Table decoration is a whole science that requires decorators to have special knowledge and impeccable taste...
No matter how luxurious the establishment is, and no matter how beautifully the banquet hall is decorated, the festive table always attracts special attention from guests. Its design must necessarily fit into the overall concept of the holiday. The modern trend of making a table the central decoration of a celebration has taken root well in our country.
Agree, guests and heroes of the occasion will be very pleased to sit at a table that is decorated in an unusual way. Setting and decorating the holiday table is designed taking into account many details. Don’t be surprised, but in this matter everything is important, including the height of the ceilings in the room.
Even decorating a home table requires special efforts from the housewife. And if the holiday takes place in a restaurant with a large hall, then the table that will be in the center of the event must be impeccable.
What to consider when setting the table
Despite the fact that the main part of the table will be occupied by treats and cutlery, there is also room for the decorators’ imagination. It is quite easy to make an accent on the holiday table if you decorate it with flowers, candles and other accessories. The most important thing is to maintain one style, and also know when to stop. You shouldn’t overload the table with decor, because the main place on it should still be occupied by dishes. There are many serving options. As a rule, each occasion, celebration and even time of day has its own design rules. If this is a women’s holiday, then the decor of the hall and table is done in romantic styles, and for a men’s event, the “clothing” is chosen to be more strict and restrained. For such an important celebration as a wedding, they create a special, delicate table decor to emphasize the touchingness of the event.
Wedding background: important tips
Oddly enough, the wedding background - the decor located behind the newlyweds - is the weak point of Ukrainian weddings. If fabric drapery does not suit you, you should carefully consider the design of the newlyweds’ presidium and make it the main object in the concept of decorating the hall. After all, a good wedding backdrop can serve not only as a backdrop, but also as a wedding photo zone.
It's not a good idea when a loose background obscures the window and the light doesn't shine through it properly. Be sure to discuss the issue of lighting the podium with your photographer, get advice on what materials in color and texture will look best in the photo in the chosen room.
A wedding backdrop looks beautiful when it is stylistically in harmony with the decor on the newlyweds’ table, forming a clearly defined area.
Let's move on to examples so that you can decide on the design style of the presidium for your wedding.
A few words about the tablecloth
Snow-white textiles are traditional for the festive table. Of course, a light tablecloth looks solemn and fits perfectly into any holiday concept. The advantage of such table textiles is its versatility. On a white tablecloth, like on a canvas, you can paint a picture in any style, using any palette.
But recently, the snow-white tablecloth has begun to lose its position that has been established over the years. Decorators began to show imagination and constantly prove that colored table textiles are no less fashionable and formal than white ones. If you apply it correctly, the bright colors will look very interesting. Noble burgundy shades, rich blue and green colors, as well as a delicate palette of pink, peach, and gold will look stunning in table settings.
At modern holidays you can also find colored textiles with prints. These can be flowers, checks, stripes, polka dots, abstract designs. This option must be used skillfully and carefully so that the table does not turn out to be oversaturated.
Of course, plain dishes and discreet decorative elements are selected for colored textiles. This option is usually chosen by young people who don’t mind adding creativity to the design of their holiday.
As for the fabric for the tablecloth, linen and cotton are considered the classic options. Today, synthetic fibers are added to these materials - polyester, acrylic, etc. This gives the tablecloth a special shine and makes it more manageable and flowing. If possible, you can use an incredibly elegant tablecloth decorated with sequins. This option will make the table elegant.
It is recommended to place a technical tablecloth under the tablecloth to level the surface under the cutlery. Often, drapery made of light fabric is used for decoration. An elegant skirt, which brings a touch of royal luxury to the holiday interior, will not be out of place in the design of the festive table.
Napkins are an important detail in table decoration
The role of napkins cannot be underestimated when it comes to holiday textiles. Experienced decorators pay special attention to this small element on the table, because they know that it is from it that the highlight of the table setting can be made. The napkins may not match the color of the tablecloth, but they must fit into the overall design of the room.
To make a napkin one of the main accents on the table, you need to decorate it beautifully. Depending on the style of the event, you can choose a different way to decorate and fold napkins. A very simple and effective way to decorate a napkin is to use fresh flowers and plants. In fact, there are more than 100 ways to design textiles. But it’s up to you to decide whether it will be a cute bow, a flower, a pon-pon, or a luxurious ring decorated with rhinestones and stones.
