How to Design a Gorgeous Wedding Place Setting
I’m a sucker for a gorgeous place setting.
Photo by Brittany Mahood | Wedding Planning & Design by Feast & Festivities | Florals by Stone House Creative
You want your guest ambiance to be awesome, for your guests to mingle and enjoy themselves.
But you also want them to have a “home base” for the evening, somewhere for the quieter guests to feel comfortable and for the busy bees to drop off their belongings at before they go shake some hands. So why not put a little energy and attention into that home base?
I’ve always been a sucker for a gorgeous place setting. Layering bits and pieces together creates a well-designed element to your tabletop that sets the overall design apart. It can tell a story to your guests, or give them a taste of what’s to come throughout the evening, or combine form with function. Whatever it is, it’s in these little bits and pieces that your wedding design comes to life.
This is probably one of my favourite place settings from a wedding that I’ve designed the flowers for. Emily from Feast & Festivities does a beautiful job of pulling together the intricate details in a clean, modern way. She actually custom-made the napkins and the accent colour thread is AMAZING, as is the way she folded the napkin across the dinner plate. At this wedding, the meal was served family-style, so the plates were all layered together, which looks beautiful but isn’t necessarily functional for every wedding.
Read on for some more inspiration, at different budget points and with different elements pieced together!
Plus, I’ve put together an entire Pin board with some more gorgeous place settings for you to check out, here!
Keep it simple, stupid
Planning: Birds of a Feather Events | Flowers: Bows & Arrows | Photo: Apryl Ann
Or not stupid. Didn’t mean to be rude.
I wanted to start this off with a simple place setting, with budget-friendly pieces that don’t require you to add too much in the way of “extras.” If your dinner is going to be served, then it’s coming on a plate. If you don’t want to add the extra expense of a charger plate, then a flat-folded napkin can easily serve the role of plate setting. Add in a menu or place card to simply make a big impact.
Have some fun with accents
Design: Rhiannon Bosse Celebrations | Photo: Samantha James
A flower, a favour…a mini pineapple?
Whatever your style might be, layering in a fun accent is a great way to bring some personality and design to your place setting. I love this combination of wood charger and smoke grey bread plate because it checks off both the form and the function boxes.
Creative Use of Colour
Design: Amorology | Florals: Siren Floral Co | Photo: Tanya Menoni
You know I’m all about the colour.
No matter what your palette is, extending it into your place settings will make a massive difference. Winnipeg doesn’t have a ton of options for non-white plates, so consider how you can use napkins, cutlery, coloured glasses, and menu to tie your design together.
When paper products make all the difference
Planning: Amorette Events | Floral: Siren Floral Co | Photo: Lucy Munoz
Go the extra mile and further personalize each guest’s place setting with perfect stationery pieces.
When I’m setting up a wedding, my favourite thing to do is read the menu and pretend that I’m a guest. I very often literally start to salivate. If your budget allows, placing a beautifully designed menu at each setting is another way to further tie your design throughout the wedding. Place cards are more than just an aesthetic element, though the soft marbling of the card in the image above is breathtaking. Sometimes guests really do need to be told where to sit — especially when you’ve chosen rows of long tables, and it becomes trickier for couples to find seats together.
Play with the Napkin Fold
Planning: Michelle Lynn Weddings | Photo: Kerry McIntyre
This is another really budget-friendly option.
If you want to add upgrade your place setting without upgrading your budget, simply play around with the napkin fold! Every guest needs a napkin anyways, so even if you’re just using the venue’s basic white or ivory napkin, a knotted napkin can go a long way towards making an interesting impact — as can upgraded cutlery. I love the gold flatware here!
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL and event DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
Getting married in 2022? Appointments to plan your dream florals are now available. Click the button below to get started!
Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
