Linens or No?

allikl62

At first I was thinking I definitely wasn't going to do linens/chair covers, because it'd be an easy way to save money and I really didnt care too much about it.  My site has floor length white linens, colored napkins for free and decent chairs.  Plus the room is absolutely gorgeous, so I figured that would be enough.  But the more I'm thinking about it I'm starting to second guess myself and thinking I should order them (or maybe at least chair covers) because they will look better.  We really don't have any extra money floating around though, so I'm conflicted.  Here are two pictures of our room....




I'm hoping this is pretty enough without chair covers or fancy tablecloths....but I don't know, I'm doubting myself now.

What are your thoughts on chair covers and linens?  Worth the extra money or no?

sinnedambition

I HATE - HATE - HATE chair covers. They look great until someone moves the chair. The wedding I've been to that have them make the chair uncomfortable because they bunch or get stuck under the chair.

I went with alternating napkins (navy/silver) and navy table runners., Just enough color to not break the bank.

brobin01

To me it depends on the venue. My venue needed chair covers and linens and it totally transformed the room. To each their own, but it was a MUST for me to have chair covers and linens. It was gorgeous. In regards to your place, it looks really nice so you may be able to get away with not having chair covers. Can you find a picture of your place with no chair covers??

emarston1

I would skip them, especially since you don't have extra room in the budget.  Sure they are nice but they are a detail that generally only a few people would notice.  I would save the extra money and put it towards something else.

kristinandbill

I had all the linens ordered – table clothes, chair sashes, napkins, etc – but I couldn’t get over the fact that our reception package came with table clothes and napkins.  I felt like we were paying for them twice and we didn’t exactly have the extra money laying around.

So like PP, I just ordered chair sashes and colored napkins to give the room some additional color.  I also rented colored table clothes for the cake, gift and head tables.  It worked out perfectly - we had a little more color than we normally would have but we didn’t break the bank or waste the things (table clothes) the venue was giving us as part of our package. 

It was a good compromise!  So I say no.  If anything I'd add on a few "extras" for some extra color or to make it fancier if you'd like. 

Good luck!

culbycheese

Definitely skip if you aren't sold on them. The chairs at our venue were just fine without them- we just went with the floor length tablecloths.

What we did do was get a black tablecloth overlay for each table and that definitely made a difference. Our venue included them for us since they weren't fancy dancy, just regular fabric. And then we went with a teal napkin to offset all the pink in the centerpieces and it looked amazing!

Save the few hundred bucks! At the end of the day, no one really gives a hoot anyway.

If your venue has one of those fans of napkin colors, they may be able to get you an  overlay in one of the colors.....

aprillm730

Chair covers were always a must for me. We're doing matching linens and chair covers.

Gnatthebride

This has been the biggest fight my FI and I have had (scary huh?)!!

In general I don't think people actually like chair covers. When I mention them a lot of the family has complained.  I was very opposed to getting them at first also. But than we picked a venue that is gorgeous but has the ugliest chairs I have seen. They are a 80's horror movies by themselves. So I am doing inexpensive white polycotton chair covers with a sash. But I am sticking with the regular venue linens and napkins. I honestly don't think people notice the $ spent on elaborate linens once people start arriving and are seated.

I do agree with Kristinandbill and am getting a few colored ones for the cake table and the head table. I think that adds some bang for your buck. And if you want napkins you can get them for 50 cents per person usually so that is not bad.

Good luck!

abbeylynne06

If you aren't really sold on them, AND you don't have the extra money in the budget, I say don't do it!

Knottie1435582995

I did chair covers & overlays.  We used the white table clothes & napkins from our venue (that were free), but also ordered a green overlay and chair covers/sashes.  I did NOT like the chairs at my venue, and they in NO WAY matched anything at my wedding, so for me the chair covers were a MUST.  I was thrilled w/ how the overlays came out too.  This is what ours looked like:

JandBFall2010

I am a big fan of linens and chair covers I really feel it adds so much to the decor. However, if the venue already offers the floorlength white tablecloth just use those and if you have the room in the budget add the chaircovers.

There are a couple places that offer good deals on the chair covers, I am using linenes and beyond and they are pretty reasonable.

crhein26

I was talking to my friend about this exact same thing.  Her FI didn't want to get them but she did because she thought the chairs were ugly.  He ended up winning because of this question, "What color were the chairs at the last reception we went to?"  She obviously couldn't remember.  The fact is if you want them and have the budget for them, then go for it.  If you don't have the budget for them, no one is going to remember the ugly chairs at your hall anyways.  They are going to remember the fun they had.  So forget about spending the money on the chairs and use the money towards something else.  I personally like the way they look but hate the stupid things.  They always twist and turn and I step on them.  But that's just me.

cmkuno

I'm having the same debate myself.  I originally said no way to ordering linens because the venue provides plain white ones that I think look fine.  But now I feel like the room is going to be kind of bland and boring and I really want them.  FI says no way, we're already over budget, so I'll probably have to live without.

I honestly think your room looks really nice!  I don't what the chairs look like uncovered, but I'm with others on not being a big fan of chair covers.  If you're going to do anything, I'd buy just napkins, table runners, or overlays to add a little color.  But I really don't think it's necessary.  

allikl62

Thanks guys!! I think I'm going to hush my inner doubts and just say forget it.  That was my thoughts exactly that no one will remember/care if I don't have chair covers.  I guess its more important to have the money to fee 5-10 guests then to hide the chairs huh??  I will look into possibly doing overlays or colored tablecloths for the other tables.

Jacks21583

I definitely wanted chair covers and sashes. We went with the fitted white polyester kind, so they aren't slippery or baggy like satin. We got an excellent price, and that along with the charger plates really set off the decor, IMO. Our hall provided plain white linens, and colored or white napkins, which I thought were just fine.

Melgor78

I really wanted chair covers and linen but just don't have the budget and everyone I've talked to says you don't need them.  Honestly I can't remember anyone chairs or linens.  I remember the food/drinks and how much fun I had.  So I will use the money for something else.