In order for the napkin to keep its shape well, it must be large enough (standard 45*45), lightly starched and always damp before ironing. There are no strict rules for choosing and decorating napkins. The main thing is that the textile is soft and pleasant to the touch, and the method of folding the product is simple. The product should be easy to unfold so that the guest can easily unfold it and place it on their lap.
Cortege decor
It is important to remember that the compositions should not block the driver’s view: neither in the windows nor in the mirrors. In addition, the tuple will move, which means that all elements should be securely fixed . Wreaths or garlands entwined around a wedding limousine look very fresh and romantic. A wreath in the shape of a heart or an inscription on the hood looks great. Choose flowers and shades that are duplicated in the overall design of the celebration. This technique will emphasize impeccable taste.
Often license plates are decorated with flowers or garlands are placed throughout the body. A gentle, touching image is created by flowers decorated with ribbons on the car handles, although in this case you will have to be careful not to spoil the fragile beauty when opening and closing the doors.
Crockery and cutlery on the festive table
While paying attention to textiles, we must not forget about dishes. Please note that standard dishes and dishes for a special celebration are different things. The main thing is that it is beautiful and matches the selected textiles. These can be plain plates, dishes with patterns, or unusual colored options. Serving plates are usually provided by a restaurant or catering service and have a diameter of 21-27 cm. Serving dishes are placed on decorative coasters with a diameter of 31-35 cm.
The choice of products plays an important role not only in table setting, but also in its visual design. Ask the restaurant in advance what kind of service is available for use. It may need to be replaced with a more “dressy” option. If necessary, beautiful dishes can be rented. A holiday plate can be made of porcelain, crystal and silver. Any utensil, be it a fork or a spoon, should also look expensive and be polished to a shine.
The arrangement of dishes is standard; plates are placed at a distance of 2 cm from the edge of the table. It is necessary to maintain a reasonable distance between dishes so that guests feel spacious and comfortable at the table. At the beginning of the banquet, the guest sits at the table, on which two plates are placed: the upper tableware is a snack bar, the lower one is a dining room dish. A folded napkin is placed on the top plate. If the party provides seating cards, they can be placed on top of the napkins. Then everything is according to table etiquette: forks are on the left of the plates, knives and spoons are on the right. Glasses, shot glasses and other utensils are selected taking into account the drinks that are prepared for guests.
Fresh flowers on the table are a mandatory element of the holiday
Table decoration for a holiday is not complete without fresh flowers. Delicate, bright and fragrant touches, gifted by nature itself, will make the holiday unforgettable. The look of the table and the room will be completely different if you use live plants in the decor. In the hands of professional florists and decorators, flowers turn into luxurious compositions that inspire and surprise guests, and undoubtedly decorate the holiday.
If you want to reduce the cost of fresh flowers, then in tall compositions they can be replaced with good quality ornamental plants. Fresh flowers are used in low compositions or in substitution compositions for high ones.
First of all, the festive atmosphere is conveyed through the color scheme - as a rule, a celebratory bouquet for the table is made up of bright or light flowers. The choice of shade depends on the concept of the holiday, but do not be afraid to use colorful accents.
It can be all shades of pink, red, burgundy, orange and even yellow. No matter how skeptical one is about the last color, the combination of white with gold or yellow creates a joyful and bright mood. Table decoration is rarely done with flowers in cool shades, although soft blue and purple are sometimes used for contrast.
It is worth remembering that the tradition of decorating the table with decorative designs of flowers and accessories came from the West, where the style of celebration is slightly different. In most cases, guests are offered an a la carte menu, and only plates, cutlery and glasses are placed on the tables. This leaves plenty of space to fill with decorative elements. For us, snacks and the “hot table” take up quite a large space. Therefore, too lush and bulky compositions are not always appropriate.
The bride's bouquet
A bouquet is the finishing touch to an outfit and can make or break it. The bride's bouquet should be in harmony with the overall decor, dress, hairstyle and accessories.
Advice! The size of the bouquet depends on the height and type of figure. Fat, short brides should take a closer look at lush bouquets, and slender and tall ones should look at miniature compositions.
