Is anyone paying extra for Chiavari Chairs?

PhillyBride123 · September 2010

I want these chairs so bad...it will cost us almost an additional $1500. When I say it out loud "$1500 for chairs" it seems CRAZY but when I look at pictures I get sucked back in. Am I alone?

tyboyd · September 2010

I think that's a ridiculous price for CHAIRS. Do you really think that people are going to remember what kind of chairs you had? I went to a wedding on Aug. 1 and I have no idea what kind of chairs they had. But I DO remember that I wasn't feeling the food. I think if the venue has decent chairs, then that $1500 can go to something else. Just my opinion.

playgirl28 · September 2010

The chairs are beautiful but I have to agree that is too much for chairs & people will probably not remember them.

PhillyBride123 · September 2010

Their chairs are burgundy. My colors are purple, gold(yellow) and ivory. I could get chair covers, that would cost $800...but I really don't like chair covers.

raganw · September 2010

We were going to go with chair covers over standard banquet chairs, but we lucked out and were able to share the cost of the chiavari chairs with another bride whose wedding is the same weekend at the same venue...

monretta · September 2010

I agree with previous posts
That is a lot for chairs that no will remember.

If you really want to splurge on chair I would wait until everything else is paid for and/or quoted.
You can always go back and add them later

There were alot of extra little fee that might come up and it would suck to be locked into a contract for chair and not be able to add in other thing you might think are more important closer to date.

If you don't have to work within a budget, I say do your thing :-D

PhillyBride123 · September 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_anyone-paying-extra-chiavari-chairs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:f17e496f-390e-48cf-bc25-9d23eb6f4076Post:a36a0a8a-4e6c-4296-93d0-4dc002187ea8">Re: Is anyone paying extra for Chiavari Chairs?</a>:
[QUOTE]We were going to go with chair covers over standard banquet chairs, but we lucked out and were able to share the cost of the chiavari chairs with another bride whose wedding is the same weekend at the same venue...
Posted by raganw[/QUOTE]

Wow! You really did luck out!

amberlynned · September 2010

OMG i know EXACTLY what you're thinking. I almost killed our budget trying to fit those chairs in. I honestly say if you can do it, you should because when I look at the reception pics & I see those white folding chairs I know its crazy, but I feel kind of sad. LOL

these are the chairs we had (its a bad pic)

krimson19 · September 2010

i wouldn't. even if i wasn't having a smaller informal wedding, i wouldn't go with those. they are very beautiful though.

flawlessfay · September 2010

If you have the money and funds to do it, then do it. Personally i like the look of the chairs ALOT better and its just my own personal taste so i will have them at mine

TysWife2Be · September 2010

I cant stand banquet chairs or chair covers and I would pay the money for the chiavari chairs...I told FI this from the jump!

I tried to find a location that had them as the standard which makes it a little easier and not so hard ont he pockets...but I would do it if I had the $...its your day...do what you want!

2010Bride2be · September 2010

We're getting them. People think I'm nuts (including my mother) for wanting them, but I don't care. The ballroom chairs at our venue are black. Our colors are yellow and sage. Sorry, black chairs have no place in that room.

cincy2011 · September 2010

I can't remember any chairs that I've ever sat in at a wedding. Understand that it's important to you b/c you are knee deep in wedding planning, but I don't think the chairs are worth that price. I honestly don't think burgundy would look bad with your color palette. I know it's not ideal, but that $1500 could go a LONG way towards something else for the wedding - flowers, catering, music, etc. Just my .02!!!

A&M_Abyss · September 2010

Advice from a planner

Use that $1500 and put $600-$800 of it towards good lighting in your ballroom and no one {not even you} will notice those chairs.

OR

Rent gorgeous linens for your tables instead.

Chivaris are awesome! But they don't tell you that in addition to the chair rental you have to also rent the cushions to go on those chairs.

PhillyBride123 · September 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_anyone-paying-extra-chiavari-chairs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:f17e496f-390e-48cf-bc25-9d23eb6f4076Post:2afacba6-d5ea-4734-a938-c90384e8de44">Re: Is anyone paying extra for Chiavari Chairs?</a>:
[QUOTE]Advice from a planner Use that $1500 and put $600-$800 of it towards good lighting in your ballroom and no one {not even you} will notice those chairs. OR Rent gorgeous linens for your tables instead. Chivaris are awesome! But they don't tell you that in addition to the chair rental you have to also rent the cushions to go on those chairs.
Posted by A&M_Abyss[/QUOTE]

Thank you...but...
I don't know anything about lighting...I don't plan on hiring a planner, so I would have to hire someone to give me info about lighting...and the venue already has lighting...the owner dimmed the lights while we were there and I still saw those burgundy chairs...linens might be nice but I always spill stuff on the table when I go to restaurants so I am not too convinced on paying extra $ for linens...I am pretty happy with a white table cloth, colored napkins and a tall beautiful centerpiece.

