Get Ready, Name that Table!
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Gone are the days when numbers were the only way to designate tables at a wedding reception or bridal shower. Table names are now the way to go. They serve the purpose but are far more imaginative. Meaningful, clever, even witty–they immediately engage the guests in the occasion as they play up the party’s theme. Here are ideas for choosing table names for their significance to the locale, the decor, the color scheme, even the bride’s personality. Get ready, name that table!
At a Beach-Themed Party
Beach-inspired table names and seashell card holders are an ideal match.
A wedding celebration by the beach is the perfect opportunity for a party using every sea-inspired element possible. This goes for the table names as well. The couple may choose to name each table after the most fabulous beaches in the world. Or, for a personal touch, they can select the names of beaches they have visited together or those they wish to travel to in the future. Thus, the tables could bear names such as: Bondai, Cape Cod, Hampton Beach, Newport, Palm Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Shipwreck Beach, and Virginia Beach.
Names of famed tropical islands such as Maui, Fiji, Seychelles, and Mauritius are another option; as are the names of seashells or mythical creatures of the sea. Display each name in a shell card holder surrounded by a bed of sand and small seashells, or edible treats such as taffy or tropical-flavored candy. Fasten the name cards securely to the card holder with invisible or clear tape to prevent them from being blown away by the sea breeze.
At a Fashion-Inspired Bridal Shower
Mini bridal gowns set off fashion-inspired table names perfectly.
Bridal showers with a fashion-inspired theme are not uncommon these days. Such an occasion can have tables named after bridal gown designers like Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier. Fabrics, clothing styles, or even fashion icons like Sienna Miller, Audrey Hepburn, and Jackie Onassis may lend their names to the shower tables as well. For a whimsical bridal fashion statement, mini bridal gowns may hold table name cards inspired by various styles of wedding gowns: A-Line, Ball Gown, Empire-Cut, Spaghetti-strap, and Strapless.
These same table name holders may likewise be used as place card holders at each guest’s place setting. Beyond that, they can even share the spotlight surrounding the shower or wedding cake, or be displayed on the gift or reception table.
At a Bridesmaid’s Luncheon in a Garden Setting
“Hana,” Japanese for flower, is one lovely table name displayed in petite flower pots.
Table names can readily draw inspiration from the dream setting for a bridal shower, a floral garden. Choose the names of well-loved flowers like rose, daisy, tulip, and carnation, then display each table name in an arrangement of that particular flower. Another charming idea would be to use different translations of the word “flower” and set each name card in a mini flower pot that can later be taken home as a memento. Here are some examples: Fleur (French), Fiore (Italian), Flor (Spanish), Hana (Japanese), and Pua (Hawaiian).
At a Tea Party or Reception with a Color-based Theme
For occasions where color, rather than a theme, provides the unifying element, crafting table names may be a special challenge. That’s where one’s inventiveness comes in. A tea party or reception decorated mainly in blue, for example, can have tables named after flowers like forget-me-nots, bluebells, and cornflowers. The names of various blue hues like navy blue, royal blue, periwinkle, and cobalt, as well as blue items, like sapphire, water, sky, and blueberries can also be used. Present each table name in a jeweled place card holder that matches the same blue theme.
Crafting table names to suit the occasion calls for extra creativity and wit. The rule of thumb is to select names with a clever take on the party’s theme, venue or color scheme, and to display them in complementary table name holders. It is finishing touches like these that show guests just how much attention was paid to every detail of the celebration. Their response will be well worth the effort.
Hi, my Fiance and I are getting married in October and we’re planning on naming the tables after our favourite swing songs. I was wondering if it is possible to get a table accessory in the form of a cd? Maybe a 45 or something similar to an old vinyl lp with the names of the songs on each one. It’s a black tie wedding with 230 people attending so the cd accessory would fit in well with the theme.
Thank you,
Andy.
What a great idea! Perhaps it might be hard to find a table accessory in the form of a CD or LP so I suggest that you improvise. First, you may want to search through record stores in your area that still sell old LPs. You can even try flea markets that sell antique items. Another option is to just find some old LPs, and then replace the artwork of the cover. If you can find the LPs artwork on the web, you may be able to print them out from your home computer. Hope this helps! Good luck.