Wedding table decoration: our tips and ideas to inspire you !

Your big day is approaching! You've ticked off a few items from your wedding to-do list, but you still need to think about your table decoration.

Elegant, boho, rustic, or minimalist? How will you embellish your tables? How do you make the right choice for a wedding table decoration without any missteps? Let us guide you!

Table of Contents
1. How to Decorate a Wedding Table?
a. According to Your Theme - b. Based on a Predetermined Color Palette - c. Depending on Your Venue - d. According to the Style and Size of Tables - e. Based on Your Budget
2. Wedding Table: Our Decorating Tips
3. Wedding Table Decoration: Our Ideas to Inspire You
a. Rustic Wedding Table Decoration - b. Boho Wedding Table Decoration - c. Minimalist Wedding Table Decoration - d. Elegant Wedding Table Decoration
4. FAQ: Your Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Table Decoration
a. What to Put on the Wedding Table? - b. How to Set the Bridal Table? - c. Who Should Sit at the Bridal Table?

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1. How to Decorate a Wedding Table?

a. According to Your Theme

Your wedding theme will be the guiding thread for choosing your wedding stationery, venue, decoration, and more. Having an established wedding theme prevents a cacophony of colors and atmospheres on the big day!

Whether it's rustic, boho, minimalist, or elegant, which theme will you adopt? Visit Pinterest and read our article "How to Choose Your Wedding Theme?" to guide you. Once chosen, you can start imagining your wedding table decoration.

If you've chosen an elegant wedding theme, you can enhance your reception hall with tableware featuring golden notes, elegant crystal stemware, a bouquet of white flowers, and some lovely candles. If you prefer a boho theme, mismatched plates and dried flower bouquets will be perfectly suited. If you’d rather add a rustic touch to your wedding table decor, pick some wild flowers as centrepieces, put in an elegant vase or personalised bottle.

b. Based on a Predetermined Color Palette

Depending on the theme you've chosen and your personal tastes, certain colors will dominate in your decoration. To avoid cacophony, we recommend adopting 3 colors: a main shade and two complementary ones. You can also choose a main color (like pink, for example, for a romantic ambiance) and vary it as much as you want: pastel pink, rose gold, fuchsia, cherry…

c. Depending on Your Venue

The venue of your wedding can also be a source of inspiration! Whether you've fallen for a pretty barn or a stunning castle, let yourself be inspired by this unique setting to design your table decorations. In a barn, your tables will easily display large bouquets of flowers; in a stunning castle, display gorgeous gold candles and white roses centerpieces, for instance.

d. According to the Style and Size of Tables

Long banquet tables for a cozy atmosphere, round, rectangular, or even oval tables: there are various furniture shapes possible for your reception venue. Whether you've chosen them or they've been imposed by your wedding venue, you'll need to make-do with these for your table decoration.

e. Based on Your Budget

Flower arrangements, table runners, mismatched tableware, golden accented cutlery: many objects can beautify your wedding tables. Before making your choice, you'll obviously need to determine your budget. Depending on this, you can choose the various essential and complementary decorative elements.

2. Wedding Table: Our Decorating Tips

For a successful wedding table decoration, you'll need to integrate some essential elements. Regarding stationery, we recommend choosing:

- Place cards, so each guest can easily find their place in the reception hall.
- Menus, to inform them about the delicious meal you're going to share.

> Discover our selection of stationery to embellish your wedding table..

You can also enrich your table with gifts for the guests: plant seeds, tucked into a vial adorned with a personalized label with their names, a small scented candle...

Wedding table number Orangerie

Wedding menu Orangerie

Of course, you'll need tableware for each of the guests: glasses, cutlery, plates... Depending on your theme and budget, you can opt for mismatched tableware, thrifted, rented... or even borrowed from family and friends, if you wish.

You'll also need some floral, plant, or DIY decoration to embellish your tables. Flower arrangements, decorative objects: don't hesitate to consult Pinterest and visit a specialized decoration store for inspiration.

Always remember to harmonize everything: from stationery to chosen flowers, through tablecloths and table runners, your table must form a consistent, aesthetic whole, in line with your wedding theme and most importantly, representing you.

Furniture must also be chosen carefully. Large rectangular wooden tables will match a rustic decoration. Round tables covered with elegant white tablecloths, on the other hand, will be perfect for an elegant theme. Chairs are not to be forgotten! Elegant, wooden, or transparent chairs can be enhanced with pretty ribbons, linen, eucalyptus leaves, or flower bouquets...

Centerpieces should not be too imposing: guests must easily see and talk to each other. Opt for round centerpieces if you have round tables. Choose a table runner if you've chosen banquet tables. Tablecloths and table runners must be of quality: avoid paper ones, they are very fragile.

Our advice: remember to take delivery time into account in your planning. You want to receive your centerpieces, get your furniture and all of your decorations long enough before the big day so that you can get an idea of whether or not they will actually be perfect. Don’t hesitate to ask your florist for an early floral arrangement, so you are able to judge whether or not it suits your needs perfectly.

