Setting the Table with Beautiful Details
Have you ever heard that a 'first date' sets the tone for the rest of your relationship? In much the same way, your wedding day can set the tone for years of marital bliss. Just like that first date, the beauty of your wedding will be in the details!

With this in mind, creating any element of your wedding will come easy. Especially when complemented with today's trends. Your wedding day doesn't have rules, and what better way to challenge the status quo than to mix in elements that represent you and your fiance. The next few paragraphs will help inspire your wedding day decor with a simple twist.

Reception Tables
Let's talk reception tables. An ideal table should be more than beautiful flowers and shiny flatware. Start with commonalities and shared experiences that have made the foundation of your relationship with your fiance. Did you spend summers watching movies at the drive in? Do you hit the slopes every winter to race down the fresh power? Or do you have a rivalry, say Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh? Once you've created a great list of ideas, start to formulate what can be brought together to make your reception tables one of a kind.

Still here are the days of floral centerpieces. From tall vases to short, flowers seem to be a focal point of any wedding. However, the times are changing and allowing more unique centerpieces to take shape. Recently candles have been used to create an elegant table arrangement while adding light. Styled in different heights, candles can be a simple and cost effective way to decorate your reception table. If candles are going to be main pieces, why not make them more than just wax and wick. Mixing simple candles with a few creative ones can speak volumes for your table arrangements. Going with a movie theme to express you and your fiance's shared interest? Why not create candles that mock small popcorn containers.

Another element of a reception table is the menu card. Once your plates, napkins, flatware, and glassware have been layered onto your table, a menu card may not have much room to breathe. As seen at this year's Today's Bride Shows, menu cards are making a statement on top of it all. Or, underneath it all. For a different twist, incorporate clear glass dinner plates. In doing so, your menu card can be styled to fit the circumference under the plates for a unique see-through look.

Even though the chairs accompany the reception table, they still need to be treated as if they are a vision of their own. From the color of the spindles to the height of the back, the chairs of a reception table can create a simple vibe without trying. Currently the trend is moving towards a coverless chair, but not completely bare. First, show off a unique chair by not covering it up entirely. To make a coverless chair pop even more, try adding wire rimmed ribbon and an element that you and your fiance both cherish. If you boiled down your ideas about your commonalties and came up with a nature theme such as hiking, try adding leaves for a fall wedding, or miniature backpacks with boots. You could even go as far as incorporating photos from your nature travels in small twig frames.

A fourth element that can use an upgrade is the table numbers. Ditch the traditional identical style number representation, instead mix and match patterns and ideas to form the perfect table number. Use metals, card stock, picture frames, different fonts and sizes to display these numbers. Have you and your fiance decided on a baseball theme? Why not display table numbers as small score boards, and the seating placement cards as ticket stubs. Just remember that these extra touches needn't break the bank; a simple and minimal style can also be tailored to represent the reflection of your love. Not only will this suit your vision, but your budget as well.

Hopefully some of these ideas will help you create details that will wow every guest. But don't forget that the best part to identifying these details is that they come from the shared experiences and interests of you and your fiance. Just as if it was your first date!

Kayla Sweitzer - Today's Bride Magazine and Shows

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