Video- Project Block 21 Lecture Part 1.mp4

Last week we talked about candles and lighting and how underestimating the coordination of it can be a huge setback for wedding day set up… well here is the next biggest underestimating for potential problems… Project Block 21 covers Table Settings & Linens, most importantly, rental orders…

We do touch on this subject briefly with Project 12 when we discussed Caterers. You’ll want to pull out that Catering Contract this week and see where they can help you even more!

Building your Worksheet

Image:

You will want a clear image here for what you’re thinking. If the images you find on Pinterest have too much in them, cross it out on the picture so that it shows only what you want. You will also want to get a hold of some ingredients and takes a picture of a mock style. You can actually just use your own kitchen items! How you want the napkins folded is a big picture need here too!

Follow our Project Block 21 Pinterest Board for Inspirations

Ingredients:

Fill this section in with all the little pieces per person needed: Include the numbers of Plates, Forks, Knives, Glassware, Napkins, Charger, etc per place setting needed. Remember you might need extra cake forks and don’t forget to feed your vendors…. so get enough plates and forks for them too!

Prior to Wedding:

Plan your “tablescape” and what will exist on each table surface. Dive onto Pinterest if you have to! Will your napkins be twisted up in a wine glass or draping flat under a charger? Are utensils rolled up in paper napkins at the buffet line or do you have an elaborate gold ensemble at each setting?
Communicate setup and a picture. If your caterer is not setting your tables for you then who is? They will need guidance. Perhaps take a picture using stand-in props {from your own kitchen} to give them. This might even be helpful to your caterer!
List tasks that need to be complete before the wedding day to ensure success including:

1. TABLES & LINENS
   • Reserve all rental items
   • Review your contract for pick up dates & return requirements
   • Create a short list guide
   • Make your Linen Chart {see below}
     
     
     • Linen Prep: Plan to iron linens or pay to have them steamed
       • Plan for starch & folding napkins too
2. DRESS THE TABLE
   • Consider renting 1 of each of your table settings for a mock, or bridal shower
     • You’ll experience the pick up process and return process, plus see how the linens arrive
   • Take a mock picture of your place setting
3. DELIVERY, SET UP & RETURN
   • Make arrangements to pick up rentals the day before the wedding
   • Make arrangements for delivery & set up
   • Create a list of names for people who are physically setting up tables and dressing linens
   • Pick up rentals. {if you are dropping napkins off with your caterer perhaps you can negotiate getting them a day earlier?}

Staging Materials:

Make a list with your linens by size and color as well as which tables they are for. If certain tables get a different color linen, you set up crew will need to know. I hate it when I walk in and see the table runners used as sashes around the chairs or cinching up the cocktail tables. I have also walked in to find 8′ banquet linens folded in half and placed on a round guest table… then the round linen was draped across the buffet…most people don’t have a working knowledge of linen size and how it correlates to a wedding table.
{Examples}

• Guest Tables: 120” Round Linens White x 15 + Pink Satin Table Runner x15
• Buffet Tables: 90” x 156” Banquet Linens White x 4 + 72” Squares Pink Satin Overlay
• Cake Table: 108” Round Gold Sequin Linen

Wedding Day Set Up:

Make a Chart for your linens! As mentioned above, not everyone can look at a heap of linens delivered in their plastic bags, find their tags {if they still have them} and translate which table they belong to based on their size. It isn’t easy for anyone, especially if they are missing tags! Someday I am going to write a tell-all book about the battle Wedding Coordinator vs. Table Linens… not today… just make the chart.
Using your Rental Agreement, please supply your set up crew with a simple list that joins each linen to its table.

It should look like THIS.

It truly does not have to be fancy, just concise. The worst thing as a Wedding Coordinator is to walk into a reception and see that your hard-working, well-intentioned friends who have volunteered to help you set up have wrapped a 90” x 156” banquet linen around your cocktail table because they didn’t know which linen went where.
Make your own chart for your wedding day linen organizing with this identical BLANK Linen Chart Printable
Print and fill it in by hand so that it is ready to go for Headquarters. We will pre-sort out linens at Rehearsal with Project Post-its!
It will save me a LOT of time not having to go through your entire reception correcting the linens per tables!

• Check off when the Project is Done, Packed and Ready to Go
• Check off when this Project is loaded into a Big Day vehicle
• Assign the Person who is setting HQ up for you {if different than the Person in Charge}
• Name your Person in Charge. He or she will then take over the Worksheet and check off the remaining Wedding Day Set Up boxes as they are completed.

Video- Project Block 21 Lecture Part 2.mp4