White Table Cloths at Wedding Receptions -by Shari

Unless you are lucky enough to have an unlimited budget, most people are somewhat cautious about money when it comes to wedding planning, and find ways to cut back and save.  For some people, this means going with the caterer's standard white table cloths.  Depending on the room, the time of day and year, and the formality of the event, this could be a refreshing, elegant and cheap option.  But for some receptions, it is worth paying the extra money to get a richer shade of material.

The main problem I have with white table cloths is that, unless they are swagged, the creases from being folded up show.  I doubt a caterer would be happy with ironing twenty large white table cloths minutes before your reception.  A darker shade is less-likely to show crease lines.

Also consider the colour of the pre-existing decor in your venue.  When we went to see our venue, Casa Loma, set up for a wedding, it looked like this:

I was appalled.  The white was much too stark a contrast against the rich brown wood of the library, and looked cheap and sloppy.  Knowing this might be some caterer's only option and that we'd have to pay extra for a different colour, we chose a caterer that had gold as an option.

Photo by Mischa Bartkow

In contrast, check out Mark and Lin's table settings:

Photo by Julie Broadbent Photography

Because this room at the Estates of Sunny Brook is already very brightly coloured, a darker table cloth would have worked against the idyllic atmosphere of the McLean house.

Danielle and Harold's reception venue had dark and light colours already, and their head table complimented this with a white swagged table cloth and darker pieces of fabric draped on top.  This is my favourite way to do a white table cloth for the head table, as the swagging prevents creases from showing, and the dark fabrics softens the look and ties in with the wood panelling of the walls.

Poorly coordinated table cloths are what guests will notice first when sitting down for dinner, before the centrepieces, favours, etc.  Don't let your white table cloths be the unwarranted focal point; coordinate with what your venue already visually has to offer, and they will mind the finer details first and foremost.