Chair Envy

Sometimes, I feel like I’m trapped in the movie Groundhog Day every time I plan a wedding.  I think this is because, since my own wedding over twelve blissful years ago, I still cannot let go of a few details of my own ‘main event’ that I wish I could have changed.  Every time time I plan a wedding for a client, I relive that moment long ago when I said to my husband, “I really don’t like the chairs the hotel provides” and his response was “Oh, you’ll never even remember what kind of chairs were at the wedding.”  HA, double HA. Now, twelve years later, my husband has a better idea of who he is dealing with: a woman who despite living a very charmed life, has the uncanny ability to pick out the one or two details that made (in my own mind) a perfectly wonderful event just a bit sub-par.  It’s that way when I go out for a meal too.  And honestly, I am an optomist, it’s just that I am so detail oriented I am sure to find SOMEthing that strikes me as just a bit off center in many of life’s events.  So while I remember my wedding as THE BEST party we ever threw with THE BEST band (thanks to my husbands’ booking abilities – he’s a talent buyer and has all the right connections) and THE BEST friends and family there to celebrate with us, I still reflect back on those ugly chairs.

So, a word to the brides. If it’s the chairs that you are fixated on, then by ALL means make them fabulous.  A good start would be to choose simple white garden chairs if you want clean lines.  If your budget allows and you want to go with a fancier look then chavari chairs in a dark mahogany wood are beautiful.  I have often paired them with black cushions for an elegant classic feel.  The latest chair trend is now lucite.  I know, that word alone conjures up the 1980s and gifts from (the now all but defunct) Fortunoff’s, but lucite translated into a chair has a certain wow factor.  It’s modern, classic, retro, and elegant all at the same time!  The two most popular styles are the chavari chair in lucite and the up and coming ghost chair, with or without arms.  There are also chairs to rent that have a vintage feel. We have used some from Chairished in our award winning event designs (look for them in our upcoming feature in this Fall’s Rocky Mountain Bride Magazine)!

Don’t forget that you can dress up your simple chairs with elegant touches like striking flower bouquets tied to the sides.