Setting wedding reception tables on a budget
Linen rental is one of the quiet costs of a wedding — often ten to twenty dollars a table before napkins. Plastic table covers under chargers and tulle cost a fraction of that, and in candlelight the difference is hard to see.
What 100 guests need
- 13 round guest tables plus a head table, cake table, gift table and guest book table: about 18 covers — a 24 pack of heavy duty rounds.
- 100 chargers: nine sets of 12.
- Two or three bolts of glitter tulle for the head table skirt and runners.
Pairings that photograph well
Ivory covers with gold chargers and blush tulle; white covers with silver chargers and royal blue tulle; emerald green covers with gold chargers and ivory tulle; burgundy covers with gold chargers and wine tulle.
Setup order
- Unfold covers in the morning and let them relax.
- Center each cover so the edge hangs evenly.
- Lay runners or tulle, then chargers at each seat.
- Plates, napkins and glasses last, centerpieces after that.