Posted byThose of you doing seating charts for your weddings may have realized that you need some way to label each table. Of course we all know that you can name your tables anything you want, using whatever themes you choose (…but that's for a different roundup). For this post, we're focusing on table numbers: the classic, simple, and easy way to arrange your seating charts. Numbers may not be as exciting as table names, but the ways in which our couples have chosen to display their numbers sure are. Here are a few of our favorites…
I love that these table numbers are actually written out — you don't see that too often. The bride made these table numbers, which were wrapped around wine bottles that were set in the middle of the tables.
Tribesmaid Stephanie Falcon used books purchased at a library sale for her table numbers. Their book haul included eighteen volumes of French literature that were slightly bigger than standard size. Stephanie later decided that these would be the table numbers. Here's what she did: “I printed the numbers out onto cardstock. I printed them backwards, so that the black lines would end up on the back. Then FH cut them out with scissors/X-Acto knife. I used photo mount spray glue and glued the numbers to both sides of the book.”
Tribesmaid Hev created these old-timey, message-in-a-bottle table numbers herself using tea-staining and wax. Others have used wine bottles in much the same way, or have just glued the numbers right onto the bottles themselves.
I love the idea that Lauren and Madhu had for their Hindu-Catholic fusion wedding. They used pictures of themselves at the whatever age corresponded with the number on the table and went with a triangle fold to make them stand up on their own.
Mark and Ann-Marie made their own centerpieces and framed their table numbers in these sleek frames to keep with their black and white theme.
Convert inexpensive plastic toys into kick-ass table name identifiers
I'm going apeshit (heh) over this gorilla table identifier we saw over at Green Wedding Shoes. Picture them at your circus wedding, zoo wedding... any... Read more
Former Offbeat Bride intern Becca used birthday candles! “Basically, we collected red and/or turquoise-ish birthday candles. We needed enough for twelve tables (although only ended up having 10 or 11). Using Crate & Barrel candle buttons, we stuck the birthday candles into tea light holders (for the single digits) or pillar candle plates (for double digits). Then we surrounded them with red or turquoise gravel.” Brilliant.
Yanina and Brandon used these sweet wooden numbers set down on each of their tables. They were just so simple and cute I fell in love with them.
Offbeat Bride Tribe member Melaina just freaked my freak when she came up with these Lego table numbers when she found out her venue won't allow table names. “So… then the question was how to make the table numbers interesting… And this is what we came up with. Table numbers made out of Legos, which are testament to our colorful wedding theme, and give the numbers a pixelated look (a nod to our geekiness). Plus, Legos are fun and playful (something we both have in common and wanted to make apparent in our wedding).”
My friends, Ai and John, used hurricane candle holders made by an Etsy seller as their table numbers. They were beautiful and set the mood for their 1930s Queen Mary soiree so well. Gotta give props to their wedding planner Laura from Rebel Belle Weddings for coming up with this idea.
Any other ideas for displaying table numbers out there? Leave 'em in the comments!
About the Author: Megan Finley Horowitz
When Megan's not writing, traveling, and sleeping, she's eating like the fate of the world depends on it. (You're welcome, world!) You can snoop into her personal life over on her website The Dash and Dine!
These are some very cool and funky ideas. I just love them, so thanks for sharing.
Sooooo many cool ideas and only one wedding to plan
We just made the food as our centerpieces, and didn’t bother with table numbers….because I’m a bit of a control freak and didn’t need more things to stress out about.
I kinda wish we were having table numbers so we could use the photos at different ages. Love that idea!
We’re having electric candels as part of our center pieces and this has made me wonder about somehow printing or writing (painting?) the numbers onto the candels.
Since they’re made from real wax maybe I could carve the number into them and then paint it so it stands out more?
sounds awesome 🙂
We’re using pinwheels. A live plant is going to be on each table with a big pinwheel stuck into it with the table number in the center, then each placecard will be a pinwheel as well, and we’re going to tell guests to stick their personal pinwheel into the plant as well.
We’re having a vintage music themed reception, so I’m taking old 45’s and writing out the table numbers on them.
We are doing the same thing. What are you going to use to hold your 45s up? Have you tried traditional number holders, or are you going to use something else?
OMG! What timing – FH and I just finished making our lego table numbers! (I think I got the idea on OBT tbh…)
I’m printing vellum with the music of one of our favourites songs on it with pics of family members at their weddings (a different photo for each number) then rolling the vellum into a round and using LED lights inside to light them up
We’re making Japanese-style lanterns out of dark brown cardstock and vellum paper for our steampunk-meets-Asia (not just “Firefly”) wedding. We’ll drop votive candles into the lanterns to light them from behind. This fits the theme, but we’re also naming our tables after punctuation marks, so they give us lots of space for us to display the punctuation and a short definition of each (uber language geeks that we are…).
Sort of off-topic, but why in the hell wouldn’t a venue allow table names, of all things?
I was wondering the same thing…
What’s the story behind the flowers in the first picture? They look so pretty. Are they paper?
I know you posted the question ages ago, but here is a tutorial for them!
http://folio-love.com/diy-2/diy-paper-flower-tutorial/
if the venue was doing the catering aswell they may have their own waiting staff, it is a lot easier to wait tables if they are numbered not named, i know it sounds silly but it’s true. especially if they have lists of people with certain dietary requirements etc and which table they are sat at.
Where did Brandon find the wooden numbers?
We are using wine bottles that are clean and painted with chalkboard paint. Then drawing the table number on the bottle.
We bought frames that have a maze built in, so people will be able to play with our numbers! Here’s a picture of the frames: http://www.revdesign.biz/catalog/41pI4QBlldL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
I love these! I feel like brides are made to feel like every little decision makes or breaks your wedding…it’s good to know, the more fun you have, the better it looks! Great job guys!
We are doing black and yellow Steelers theme, so our tables will have numbered field goal posts. They are going to be 10″ tall pvc pipe. Faux grass and a mini football.
Our wedding was in Gettysburg at a historic hotel. I wanted the table numbers to tie in with the location, but still be easy for the guests and wait staff to find in a big ballroom. So, I used these vintage Gettysburg post cards I found on Etsy. They had hand drawn scenes from the battlefield and around town and little blurbs about the history of the scene. Then I used clear labels to print the table numbers and placed them on the blank side of the post cards. Our history buff guests got a kick out of them.
Cross-posting this comment. We loved the idea of using photos from different ages. We ended up using the tri-fold centerpiece tutorial to display the photos.
We had twelve tables, so ended up using photos from grades 1-12 instead of ages 1-12. The trifold was great for being able to use 3 photos per person for years that had lots of options, but only one photo per person for years where all we found were school pictures. (Hello laser background 🙂
PS Link in case html doesn’t like me https://offbeatwed.com/diy-trifold-card-centerpiece/