexpensive but luxury looking table design with very very minimal stuff a way to make a big impact is to have a hanging insulation. Yes. Now these are twofold Because you literally can have them hanging from the ceiling you can if you've got a marquee or venues that allow this. Yeah, so please check before they're obviously going to need some sort of rigging or don't Zoom. Yeah, or you can have an installation where the florist provides the technical term for almost like a standing up pole. So literally on your table you have to vary in obtrusive standing. At polls. Yeah that to have a bar across the top. Yeah where you would have your florals and or foliage, that's right. And then you have a completely free table and it looks so good. We it says two examples on the show notes of this where they've used almost rectangular stands if you like their metal and I'm assuming that underneath those is some sort of bar ryusei and then the florist has just installed the flowers a top that So you can see everything because there's nothing getting in the way of your vision and it looks so impressive but it's not in the way of anybody either now, you can see straight across the table yet really really impressive and a great way of getting that same aesthetic of a hanging installation. But without having to actually hang anything. Yeah, if that's something that really intrigues you when you go to the show notes to look at all. The weddings are is a inspiration shoot called naked teepee. So they feature in that. At and there is another inspiration shoot called fairytale wedding inspiration. So you can see examples of what we're talking about. I realized that deck or is a very visual thing. Yes. It's difficult. We're talking about it. Cause what we're talking about is quite tricky, but I promised literally every single thing were talking about. There isn't a show names on the show notes for you and it's all relative as well like determing by what is important to you. So if you're really into flowers and that's where you'll spend is going to go. Yeah. On insulation because if you're using the same room for your wedding breakfast as you are for your evening entertainment, for example, whether that's a marquee or the particular room in event you that you've chosen. Yeah, the installations can stay there. Oh, yeah for the whole duration yet. Whereas if you have a free-standing centerpiece in the middle of a table and those tables get moved up quite yet those centerpieces don't become part of your evening entertainment then do they and it's one of them gets shipped off somewhere else. Yeah, and if you've got something like this tall sort of installation. We talked about all hanging installation. You can also install lights into it. So actually when it goes darker they become another feature you can switch them on and and that's the same goes for actual on the table centerpieces as well. It's another element to think about deck or into the evening. This is not just for the day is an element of you know, another little bit of light so people can see what's going on on the table and just creates an atmosphere doesn't it? And also again it's seasonal isn't it? Because you're having a winter and Autumn wedding obviously gets Come it's quicker. Yeah, so then light is much more important absolute having you know, a dude wedding. It's like till 10 p.m. Yeah. Okay. So what about the more eco-conscious amongst us now then because we love a dual purpose. Oh we tighten. Oh we do so you could have your centerpiece as homegrown herbes indeed lots of greenery. Yeah, we guess can take some home and also with her ABS you're adding. During fragrance fragrance like a whole other dimension. Do you I mean how exactly they can be really strong sense sometimes which yeah, just again add to the whole immersive experience of your wedding. It's lately succulent. Yep, small small small. Yes, you know little tiny teeny teeny sections or group together again repurposes a favor exactly home. Yeah. They look really effective don't they are especially when you say The smaller and you can sort of have varying Heights of small and anyone can take one back with them when they leave absolutely another wedding that has always stuck with me what my wedding they had edible centerpieces. So I will read a quote from the wedding and it will make sense to you as to why it was edible. It was from Minerva and Eric's wedding and they had lots of like you've just said herbes and had lavender and things like that that people could take away with them at the end of the day. Yeah, but on some of the tables they had crates that were filled with vegetables. I know that sounds really bizarre again, very visual thing. I promise you looked amazing and they said and yes, we're invited to snack on centerpieces during the reception and take the plants home to plant in their Gardens and as a dietitian Minerva wanted people to have healthy snacks available during the wedding. They were Chili Peppers artichokes nectarines apples radishes puzzlement cat and carrots or which came together so beautifully, And honestly all these things were creatively put together in crate and they looked amazing. And then the idea is that you just you know, grab a carrot if the mood should so take you it's so clever no waste and people take like you were saying about herbes. You can take them home. You can plant them. You can keep them on your kitchen window sills or all those sorts of things and if you think about it as well like so many favors from not that long ago if you think about it almost like people did it for the sake of it. Oh, yeah, and they're not reuse know. Organza bags that are just adding to landfill. Yeah, which we don't support know. So if you want to give somebody something to take away with them either make it something that's really really personal that they are going to keep forever and that you think is important to you. Yeah, or make it something that they can grow. Oh, absolutely. I would love that. Yeah, even like a packet of seeds. Well, it's real favorite flowers. You know something that they can grow in their garden and that is the memory of your wedding and that's amazing. Yeah. So let's just recap what we've covered. Obviously, we've just mentioned this is a very visual thing. So it's really important that everyone goes and has look at at least some of the weddings on the show notes to give them some inspiration. There's also some very specific articles on the show notes about place settings for weddings and