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Hey Suzanno,
If you are on a really tight budget, then I guess white tablecloths are okay. But colored linens are going to give your event space much more depth and richness. If you look at the websites and events of people like Sasha Souza, Michelle Rago, Preston Bailey and Oh How Charming, they have colored linens throughout their events.
Personally, I would rather die than have white tablecloths, but that's just me. I plan on doing a variety of different damask fabrics layered and draping tables. Our head table will be a wooden feasting table and my mom and I are making the table runner out of a complimentary fabric.
Your linens are really where you can have a lot of fun (and spend some $$$ if you aren't careful).
I'm fairly certain that I will still choose to live, despite my non-coloured table linens :) But I can see how in some color schemes and venues they would looke nice. It really depends on the look you are going for.
What are your wedding colors? And what types/colors of centerpieces are you having? This may help spark our imaginations!
I think colored table linens are lovely, but not absolutely necessary, given their cost. We had plain white tablecloths, but colored napkins in one of our wedding colors. We also used an open napkin as a base for our centerpieces to help break up the white. I honestly think it depends on your personal taste, style, and budget. I've been to weddings with both white and colored linens, and they've all been beautiful.
I agree with NatalieL, they're nice, but it's not to say that your tables can't look awesome without. Show me a striking and creative centerpiece and I won't even remember what colour the linens were! The table runners can be a nice way to break up the white, but this can be done in other ways too. If coloured linens of any kind are going to blow your budget, don't even worry about it! Good luck.
i think table linens are actually really important to the overall look and feel of the event. that being said, white linens are often the right look for an event! i really like the look of exotic linens (i think it's an easy way to keep your wedding from looking like every other wedding). it's also about the feel of the linen -- the texture of a poly blend feels much different than a satin to the guest sitting at the table.
we're either doing rust organza/satin-y or brown pintucked linens (haven't decided yet).
i think you could probably make the linens yourself if you really wanted to, and you would definitely save some $$. doing a runner or an overlay over a plain white linen might be something to think about (though if you're renting them, they will probably be just as expensive as a whole tablecloth depending on the fabric and size).
We are using chocolate brown linens... if you have time to hunt around, you may be able to find a rental company that charges the same for colored (poly) linens as they do for white. That is what I found, and the dark linens will make a dramatic statement in my otherwise neutral/white venue. Doesn't matter if they are a 'fancier' material or not, you nor your guests will remember in 5-10 years time anyway. :)
I personally don't see the point in getting TOO crazy with patterned linens, things will get busy VERY fast on the table, what with plates/glasses, placecards, table numbers, favors, centerpieces, etc. But when it comes to table settings I am a minimalist at heart. :)
We are having white linens on all our tables other than the cake and sweetheart tables which have organza tablecloths that match our bridesmaid dresses(aqua). I am adding color and interest with blue glass chargers, green orchid centerpieces, organza chair sashes in aqua, and all the menus, favors, etc. I think white linens are the best choice in a lot of cases, and definitely the most economical.
I never thought about linens until I spoke to my florist. Since we are using white orchids for the centerpieces, she suggested using colored linens to bring out the flowers. If you have really colorful flowers you don't need to get the linens, probably just some colored napkins to add another splash of color. Linens are not necessary but do enhance the overall look of the venue.
We're using white linens and have white flowers, but we're doing blue criss-cross runners which will bring out the color.
The tableclothes were definitely our splurge. We did not upgrade past the basic china, stemware, or silverware. We are having ivory napkins (same price as white). Our flowers are in-season, locally grown, dahlias - so that was not a splurge. So tableclothes are where we chose to spend our "rental budget." I really like our linens. They are striped pale yellow and ivory, with a rich texture to them. Of the 7 wedding we attended last year, 5 had white tableclothes, and they were all beautiful weddings.
It really just comes down to what you want to spend your budget on. I want simple tables (everything always looks like clutter to me) - so no runners, no chargers, no extra glasses (rented 1 wine glass that is appropriate for red or white instead of having 2 at the table), no favors, no seat covers - so the tableclothes increased in priority because there were so few things I wanted on the table! To give you an idea of cost, I think our tableclothes are $20 more per tablecloth than if we'd just rented basic white. And there are a lot of venues that the basic white is "free" or included in the package.
I would say that it really depends on how decorative your space is. Ours is a pretty blank canvas, so we are using colored linens. It is only going to run me between $9-15 a table to upgrade. Our colors are chocolate brown and pink, so I am using a chocolate brown base linen with a white organza layer on top and pink napkins. Our centerpieces are very simple gerbera daisies in 3 square vases with brown and pink satin ribbon around the top of the vase (glued down, not in a bow). Ask and see what your venue can provide. If you look on our site page (www.lionscrestmanor.com), and then click on weddings and scroll down to decor, you can see quite a few linen combos that might spark your imagination. Good luck!
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Thanks for all the things to think about! Our space is a country club, so not really a blank canvas. The decor is sort of old world elegant - think dark cranberry walls and gilded crown molding. There are touches of eggplant running through the decor, especially in the carpet. Luckily the rooms are quite large, and have a lot of windows.
I am going with lavender, pink and cranberry for our colors. My mother loves flowers, and has stepped in to make sure there will be a lot. For everyone who can't quite envision the color combination, I offer this:
Although I a going to to with lisianthus rather than astralmeria, which will make things a little lighter in general.
I do like the look of color on the table. I don't think the cost of renting colored linens is significantly more, although I'm meeting with the event coordinator on Friday and I'm sure he will have numbers. Basically the club has a linen service, and so I think they just let them know what they want.
I actually think that colored linens might look better in the room, as there is really no white anywhere in the decor. The colors are all quite rich, and it always looks kind of stark to me when the dining room is done up in white. At Christmas I think they had cranberry linens, which were pretty.
After hearing about your venue I totally agree that it would be the type of venue where white would not look as nice. It seems like the colours are all very rich. To be honest I think white would look kind of out of place (in the picture I have in my mind of your venue) because it would probably stand out.
I think with cranberry walls and touches of eggplant I would probably go with either eggplant, or a neutral color like a gold (not a yellowy gold morso a antiquey true gold kinda color). If there is a lot of visible color already in the room you need to be sure to pick a color that complements those colors and I don't know if mixing a completly different color (besides a neutral) would be advised.
This is all based on the picture I have in my head from your description which could be completly incorrect :)
A gold or a warm ivory would probably look lovely and the ivory at least will be the same or close in price but will not look so stark against all fot he warm colors.
We haven't made a final choice on the table cloths but they will be eather a sand, brown or ivory color and we are running a really heavy and colordul wrapping paper down the center of our rectagular tables to add some color and interest. We are doing lanterns in the center of the tables and only a simple single flower arrangements, probbably dahlias or zinnias.
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Grrrr, cannot gett flower pics to upload. Here is a link:
http://www.shelbysfloral.com/product.asp?id=200377
For those of you getting colored linens, in your experience can they bring samples in for you to see what they look like in the room? Or should I maybe run down to JoAnne's and grab some swaths of cotton in eggplant, cranberry, gold, or whatever? That way I could dress up a table, and stand back and see...
I did white table and toile napkins. I would sell the napkins if you are interested?
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So my event coordinator wants to talk about table linens. I guess that we can actually rent tablecloths and napkins in about any color. I have been surfing for reception photos, and while I find some with lovely colored linens, a lot seem to have just white. I know that some of you are doing table runners. Is anybody doing colored linens? If so, what colors are you having and how do they coordinate with your general color scheme? Just looking for inspiration - thanks!
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