Wedding Guys' Wednesdays: Styling the Perfect Table

It all begins with four simple words, “Will you marry me?” And with that question, your life is forever changed. You are no longer a “me,” but a “we.” It is no longer “my dreams, my family, my future,” but “our dreams, our family, our future.” A wedding is the beginning of a new chapter in your life.

But before you walk (or dance) down the aisle, you need to figure out a lot of details.

Enter The Wedding Guys™, Matthew Trettel and Bruce Vassar, recognized internationally as leading authorities on wedding celebrations. Their fun, energetic personalities, keen eye for detail, and passionate love for all things wedding gives couples a fresh new approach to wedding planning.

The Wedding Guys bring years of industry knowledge and trend-forward expertise to Twin Cities couples through their Signature Weddings, Twin Cities Bridal Show, and Unveiled – The Ultimate Wedding Planning Event. They associate and collaborate with leading international couture bridal gown designers—keeping a pulse on fashion trends—while actively working with trendsetting artisans, designers, couturiers, and producers who are leaders in their respective fields.

They will take you from “to-do” to “I do!” in a new eight-part series, “Wedding Guys Wednesdays.” They’ll share fashion advice, answer common questions about ceremony and reception etiquette, and provide the ‘inside track’ to planning your own signature wedding. Along the way, there will be contests and ticket giveaways to the Twin Cities Bridal Show Sept. 21 at the St. Paul RiverCentre.

Trends in Tabletop Design

Tabletop design is often the design element at a wedding with the most potential. Sure, couples think about the linen and their centerpieces, but for most people—that’s the extent of it. When we think of tabletop design, we look for ways to be creative and really have fun with the design.

For 2015, we want to push the envelope to encourage you to play with all the varied aspects of table settings. Think about styling each place setting, not just setting the table. Consider the multiple layers of plates, then mix them up. Mix-and-match is hot in home interiors, so don’t be afraid to mix it up on your wedding day.

To style a unique table, we might tip over a martini glass to house a chocolate truffle balanced on the edge of a cocktail fork, all designed to look like an olive from a spilled over martini. This fit perfectly with our mid-century modern inspired aesthetic.

Table selection will significantly affect the overall look of the design. Long harvest-style tables, for example, provide an opportunity to design elongated centerpieces. However, the same elongated floral centerpieces would not work on a round table. Table selection will influence significant pieces of your design—it’s an integral part of the process. Select complementing pieces to style the table. This is your first opportunity to think of the table as a whole.

As tone-on-tone monochromatic and all-white looks come to the forefront, we think it looks great to combine both. White china and white linens can have a tendency to feel sterile, so include a pop of color in the space to counter-balance that all-white look. By bringing purple light into the reception and using wall mirrors for tabletops, a table can take on an interesting depth where the flat and stemware seem to nearly float above the surface of the table.

If eclectic is your inspiration, multiple china patterns—even within the same genre—can make a dramatic impact. Consider mixing antique china patterns and utilizing different cups and saucers with the coffee service to change things up. Traditional doesn’t just translate to matchy-matchy or dripping in intricate gold baroque patterns. Traditional elements, like a paisley or damask pattern, can be incorporated in a modern way, especially when printed on glass or wood. Taking an Old World design and utilizing it in a fashion-forward way provides an unexpected twist.

From the popularity of farm-to-table, to urban hipster, tabletop designs can be so varied. Elements in contrasting styles add dimension to the tabletop. An intricate formal china pattern can be mixed with wicker chargers and plain white dinnerware to create the country chic look. Don’t be afraid to blend styles. The sky’s the limit.