If we talk about fashion trends, then this year be sure to decorate the foot of your bouquet with lace, pearls or ribbons. If the wedding theme allows, then you can choose a more unexpected solution - burlap, medallions, brooches.
Common garden plants are at the peak of flower fashion: peonies, dahlias, asters, marigolds. They dilute excessive pomp and add tenderness to the image. Choose a loose shape for the bouquet, without clear lines. Dried flowers, ears of corn, and berries look great, as they slightly disrupt the graphics of the main contours. In addition to aesthetics, when choosing a bouquet, consider other important details, such as what time of year and where the wedding will take place. The scorching sun or frost will quickly destroy the fragile beauty of the petals, so for difficult weather conditions, choose weather-resistant plants or pay attention to artificial analogues.
Features of composing flower arrangements
The design of flower arrangements for the holiday table must be taken very seriously. Their compilation requires taking into account many factors. They should not only harmonize with the interior, but also fit into it in the truest sense of the word. The ratio of the size of the compositions in relation to the stands is also an important point. As well as developing compositions taking into account the height of the ceiling.
For halls with high ceilings, upward-sloping structures are suitable, but in low rooms you should not decorate tables with too tall bouquets. In this case, it is better to make floral accents in decorating the perimeter of the hall, the entrance area, and buffet tables on which you can place drinks, cheese and sweets.
The size of the arrangement is also determined by the size of the table. For large tables, lush and large compositions are selected. This could be a large bouquet in the center of the table and several small compositions in addition. Please ensure that the height and location of the bouquet does not interfere with guests’ ability to see each other.
If the table is pushed into the middle of the room and guests are seated around it, the decoration should be installed so that it is clearly visible from all sides. In such a situation, a round composition in the shape of a ball on a thin leg looks great. Although there are other interesting design options. If the table has a square or rectangular shape and stands near the wall, the bouquets are arranged with visibility from three sides.
An important part of the arrangement is the vase or stand used to display the flowers. As we have already said, for small and low rooms it is better to use low and wide vases that are in harmony with the table setting elements. When choosing dishes for a flower arrangement, be sure to pay attention to the material and texture of the tableware. The stand must match in style, color and other parameters.
The choice of flowers for table decoration depends on the celebration, the concept of the holiday and other circumstances. If you are inviting guests on the occasion of an anniversary, decorate the table with the birthday person’s favorite flowers.
Of course, the queen of all flowers and also the queen of festive flower arrangements is the rose. But, if you want something more exclusive, you can choose other flowers. Please note that the flowers used in bouquets do not have a strong aroma. This may create discomfort. That is why the preparation of the composition for the table should be done by a specialist who knows everything about floristry.
In addition to choosing the right flowers, it is necessary to properly prepare the plants for the bouquet. They must remain in their original form until the end of the holiday, so when making compositions you should use only very fresh flowers, sometimes high-quality decorative ones are also suitable. The final appearance of the bouquet is determined on a fully set table: often modifications may be needed just before the start of the celebration. But specialists will successfully cope with this task.
Big celebration
It is customary to decorate a table for an anniversary or corporate event with small flower arrangements, which are placed in the center of the table along the entire length, or with large bouquets placed at the head of the table. Small bouquets near each device will create a wonderful mood for guests.
In this case, decorating with artificial flowers is most convenient, because in the midst of the celebration no one will splash water and knock over the bouquet. Most often, official and crowded celebrations are decorated with bouquets of roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums.
What else is used to decorate the table?
In addition to flowers, candles, figurines and other decorative elements can be used for table decoration. The most unexpected details can serve as decorative materials: themed souvenirs prepared as gifts for guests, beautiful dishes, mini-aquariums with flowers, figurines and figurines, fruits, potted plants, mirrors, candlesticks and other elements.
The more original and bold the concept of the event, the more interesting the table decor. Sometimes a vase with greenery and one flower of the same color as the main bouquet is placed in front of each guest.
In fact, you can use almost any accessories and flowers to decorate your table. The main thing is that decorations do not interfere with the meal! The scents of flowers should not overwhelm the smell of food, and candles should not be at a dangerous distance from flammable objects.