what each guests needs and just general styling tips for how to design your wedding breakfast and then obviously you've mentioned the book Loads of styling tips for the wedding breakfast in there as well. So if you want to get that you've mentioned you can aside from that. We have talked about chairs. If you're not happy with the one supplied by your Venue. Remember you can hire them into better suit your theme or you can decorate the existing ones to make them look a lot better. Yeah, where's the Just Flowers of ribbon to really easy ways of doing that. It's about you don't have to have your venues tablecloths again similarly to the chairs. If you want to really change the look of your room consider adding color or Texture with your tablecloths and you can hire those in and runners. And Runners we talked about the varying types of materials you can get to create different looks with your table runners Runners also a great alternative to tablecloths if you don't have the budget to do both. So remember if you just got plain tablecloth, but you want to juice you up a little bit table runners a bracelet doing eat with with the surface of your table Yeah, if it's very natural wood or perhaps it's I don't know some venues have all sorts of exciting things like concrete. Yeah, whatever it might be and you have a charger plate so, you know people are not Checking their food leave the table, but then they've had a few just saying it happens. Then that's not turns off as well. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah and like you say feel free to keep your table as it is. Yes, a beautiful natural wooden table may not need runners or any of that stuff on there. Don't forget your napkin if you don't want to make as big of a statement as a fully colored tablecloth, you may want to add some extra color or Texture with alternative napkins embroidery embroidery lace lace nice little Oh fringing and Bray. Yeah, all that sort of stuff. And then remember that your stationary will add an extra element of Decor. So we said you could do this using Place cards. So the cards themselves add to the decor anything that they're on so whether that be a cork or a pine cone or any of the other things that we've mentioned and menus as well. So you mentioned previously it could be menus in the middle of the table every other place setting every place setting a great example of how a menus been used to add to the Go to the table is least one Christa's wedding. So they will be in the show notes to so if you're trying to think about your station route this moment and how it can add to the table Decor. There's a great one to see how that works. And if you're listening to this, you might just really like stationary. Yeah rather than flowers exactly foliage. Yeah, so don't you know don't focus on the fact that you are it's my wedding. I have to have some flowers and I spend lots of money. Yeah just spend on the stage to me and said yeah it goes back to advice is like, yeah. To pieces or the cutout acrylic centerpieces. You don't have to have floors. It's really what you want. Yeah. I mean I said that you're trying to create absolutely so my sister she had a hanging garden in her Marquis from the ceiling mostly foliage, but it had sort of like peonies things but quite sparse so that it kept the costs down. Yeah. Therefore her centerpieces were very large candles. Yeah surrounded by Greenery. Perfect. Very inexpensive. Yeah, and that was what she wanted. So as far as the Marquis went look of it was you know, yeah lovely hanging garden very Luxe you Ruth. I love that phrase, but their reality of it was actually she really kept cost down by choosing that particular method of here florals. Yes, I do. Yes look at ya and as talking about centerpieces, just remember that sometimes less is more you need to make sure you've got room for all the other stuff that you need on the table. Now that we've talked about Like a Knife and Fork because they're quite important integral get creative with the heights that you're using on your table. And if you're getting stuck for ideas for deck or always think seasonally or back to things that make you happy. Yeah, you enjoy as a couple. Yes, and I think we have waffled on for quite a long time and now you've all got to go to the show notes and look at the 4,000 workers of oh my goodness. There are so many examples on You know, I mean put aside an evening get yourself a cup of tea. That's the one dog lost a wine yet and or water whatever you want because you know, you're hydrating to get that skin looking fresh last day. So that's it. And I mean Inspire away. Yeah go for it. Make all those notes and just have your day your way and we'll see you here in two weeks time. We built. Thanks again for all your feedback really appreciate all the DMS and all the emails if you've enjoyed this episode. Other episodes we'd love a little review on Apple podcast. If you wouldn't mind a little five star rating and yeah, thanks very much. Thank you this podcast was brought to you by Becky and Charlotte from Rock my wedding the UK's most influential wedding band for more content. Visit rock my wedding got code at UK follow us on Instagram at rock my wedding or by the book your day your way from Amazon or any leaving book retailer. This podcast is produced by we are The Clarks
Are you starting to plan the design for your wedding breakfast decor? From what each guest needs to how to get the most from your centrepieces, you'll find it all in this episode. The longest part of your day is spent around the tables at your wedding breakfast so you want them to be perfect for you and for your guests. The girls talk typical table set ups... You know, all the forks. There's laughs about linen and chat about chairs and then the piéce de resistance... the centrepieces. Now you know, centrepieces probably need a whole episode of their own but the girls talk about how to find inspiration for your table decoration and how to execute it perfectly. From flowers to fruit and everything in between get ready to be inspired and be sure to check out all the weddings over on this episodes show notes. And don't forget about our Pinterest where you can see centrepieces by wedding style or see our dedicated chairs and table settings boards. Oh, and if anyone has any contacts at QVC… Be sure to let charlotte know ;) Enjoy you gorgeous lot. Check out the show notes page to see couples who really had their days their way and let their personalities and personal style sine through. 