Decorating a Table for a Party or an Event

Table Decoration Ideas

How to Decorate a Table

How to decorate a table for an event is one of our favorite inquiries that clients bring to us when seeking out event rentals.

Table decoration ideas and decorating tables for parties are our specialties. Yet, it always involves a series of questions for the client before we can best advise the table settings for the event. 

With a few strategic questions and steps to organize the process, table decorations for events can be simple and, dare we say, even a fun task to tackle.

How to Decorate a Table: Where to Start

When selecting table decor, it’s best to understand the event space first to form the overall decor vision for the table settings.

Some questions to consider when planning how to decorate your tables:

Is the venue indoors or outdoors?

Is it a hotel ballroom, outdoor garden area, restaurant, or beach location, or is the event utilizing an at-home space? 

What is the color scheme of the event location and reception area?

How many guests are you expecting? This will impact the number of tables that are needed within the layout. 

Is there anything about the venue space layout that could impact your chosen decor?

How may the layout of the seating affect the choices for table decorations? 

The answers to these questions will help you to work with your event vendors to narrow down the vibe, colors, fabrics, and overall vision of the table decoration ideas for the event. 

How To Decorate Tables for Events

Once you have answers to the questions above regarding the venue and seating, it’s time to design tabletops for the event. 

When designing wedding table settings and choosing the tabletop decor to rent, we always suggest starting with the table linen. But… Even before selecting which table linen to rent, consider your table centerpieces. Most table centerpieces involve florals, a candle arrangement, or if it’s a Bar or Bat Mitzvah party, a decorative centerpiece. Keep the table centerpieces in mind as you design the rest of the table and definitely let your rental company, and any other event vendors involved in the design process, know what the table centerpiece plan is. Even better, connect your table centerpiece vendor with your rental company to work on the table design together. 

Once the table centerpiece concept is established, move on to selecting the table linen. Setting a table for a wedding reception, and other such events, starts with the linens. Table linen rentals add so much to the design of any event. Table linens are available from your local rental company in a variety of colors, fabrics, sizes, and styles. The table linen for an event is the base of the tabletop design. If hosting the event at a venue, it’s worth checking first with your venue contact to see the types of table linens they have available for your event. It’s possible that you may choose to use those linens in conjunction with other tabletop items to rent. Or you can also use some of the venue’s linens and combine them with table linens you rent to create a unique look.

Chairs Are a Crucial Part of The Tabletop Design

While chairs are often overlooked when designing table decorations, they play an important role in the overall look of the table setting and greatly impact the overall aesthetic. There are many chair styles to rent that can coordinate beautifully with a particular tabletop design. From Chiavari chairs in various colors for a traditional look to a black or clear ghost chair for a chic vibe, mindfully select which chair rental choice you make so that it enhances the table decorations.

Selecting Tabletop Items for Table Decorations

There are so many beautiful tabletop items to rent for an event which can be both exciting, but also overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you decide which items to rent?

We recommend asking your rental company sales specialist to assist you. They are knowledgeable not only with the rental inventory but with how to design a tabletop that will complement the event decor while tying in the linen and chairs that you’ve already selected.

If you are seeking our tabletop items on your own or building a wish-list, it’s best to browse websites, social media, and event look-books to get an idea of the style and trends that you like. Then, start with the one item that you have in mind first. It may be a beautiful flatware set that you spotted on Instagram or a colorful charger that you saw on Pinterest. If you want to use a particular tabletop item, use this as your focal point from which to build the rest of the design.

Flatware

Flatware sets that you can rent from your local event rental company add so much to the tabletop decor. For example, a pop of gold flatware elevates the look of the tabletop decorations while also providing the needed utensils for the meal. 

Plates & Chargers

Decorating a table setting with a beautiful charger adds an eye-catching element to the table design. Guests will be wowed when they walk into the event to see a beautifully set table with various combined elements to create a unique and attractive look. When adding a charger plate and/or beautiful set of dinnerware to the table design, you elevate the event with a simply added detail that makes quite an impact.

Glassware

A colorful goblet adds the wow factor to a table setting, especially if that’s the focal piece rental item on the tabletop. If colorful glassware isn’t in line with the event vision, there are so many beautiful options to choose from that pair nicely when decorating an event tabletop. Elevating the look of the glassware on the table makes the event elegant and sophisticated with this one simple touch.

Serving Ware

When considering serving ware rental items as part of table decorations, think of bread baskets, 3-tier cake stands for buffet tables, and mini fry baskets for serving fries, and mini foods. The serving ware available to rent for events makes a beautiful addition to your table decoration while enhancing the guest experience too.

Remember, decorating tables for events is a fun opportunity to let your personality shine. Choose the items that bring you joy and excitement!