Today Melanie Stancampiano will be sharing some tips and tricks about linen selection with all of us. Take it away...
Call me biased but I believe that linen has giant impact on the overall ambiance of a room. This is particularly important to consider when planning a wedding, gala or any other important event.
Think about linen like the paint on the walls of your home. The way that your furniture, artwork and personal touches appear in a room is greatly impacted by the color and texture of the walls. In the scope of your event, the flowers, china and stemware are comparable to the personal accents in your home. Surely you are working with a florist and/or décor professional to adorn your tables with lush flowers, sparkling candles or elegant crystals. The impact of these items is greatly affected by the linen on the table.
Reception venues typically offer some sort of linen with their wedding packages. To expand upon the “wall paint” analogy, this linen is the equivalent of a flat beige paint. The linen has to fit into a variety of events and provides the most neutral background. If you do not plan on renting linen my advice is to be sure to use the house linen purposefully. Find out if the table linen is white, ivory or some other color. Talk to your florist about how you can best coordinate centerpieces, and which color to select for a napkin.
If you prefer color or texture on your walls, then you will want to leave some room in your budget for linen rental (you will get high impact for low cost in linen rental, I promise!). I still recommend working hand in hand with your florist/decorator when making your final linen selections. You want to make sure they are aware of your selections, leave them a swatch if possible.
Now on to the fun part… making your selections! There are so many choices in color, textures and sizing when it comes to linen. First there is the cloth, which covers the table and is most often floor length. An overlay is typically a square of cloth used as an accent on a table. This can either be done in a coordinating color or in a sheer cloth to add to the overall feel of the room. Another option to add color is by using a runner (or two, which would be my strong recommendation). This is a strip of fabric that is run down the center of the table as an accent; the centerpiece would be placed on top of the runner. If you want to use two runners you can run them side by side, or like an X. Finally, the color, fabric and fold style of napkins must be chosen.
Think about the colors you are using throughout your wedding. Try to incorporate more than one color in your linen selections. Use a neutral cloth and add a pop of color in your napkin, or use a striking table cloth and add a neutral colored napkin, champagne works with just about anything. Think about fabric textures and how you can mix them to add depth to the setting.
My favorite tablecloths are those that have texture right in them, a “Twist” or “Pintuck” create such a striking look, and no overlay or runner is needed. I love to see tablecloths in deep rich colors are well, but then again if you looked around my house you’ll see the same on my walls. Like all aspects of your wedding, you will make the most striking impression if you make your linen selections reflect you, and your unique style.
Have fun, try a few different looks, and always feel free to contact us if you’re looking for suggestions!
~Melanie
Hope those tips helped you out.
BBFN, (Bridal Bliss for Now)
Olivia
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