Your wedding day is one of the most magical and memorable days of your life, and you’ve probably spent months (if not years) planning it, to make it the perfect day!
With everything you’ve got to organise, you’d be forgiven for not putting furniture at the top of your priority list. After all, you’ve got to organise the venue, catering, wedding dress, invitations, wedding cake, cars, bridesmaids dresses and so on – the list is exhausting!
The more you think about it, however, the more you realise that furniture actually plays an important role in your wedding day, so you need to get it right! Of course, much depends upon whether you are having your wedding at a venue that supplies the furniture, or whether you will need to hire wedding furniture to furnish your ‘blank canvas’. Either way, here are some ideas of where good furniture for weddings is required.
The ceremony
The most significant part of any wedding is the ceremony, where the commitment between two people is made. You’ll need chairs for your guests to be seated, and usually these are Chiavari chairs or cross back wedding chairs. Of course, it once again depends upon your wedding styling – Chiavari chairs are great for traditional, classic weddings, though if you’re going ultra-modern, then perhaps not so much. Look for wedding chairs that have ‘open’ backs so that you can accessorise them in keeping with your wedding style and colour scheme. You can do this either with fresh or silk flowers, or maybe using organza ties and sashes to the chairs to accentuate them further.
The drinks reception
This is the point in the day when there is normally an interlude in the formalities, and the happy couple, with their family and friends, can mix and socialise on the lawn with a drink and some canapes. Always keep your fingers crossed for a warm, sunny day, as nothing quite beats a glass of fizz in the sunshine on a day of celebration! In terms of wedding furniture required, you’ll need poseur tables and stools, which represent classic bar furniture.
Poseur tables are elbow-height tables where guests can stand with a drink and put it on the table. At the same time, you might want to use some outdoor rattan furniture sets which are great for weddings, providing relaxing areas where guests can socialise and chat over a drink in the sun. And don’t forget the actual bar, of course – yes, most wedding venues will have their own, but if you’re having your wedding in a marquee in the middle of the countryside, then you’ll need a temporary bar!
The wedding breakfast
If you picture a classic wedding set-up in your mind, the first thing you’ll see is tables and chairs. This is normally rectangular trestle tables for the bridal party top tables, and round tables for the guests, normally seating around 8-10 guests. You could keep some consistency by using Chiavari chairs or cross back wedding chairs again. And, of course, don’t forget high quality linen such as tablecloths, table runners and napkins to complete your wedding tables. Of course, there’s nothing to say that you HAVE to choose this style of furniture – vintage wedding furniture such as rustic tables and chairs are very much on-trend at the moment, and well worth consideration!
The party!
The final part of a wedding day is the party in the evening, where guests can let their hair down and enjoy some wedding entertainment and have a boogie! As a result, you’ll need to make sure that your wedding venue has a dance floor – if not, you can hire dance floors from a number of different companies around the UK, depending upon where your wedding is being held.
At the same time, it’s always a good idea to make sure there is a quiet area for those guests who don’t want to dance the night away, so perhaps some good quality lounge furniture such as armchairs, sofas and cube stools might be appropriate – rest assured that lounge furniture for wedding receptions always goes down well! Or, you could also even bring the rattan furniture inside from the earlier drinks reception, to provide additional comfortable seating.
When it comes to wedding furniture hire, you can be sure to find what you are looking for by doing a quick Google search for ‘wedding furniture hire near you’, for instance, and you’ll be presented with a number of options in your area – you certainly won’t be short of wedding furniture hire options! By choosing the right company, you can furnish a wedding venue in both a stylish and affordable way.
Needless to say, therefore, that good furniture certainly does enhance the overall wedding experience. After all, it’s the combination and interaction of ALL the elements that determine how successful and memorable a wedding day is. Yes, furniture is a small consideration, but suffice to say that good furniture is essential!
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
