You and your guests will probably be spending lots of time at a table, particularly for the wedding breakfast, dinner and/or reception. So it’s important that you make it as enjoyable a place to be as possible. Make your autumn wedding tablescape cosy and inviting—the last thing your guests need is to have your artistic arrangements of flowers poking them in the face.
Set the Scene with Your Autumn Wedding Tablescape
Set the scene—it’s an easy thing to say, but much harder to do. After all, it encapsulates everything from your venue to your music and even the mood of your guests. Even when focusing on the table itself there are a few things to consider:
Layout
You want your guests to be comfortable or they simply won’t enjoy themselves. Worse, they might even want to leave early! Avoid pushing your guest tables very close together. If you do, you run the risk of your family and friends being unable to get out of their seats without bulldozing tables, chairs and small children out of their way. Similarly, don’t cram everyone together round the table; observe the capacity of the table.
Be mindful of your chair and table layout to ensure everyone has enough space. Especially if you are having lots of guests, make sure you have a wide enough space that gives everyone some freedom of movement. If need be, ask at your venue if you can re-arrange the room, and if you have an outdoor wedding (or a venue where the space is yours to do with as you will) you have untold possibilities!
Decor
Wedding decor is one of the first things we think of when it comes to setting the scene. Everything you do to your wedding tables, whether it’s their layout or their accessories, becomes its decor. That’s why you’re right to focus so intently on it! To keep all of your room decor looking magnificent, you should, ideally, carry your theme through to your wedding tables as well.
Above, wedding table centrepiece and decoration ideas from the Confetti shop. Clockwise from the top-left: Birch Branch Centrepiece | Birch Bark Vellum Wra | Birch Paper Straws | Mini Birch Bark Wrap
Wedding decor, when done right, can shape the mood of your venue. Take care not to pile items for your tablescape too high. It will hinder proper conversation if your guests are trying to talk across the table and succeed only in playing hide-and-seek through your roses. Layers work wonderfully. Vary the height of your decorations for ease of conversation between guests. Have only one focal point to avoid a cluttered look—your focal point is usually your centrepiece, so don’t lessen its impact.
For autumn wedding tablescapes, red and gold leaves look magnificent scattered across the table or clustered around your wedding centrepieces. Horns of plenty are a popular autumn extra that make beautiful table centrepieces too. In fact, a lot of couples now use food and drink as wedding decorations. Because everything around your table contributes to the overall tablescape, give attention to how you decorate your guests’ chairs, the walls around them, and even the space above them.
Clockwise from the top-left: Antique Finish Wooden Sign | Wood Effect Napkin Ring | Rustic Wooden Decorative Tray | Rustic Pencils
Lighting is another big mood-changer. Colourful lights, sparkling lights, bonfires, hearth fires…all can give a different ambience (read up on Easy Ways To Add Ambience to Your Wedding Reception). Candles and lanterns give a beautiful effect for autumn weddings with soft glows and ornate settings. Incorporate fresh, seasonal produce by carving fruit and vegetables (apples, gourds, pumpkins, squash, etcetera) and placing a votive or tea light candle in them. Add a touch of glamour by decorating the fruit with glitter.
Left to right: Lamp Silhouette Glass Votive Candle Holders shown with Battery Operated Tealights | Mini Lanterns with Hanger
Magic is in the details with your autumn wedding tablescape. Consider your place settings: opt for incorporating thematic ways to tie in your theme instead of the usual paper place cards. We love the idea of bringing the outside in and scrawling guests’ names on stones or leaves. Alternatively, you can use these items to serve as props for displaying the place cards.
From the top: Heart Strings Stationery Collection | Natural Rocks with Card Etch | Autumn Leaf Stationery Collection
For further wedding décor ideas, read How To Make a Statement on a Budget.
Be Wonderful Hosts
Just as important as your tablescape is how you and your other half present yourselves. You both have every reason to be happy on such a big day, so smile and mingle with your friends and family. Welcome them to the wedding reception warmly with a drink or wedding favour and offer to show them to their seats.
Read all our articles discussing autumn wedding ideas.
