Table Talk. How to design a divine dining experience.

All photos courtesy of Social Studies

Looking to create a tip-top table for your upcoming wedding? We reached out to the experts at Social Studies to curate a few tips to help you design beautiful tables.

Create a color story.

Our friends at Social Studies note that most brides like to start with a color story or theme. Is your wedding on the beach? Consider a base of beachy blue and white. Getting married in the mountains?  Gravitate towards something cozy and warm or go all icy white for a dramatic effect. Once you have a foundation, you can build from there.  

Build off a look.

Once you have a color scheme in mind, pick out a look then build off of it. The Essentials Collection from Social Studies is a great jumping-off point. This summer it’s been all about Sage for weddings. 

Bloom with florals.

To make it your own, florals are a great place to start. There are so many amazing faux options now that are great on their own or mixed with fresh seasonal florals.  Consider a garland or floral runner for a lush look – They sit low so your guests can see each other, and have an instant wow factor! They are also easy to arrange for DIY setups.

Add depth with layers.

Then, layer in the details and play with varying heights to add dimension – think pops of colored stemware, cake stands and lots of candles! We also love adding in mixed vases in varying heights for a more eclectic feel.  

Pull from your environment.

You want your table to tell the story of where you are. For instance, if you are getting married in California wine country, consider layering some grapes into your floral garland. Getting hitched on a Texas ranch? Incorporate desert blooms like succulents and wildflowers. If you’re heading to a destination like Italy, you can add mini bottles of Lemoncello at each setting.

Elevate your napkins.

Experiment with napkin folding adding a single flower or rosemary stem to your fold is a simple touch that elevates any setting and helps bring the look together.

Pop your place cards.

Use luxe, unexpected place cards instead of paper; our agate name cards with calligraphy double as a take-home gift for guests.

Add a personal touch.

Add a personal touch so the table feels like YOU.  Embroider the napkins or print matchbooks with your favorite quote, scatter vintage style polaroids of you and your fiancé, consider having your menus illustrated with a special image or scene.

Get guests involved.

Lastly, add some activities your guests can get involved in – disposable cameras for them to use at dinner, comment cards so they can write you well wishes, table topic cards to get the conversation flowing.

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