If you want to personalise your wedding table decor even more, why not add a couple’s photo? This lovely photography portrait will remind your guests of whose love you are celebrating today. You can also use your photo for your wedding sign or your guest book’s table, if you’d like.

Pssst! Don't forget to reserve a special table for your guest book. Decorate it with accessories that match the theme of your wedding: rustic bouquets, elegant baroque-style photo frames, a Polaroid camera. Let your inspiration speak for you.

Wedding guest book

3. Wedding Table Decor: Our Ideas to Inspire You

a. Rustic Wedding Table Decoration

Authenticity reigns in the rustic wedding theme. In perfect harmony with nature, this wedding theme relies on natural tones and warm materials: linen, rattan, lace, kraft paper…

For a rustic wedding table decor, dress up large wooden tables with a jute table runner and enhance the chairs with delicate lace ribbons or linen covers. For the centrepiece, think of elegant wildflower or wildflower bouquets, placed in pretty vases or even in a planter! You can adopt beautiful wheat spikes, ferns, or heather. Add some wooden logs, delicate glass candy jars, seasonal fruits, and vegetables…

Another idea: instead of having multiple centerpieces scattered all over the table, create one stunning table runner, made of botanical plants.

Wedding invitation Clematis

Favour box Clematis

Another idea: place personalised disposable cameras on your tables. Matching your decor and perfectly coordinated with your wedding stationery, these cameras will allow your guests to capture spontaneous emotional moments throughout the evening.

Sticker for disposable wedding camera Into the bloom

Sticker for disposable wedding camera Rosalie

b. Boho Wedding Table Decoration

A guaranteed gypsy atmosphere with the boho wedding theme! Nature is omnipresent, there are many materials (lace, jute, wood, bamboo, rattan, feathers...) and fabrics adopt cheerful and pastel colors.

Wildflowers are essential for this decor. You'll find them as centerpieces and in the decoration, accompanied by other types of flowers, plants, pampas grass... As an iconic piece of boho and folk weddings, a dreamcatcher will easily find its place suspended above the tables, accompanied by pretty garlands.

Another great wedding centrepiece idea: pampas grass on box stilts. This trendy bloom adds height to your table and allows your guests to easily chat with each other.

If you’d rather keep more room on your tables, choose to hang your centerpieces above them! For furniture, opt for wooden, rattan, or wicker chairs. For tableware, vintage and mismatched plates, cutlery, and glasses are perfectly suited!

@lorabarra

Wedding menu Ambrosia

c. Minimalist Wedding Table Decoration

For a refined and simple wedding reception, choose the minimalist theme. Less is more for this type of wedding decor! Discreet colors are central in this decor: white, pearl gray, beige, or even pastel shades. Regarding materials, choose natural fabrics like cotton, hemp fabric, linen…

On a light wooden, metal table, or a table covered with a beautiful tablecloth, place vases with a few delicate floral arrangements. For a touch of poetry, place a bouquet of dried flowers in a transparent vase. Instead of big floral arrangements, stick to minimal blooms for your bouquets: a couple of dried flowers, a delicate combination of pampas grass and roses in a vase, to add a touch of color.

There's no room for superfluous in this table decoration: install monochrome tableware, a few minimalist gifts for the guests, and that's it.

Bottle label Tuscany

d. Elegant Wedding Table Decoration

Want an elegant and refined wedding table? Choose a decoration in white and gray tones and embellish it with beautiful golden, copper, or silver accents. On a white tablecloth adorned with a lace or plant table runner, place monochrome tableware, elegant crystal glasses, and stationery with golden accents. A perfect way to easily create an elegant wedding look!

Add some nature to this decoration with some olive branches, flower petals or bouquets of classic yet timeless flowers such as roses, tulips… For the centerpiece, opt for a seasonal floral arrangement, beautiful golden candle holders… If you want to set the mood for an elegant, romantic evening, display some golden lanterns along with bouquets of white roses.

@lorabarra

Wedding menu Finery

Visit our Pinterest Cotton Bird account to discover our decoration inspirations!

4. FAQ: Your Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Table Decor

a. What to Put on the Wedding Table?

The main decorative elements of a wedding table are:

- Tableware: cutlery, glasses, plates
- Place cards
- Menus
- Small gifts for your guests

You can add a beautiful tablecloth, a table runner and/or a centerpiece, a few floral arrangements, candles, or garlands for lighting... The choice is yours! Always remember your predetermined theme and choose a maximum of three colors for your decorations and centerpieces.

b. How to Set the Bridal Table?

The plates should be placed 1 cm from the edge of the table, facing each chair.
Cutlery is placed on both sides of the plate: the fork on the left (tines down), the knife and spoon on the right (concave side facing the table). Cheese and dessert cutlery are placed at the top of the plate. Glasses are placed, starting with the water glass, just above the knife. The red and white wine glasses are placed to the left of the first glass, slightly diagonally.

c. Who Should Sit at the Bridal Table?

Traditionally, the head table welcomes the closest guests of the bridal couple: their parents, their witnesses... If you prefer, however, you can reserve this table for your witnesses and close friends or only for the family. It's up to you!