Beginning with the trend of the barn weddings, came much more flexibility of what sort of plates you should have for your wedding – paper, plastic, or china.
No doubt about it, a long reception table laid out in fine china, real silverware, and an array of glassware is all very impressive. Especially with the accents of real candles on the tables and our cafe lights overhead, it glistens and sparklers and makes a statement. Real china thus requires involving a rental company or working through your caterer to facilitate it. It also requires extra staff to set it out, bus it, scrape after dinner, usually at least rinse it off well, before packing up carefully at the night’s end. This is a labor intensive option that becomes pricey. Many brides, or may I surmise, that many a bride’s mother, couldn’t imagine a wedding of their daughter without going full china and glassware approach. If money is not a huge factor, then go with it. It elevates the level of your wedding event for sure.
Another option in the same vein is the vintage china option that we, High Point Farms, offers. This option is also very impressive and makes a statement. We often see the females (of all ages) just walk around the reception area oo-ing and ahh-ing over the beautiful variety or even noticing certain patterns from their own families. It, too, is labor intensive, but the labor is something that we have worked into our packaging for it. Even the old vintage silverware patterns are just beautiful to admire.
Many brides go the plastic route. Nowadays there are so many stunning patterns of plasticware plates that it is hard to tell for sure that it isn’t “real plates” until you hold it. I’ve seen an array of plasticware such as some with scalloped edging or with an eyelet pattern. Even many of the clear plasticware can be trimmed with gold, silver, or copper. Some will go with a totally clear plate but use a charger underneath. As the picture above showcases, when the tables are decorated and the pretty lights overhead are glowing, using plastic plates (especially beautiful ones), seem to blend in just fine.
Paper plates don’t need to be (and likely should not be) like picnic paper plates. In fact, there has become a popular approach to use biodegradable paper plate products that again, can be quite impressive and pretty. As with the plastic plates, notice the picture of these lovely set tables with paper plates and see that it all blends in quite well. Don’t you agree?
I do also think it is worth noting that for the bride who is happy not to pay for real plates but is struggling over the confidence of what it will look like, that using real napkins on the tables, like pictured above, is a good option too. By placing the napkins on the tables and stacking your plates in the buffet room, helps to give a very elegant look on the tables. As the plates are in the buffet room, guests won’t give it a second thought as they grab their plates and begin piling on the food.
For that matter, you can not only have your “real china alternative”plates stacked in the buffet room but also have your silverware wrapped and available at the back end of the buffet table, and keep your reception tables clean and pretty with just the table decor. Photographers always take pictures of your tables “before” guests arrive to mess up and clutter up your tables. So, picture-wise, your tables will be remembered this way.
Knowing that you have options, several viable options, should be of comfort to you as most brides juggle their vision with their budget. Let this reassure you that there are many ways to make it all happen to achieve both…budget and vision.
~ Margie