This is a fun one, and open to endless creativity and originality if you have the vision for it. There is a tasteful way to play with table numbers, so don’t be afraid to be different! Be creative with the names while adding simple flowers and candles to keep it wedding appropriate. Make your tablescapes interesting with a variety of textures, dimensions and heights. Keep reading for some fun ideas!
Board games – Put the board in the center of the table with the flowers and candles on top of it. You could even use some (not all) of the game pieces as additional table décor. You will still need to display the name of the game on a tall card holder in the middle of the table so that people can see the table name without having to walk up to each and every table. Use a different game for each table. Some examples – Monopoly, Clue, Chutes and Ladders, Sorry, Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble.
Beer – Choose a different beer for every table that you have. Put the name or logo of the beer on a tall card holder in the middle of the table. Surround the center of the table with empty growlers or bottles of that type of beer filled with flowers and surrounded by glass votive candles.
Photo: Anna Be Bridal Boutique
Constellations – Have a picture of the constellation with its name in the middle of the table on display to identify the tables. Mimic a starry look for the centerpiece by adding battery powered string lights and metallic accents.
Meaningful years – This could be with or without corresponding pictures. For example, one of the tables is the 1989 table because that was the year the bride was born. Another could be 2008 when the groom graduated college. Or 2014 when the couple took their first vacation together. I like the idea of adding a short description on the table card of why that year is meaningful but for a more streamlined look, you could just have pictures, as seen below.
Photo: Weddings Online
Harry Potter – This one is a little out there, and will absolutely not be for everyone. Our weddings are supposed to be an expression of ourselves, not a cookie cutter operation. So if you and your future hubby or wifey are true Potterheads, then why not bring that magic to one of the most magical days of your life? Examples of table names could be Hogsmeade, The Burrow, Diagon Alley, Azkaban, Ministry of Magic, Platform 9 ¾, Gringotts, Forbidden Forrest among many others. Also keep in mind that this can be an option without making your entire wedding Harry Potter themed. Keep it simple and tasteful, add lots of candles and flowers and have the name of the table in gold script on a card with burnt edges on a tall card holder in the middle of the table. The picture below is technically of coasters but I think it is a good example of a way to achieve the Harry Potter element without being too juvenile or kitschy.
Photo: Etsy
Number with meanings – For this option, you could find meaning in the numbers 1-15 (or however many tables you have) or you could have your numbers be randomized, for example Table 53 for the number of months since they met, 12 because the bride tried on 12 dresses before finding the one, Table 6 for the number of vacations the couple has taken together, Table 3 representing how many dogs the couple has, Table 232 for the couple’s house number on their street, and so on! This is a great way for your guests to get to know you even better.
Places – A cute way to play this up would be to have a sign in your reception space by the place cards saying “Where in the world am I sitting?” This could be either a mix of places that mean a lot to the couple, like Byrd Park, Grove Avenue and Oregon Hill. Or they could all be countries, for example an Italy table and a Brazil table. It could also be street names, cities or rivers. The opportunities are endless! Whichever you choose, I would recommend keeping an underlying theme to them, that way it won’t seem so random.
Photo: The Spruce
Music albums – This one is for the music lovers. Each table is a different album that the couple loves and finds meaning in.
Typefaces – This one is for the artsy, graphic design folks. Make each table named after a font and even use said font in the décor. For example, the Times New Roman table and the Helvetica table and the Arial table. Just don't use Comic Sans!
At the end of the night, most people are going to think “Wow, that was really original and interesting, not to mention it described the couple perfectly. I wish I had thought of that first.” Have fun with your wedding and make it customized to you. The Monopoly Table sounds more fun than Table 4!