Wedding Etiquette Forum

chiavari chairs or chair covers

I have just discovered that my reception venue has hideous brown chairs available for use on my wedding day.  The colors of my wedding are eggpland and pale gold.  I know have to decide whether to get chair covers or go with the chiavari chairs.  I really don't know much about either of these options.  I have heard some people say the chairs can look warn, but I have also been to receptions where the chair covers had old stains on them.  I would appreciate any advice or suggestions people could give me.  (Please note: the ugly brown chairs are comfortable.)

Re: chiavari chairs or chair covers

  • Honestly, I barely notice the chairs when I am at a wedding. It seems silly to waste money on chair covers to me. FWIW, I am using the gold-tone chiavari chairs my venue provides. Some are a little worn in terms of the paint/color, but I don't really care and no one is going to notice come the day of.
  • How can chairs look warn?  Do you mean worn? I don't understand.Anyway, I think chair covers look exactly like what they are--fabric draped over an ugly chair.  I don't think they usually look good, unless done really, really well.  And chiavari chairs are pretty uncomfortable.I'd just leave it as-is.  You're just drawing more attention to the ugly chairs by covering them up with more ugly crap.  Nobody will notice, and comfort IMO is more important.   Dim the lights and have nice centerpieces and nobody will care.
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  • Chivaris are nice...we had good luck with them at our wedding a couple of weeks ago and they were definitely comfortable enough.  I'm sure the chair covers would be OK too and probably cheaper. Sounds like an aesthetic decision to me.  Look at some of the reception decor pics on TK and see what you like. Chair covers make more of a statement, they're a bit fussy for my taste, but everyone's different.
  • I was going to have to pay an extra $450 for chair covers....I said no thank you!  No one will notice what the chairs look like, important things is if they are comfortable.  Since you said they are...I would stick with them. 
  • Chivari chairs look great but are really uncomfortable and are normally more expensive than chair covers We are going with chair covers, the venue has access to a provider and they set them up and they look awesome (much better than red and gold fabric chairs in my case)
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  • I recommend chivari chairs but I would pay the extra dollar or two to upgrade the cushion. Like pp said, SO expensive. I am in the minority I know, but I think ugly chairs really stand out. I also think chair covers make things more negative then the original chair.
  • There is nothing I hate more than ugly chairs.  Luckily, my venue has chivari chairs.  But I'm with you.  Most of your guests probably won't even notice, true, but it would tick me off as the bride the whole time.  I personally like the way that chair covers look on chairs like that, mostly because chivari chairs usually are gold, and I don't really like gold.  It depends on your budget though.  I don't know where you are, but chair covers around here cost $7 per cover.  Don't know what the chairs would cost.  It would come down to the cost for me, whichever was cheaper, because i would totally need to not have ugly chairs.
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