If not properly planned, weddings can be...a bit of a mess, to put it nicely. Think about it -- every year sees an average of more than 2 million weddings performed in the United States. That means that no matter when or where you're married, there's a decent chance that you'll be competing with another couple for the venue of your dreams, the ideal caterer, or even the right dress.
Starting out, many couples are faced with the choice of wedding planner, or no wedding planner? There are certainly pros and cons to using one. For one thing, a wedding planner is an ultimately a want, rather than a need; an extra cost on an already expensive endeavor. At the same time, you have to determine if you can, or even desire to, handle the seemingly endless nuances of your wedding planning journey. If not, then this is probably a worthwhile expense.
Regardless of your decision, one of the key things that you'll want to tie down is the type of decor that you'll be using at your wedding.
A wedding reception is nothing without the right decorations -- and while picking out your linens may not feel like a priority at first, you shouldn't leave it to the wayside. The types of colors and fabric you choose when selecting fitted tablecloths, napkins, table skirts, and other types of linens, need to tie into your theme. Therefore, while you shouldn't spend too much time agonizing over linens, you should choose them sooner rather than later.
With that being said, we're counting down a few ways that you can make your selection process a bit easier -- and less stressful.
1. Talk To Your Caterer
Not everyone has their wedding reception catered. Some people host smaller weddings and have their food made by friends and family. However, most people either have an outside party -- like a restaurant or a separate catering service -- cater their wedding. The catering may even already be provided by the venue. No matter what, you should speak to your caterer before you delve into selecting your linens. Some may not allow the use of outside linens, and instead may require that you choose from a list of choices that they provide. If you don't like those choices, then you may want to look elsewhere for catering, unless you've already signed a contract. Keep in mind that if you do bring in outside linens, you may very well be renting them -- which means that you'll have to get them back to the right place or person if they don't belong to the caterer.
2. Consider Your Theme
You may not initially think that fitted tablecloths tie into your theme in any way -- but they really do. Think about hosting a winter wedding, with a wintery theme. You'll most likely want to choose heavier linens, as well as darker color scheme. Unless, of course, you'd rather highlight an icy look at your reception. In that case, you may prefer lighter colored fitted tablecloths. If you'd like your wedding to have a sleeker look, you may want to steer clear from dramatic colors or accent details. It's also important to make sure that you're able to obtain linens that accommodate all of the needs at your reception -- from fitted tablecloths for each table to napkins for messier guests -- while also matching. Or perhaps you don't want a perfect match; some themes are better served through the coordination of multiple colors.
3. Think Of Your Guests
Not only will you want to have enough linens for your guests -- you'll also want the right ones. If you're hosting a lot of children, or serving messier food, think about using napkins made of thicker fabrics, and make sure that you use table skirts as well as tablecloths. Think too about how easily light linens will show stains. If you're particularly worried about photos or messiness at your reception, you'll want to choose darker shades, which will hide mess better.
If you’re having one of the 2+ million weddings that will take place this year, we don't want you to stress about your linens -- but we do urge you to put some thought into them. Remembering these three simple steps can help make that part of your journey go much smoother. In the end, what’s most important is that you enjoy your big day with the people that you love most!
