Steps for Styling

Charlotte Wood is a talented wedding and event stylist, with years of experience and impeccable taste. Here she provides you with some fantastic advice on how to visualize and style your wedding reception.

Here are a few tips to help you style your tables. At a glance:

• Don't be afraid to use "lots on your tables'
• Employ an expert to help with the set up
• Think outside the square
• Make it unique and personal

The looks and ideas available to help you with your table styling are greater than ever, with information available on the Web, from the States and Europe...in actual fact, it can be a little overwhelming! The best way to tackle this is to determine the general feel you want to achieve for your wedding and try to carry it throughout every element of the day. Ideally, this starts from when your guests receive their invitation. If you haven't decided on your theme when the invites go out, keep it simple, perhaps just tying in your chosen colour palette.

Wow factor. Your reception venue will really determine the look and style of your tables. The best venues to work with are the ones that can be used as a blank canvas. Rather than feeling disappointed that your venue doesn't have a lot of decoration or is too minimalist, take this as an opportunity to really make the venue your own. One thing a lot of my clients say is that they are hesitant to put "too much" on the tables. Generally, venues suitable for weddings are large in size, which means they can often accommodate more rather than less. When people walk into your reception, you want a "WOW" to be their first impression - and you want your guests to remember that reaction. Don't be afraid to use more than what you would use if you were dressing your table at home for a dinner party. Remember, big venues can cope with larger arrangements - if you opt for smaller, daintier displays and decorations, you run the risk of them getting lost within the size of the space.

Don't be afraid to get messy! What I mean is by dressing each table slightly differently, you can create a high impact style that will be a real talking point amongst your guests. Although remember to keep the basics the same - i.e. choose flowers in the same colour but have different types of blooms on each table; alternatively, use clear glass holders in a range of heights and sizes, but have a slightly different collection on each table. This fits in nicely with the vintage look that is very popular at the moment.

Pick a hero. At the other end of the spectrum is the idea of having one element that is the "hero" of your look. For example, single stems of flowers placed simply on the tables could compliment a bold pattern, such as a black and white design. The pattern is the "hero" in this case, which also means you can save money by accompanying it with a handful of flowers instead of ornate arrangements. Top tip: If you decide to mix up patterns on your tables, keep the colour theme the same.

Think outside the square. Look for different ways to use items. Sometimes traditional candleholders can work really well as vases, and vice versa. For one wedding I styled, I used vintage cake stands, cups and saucers as flower holders. Small votive holders can also look really sweet with single stems of flowers.

Hire with a twist. If you are styling your wedding DIY, look for unusual items to hire. Good wedding stylists will have a range of items that are different from what is generally available through your "run of the mill" hire companies. Think birdcages, parasols, vintage votives and lanterns.

Get help with the final stage. Employ an expert to help with the set up of the tables. If your venue doesn't have this service, bring someone else in to help. Decorating the tables always takes a lot longer than people anticipate. So if relying on friends or family, make sure you have more people enlisted to help than you would think. It would be very disappointing to spend a lot of money on your centrepieces and decorations only to walk into your reception to find they are not properly set up. Top tip - style a table yourself, photograph it and then give the photo to friends/family who will be setting up on your behalf.

Guest favours. Not everyone offers favours, and guests certainly don't expect it, but if you do decide to offer these, there are some interesting ways to do it. Rather than placing a favour at each place setting, set up a treat table with a selection of items. For example, position a cake stand with cupcakes next to a plate set up with beautiful votive candles, a dish of delicately packaged soaps, a bowl of gourmet chocolates or even a selection of home baking. Set these up on dishes that tie in with the look of your wedding, with boxes provided so your guests can take them away. If you choose this option, you can usually get away with supplying one favour per couple as opposed to one each.

If putting a favour at each place setting, look for something a bit different, like small photo frames or magnets. Another idea is to place items at their settings that will encourage fun table conversation. Position little quizzes at each setting with questions that they have to ask each guest at their table. Alternatively, place quality pieces of card at each setting that your guests can use to write you a personal message. This is a cute idea and a great reminder of your day and who was there to share it with you.

Email Charlotte for a full list of her unique wedding favours.