M1ssJ · September 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_anyone-paying-extra-chiavari-chairs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:f17e496f-390e-48cf-bc25-9d23eb6f4076Post:1f17c9f8-188b-4c6f-82b1-775630c4804b">Re: Is anyone paying extra for Chiavari Chairs?</a>:
[QUOTE]We're getting them. People think I'm nuts (including my mother) for wanting them, but I don't care. The ballroom chairs at our venue are black. Our colors are yellow and sage. Sorry, black chairs have no place in that room.
Posted by 2010Bride2be[/QUOTE]

Testify!!!! I notice things like chairs and I would hands down pay the money.

mrsblakemore · September 2010

Based on your post it seems like it's not really in your budget. I would say do what makes you happy but be smart about it. Of course most of us would notice chairs because we're brides, but your guests are gonna be looking at what's in front of their body (i.e., food, favors, centerpieces) moreso than what under sitting on. As long as the chairs are comfortable I think the guests will be happy campers.
If you can squeeze that in your budget, and if everything else is on point then by all means...but if it's a stretch for you and FI then charge it to the game. You can use creative financing by asking a rich uncle or someone in your fam to rent the chairs for you as a wedding present.

On the other hand, if I'm gonna pay for Chiavari Chairs then everything else needs to not be on point but above the point. I would go all out on my linens, centerpieces, favors and food in order to have a unified theme. However if you're gonna do chiavari chairs with white linen it may not be worth it because people would probably be less likely to notice the chairs. I was in a wedding where the couple had chiavari chairs and white linen with the extra-minimal centerpieces, and (as a certified professional bride) I thought it looked mighty weird.

PS - you may be able to find some info on lighting without meeting with a wedding planner. If you look around theknot or other websites you can probably find some tips about lighting. Also if you look up companies that specialize in lighting you'll probably find some pictures.

**The opinions of mrsblakemore do not necessarily reflect the opinions of all the african-american brides on this message board or anywhere in the world for that matter, they merely reflect what she would do if she were you (lol)*

PhillyBride123 · September 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_anyone-paying-extra-chiavari-chairs?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:f17e496f-390e-48cf-bc25-9d23eb6f4076Post:a885ec8e-20a6-455e-af84-230b4f6fd6f3">Re: Is anyone paying extra for Chiavari Chairs?</a>:
[QUOTE]Based on your post it seems like it's not really in your budget. I would say do what makes you happy but be smart about it. Of course most of us would notice chairs because we're brides, but your guests are gonna be looking at what's in front of their body (i.e., food, favors, centerpieces) moreso than what under sitting on. As long as the chairs are comfortable I think the guests will be happy campers. If you can squeeze that in your budget, and if everything else is on point then by all means...but if it's a stretch for you and FI then charge it to the game. You can use creative financing by asking a rich uncle or someone in your fam to rent the chairs for you as a wedding present. On the other hand, if I'm gonna pay for Chiavari Chairs then everything else needs to not be on point but above the point. I would go all out on my linens, centerpieces, favors and food in order to have a unified theme. However if you're gonna do chiavari chairs with white linen it may not be worth it because people would probably be less likely to notice the chairs. I was in a wedding where the couple had chiavari chairs and white linen with the extra-minimal centerpieces, and (as a certified professional bride) I thought it looked mighty weird. PS - you may be able to find some info on lighting without meeting with a wedding planner. If you look around theknot or other websites you can probably find some tips about lighting. Also if you look up companies that specialize in lighting you'll probably find some pictures. **The opinions of mrsblakemore do not necessarily reflect the opinions of all the african-american brides on this message board or anywhere in the world for that matter, they merely reflect what she would do if she were you (lol)*
Posted by mrsblakemore[/QUOTE]

Thanks, you made some good points...I have 2 years to the Day so I have some time to figure everything out...

tamtam7 · September 2010

I was fortunate enough to find a venue (believe it or not) that had bamboo style chavari chairs and I was super excited about it. But no one else noticed them or even cared about them but me. $1500 is a lot of money for chairs but I completely understand what you're going through. When I was in planning mode I wanted to go crazy and spend money on all sorts of stuff. Good thing I had DH there to bring me back to earth. With you having two years to plan this wedding you have so many things to consider and so many unexpected things will come up. I vote for not getting the chivari chairs.

spgbla · September 2010

Pay the money and get what you want. I am paying $1200 for mine and that was understood from jump. I don't know about anyone else but I notice a gang of stuff when I got to weddings and chairs matter.

maxlssu00 · September 2010

I'm paying for these chairs because the match my theme and look so classy.

Is anyone paying extra for Chiavari Chairs?

Re: Is anyone paying extra for Chiavari Chairs?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards