Wedding table setting: 5 trends for 2024
Which are the wedding table setting trends for 2024-2025? Creating a table setting coherent with the theme and location and functional for the guests is vital for a balanced event. Where to start from? In this article, we will understand what a table setting is, what etiquette prescribes, and the main trends of this season.
Table setting: why is it important?
The table setting is the translation of French “mise en place”. Literally “put in place” refers to the choice and correct positioning on the dining table of:
- decorations – such as centrepieces and backsplashes;
- Textiles – tablecloths, table runners and napkins;
- Furnishings and crockery – plates, placemats, glasses, cutlery.
The mise en place is much more than a simple set of rules for the bon ton at the table. It is a fundamental design element. If particular decorations of the environment or details of the location can go unseen, the guest cannot fail to notice – and therefore remember – the place where they’ll pass most of the party: the table!
Setting the table is not enough to create a wedding mise en place. For this element to really give added value, it should be consistent with the wedding’s primary theme and location.
We talk about the harmony of colours, shapes, and styles to create a balanced and pleasant visual impact.
Let’s see this season’s trends for an unforgettable table for your guests.
The wedding table setting in etiquette
The most classic of this year’s trends is the bon ton table setting, actualized by a pinch of informality. The table setting changes according to the type of service offered, but some etiquette rules have to be considered in any case.
- Forks should always be on the left of the plate, while knives on the right – only if the latter is not provided, forks can be set on the right.
- Glasses should always be placed above the cutlery and to the right of the plate;
- The plate for the bread should be to the left of the underplate.
I guarantee that the etiquette of table setting is much more complicated than that! However, respecting these elements is enough to create a neat and classic mise en place. In this case, we will use a white or light coloured tablecloth with matching napkins.
To not exceed formality, we could avoid placing on the table the triple fork (appetizer, first course, second course) and the double knife (fish and meat). Just as we could not include the dessert cutlery (knife, fork and dessert spoon) in the initial table setting, supplying them later.
In the image below, we see a very formal wedding mise en place that includes three wine glasses. In short, an abundance of functional furnishings but not really suitable for every type of reception and wedding tables, also for reasons of space.
The Peach Fuzz palette: a romantic and bright mise en place
After 2021 and 2022 still influenced by a climate of uncertainty and tension, 2023 was the year of rebirth, also from a color point of view. Rich and vibrant palettes have been the protagonists of last year’s mise en place, often characterized by touches of purple, yellow and magenta.
In this 2024 the veil of uncertainty is torn apart by a newfound optimism, which is expressed in the richness of colors and shapes. The deep connection with nature remains and manifests itself in complete freedom with dried flowers, fresh flowers, ornamental greenery and all the vibrant colors of a thriving and alive nature.
All this is represented by the PANTONE Color of the Year 2024: Peach Fuzz. A bright but calm shade of orange that embodies the resolutions of the new year – which, I assure you, are also felt in the world of weddings: optimism, joy, balance, creativity.
With this color, PANTONE invites us to find within ourselves the balance that is still elusive in the outside world, looking to the future with warm optimism.
The purpose of PANTONE 13-1023 is to put the future in a new light: one in which we as individuals can be protagonists, taking care of body and soul.
And on which day are you more active, optimistic and happy if not on your wedding day?
There are many options for including such a delicate shade in the wedding design. An example of a bright and elegant mise en place could be one that uses Peach Fuzz in flowers – such as roses and geraniums – and ribbons for napkins, combining it with cold pastel colors such as indigo or lavender for plates and glassware. The association with white, green and gray is also interesting.
The Peach Fuzz, however, can also be used for more daring moods and weddings that love to experiment and amaze.
In this case we could find cutlery in satin or shiny gold steel, golden chargers and plates with baroque patterns, combined with colored and frosted glasses. The centerpieces here are floral, rich and with a strong impact, even in shades of red or intense purple.
The table linens, on the other hand, are characterized by simple textures but robust and decisive fabrics. Even in fantasy for the most creative!
The pastel wedding mise en place: an evergreen
For some years, authenticity has been one of the most sought-after sensations in wedding design. Which means less glam and fewer accessories but more feelings and emotions.
This year the trend reversed towards richer and more spectacular weddings, but the pastel-coloured mise en place is still one of the most popular. These colours can be declined, in the tablecloths, with notes of lilac and light blue, and in placemats and ceramic details.
This trend manifests itself in several styles: from boho chic to minimalism to the natural theme – which we will talk about shortly.
We often find pastel weddings in country locations or in historic buildings with magnificent murals. Similarly, we can find a complete wedding table setting, consistent with the etiquette, as an informal and fresh one. In short, the pastel colours are a design element extremely flexible: anyway perfect for the most romantic weddings.
Look at the diversity of these mise en place!
Natural and recycled materials: an eco-chic & sustainable wedding
The tendency to use materials and elements from nature – even raw ones – has already been underway for some years. We have seen several beautiful table settings characterized by wood, jute and straw.
This year, however, we take a step further: not just nature but sustainability. A trend especially for younger couples – millennials are growing up too! These wedding table settings are usually created in weddings where each element has been designed with an eco-friendly perspective. From the location, surrounded by greenery, to the simple and km0 food.
The characteristics can be really diverse. An idea could be a straw or rattan placemat or a linen tablecloth with a jute runner. The absence of tablecloths is also stylish. In this case, the dishes are placed directly on the table – strictly in natural wood – and completed by herbal decoration – branches, leaves, petals – and raw fabrics.
Fewer dried flowers and more living nature: from the pampas to the tropical-mood
After at least three years in which pampas have been the must-have floral decoration of every wedding, this trend will disappear in 2024. From dried flowers, roses, ears of wheat, eucalyptus, lunaria and pampas, we move on to an explosion of tropical colours and richness.
Banana leaves, palms, bamboo, ferns and monstera deliciosa are all vibrant green plants that we will have to get used to seeing more and more at upcoming weddings. Jute and woven straw remain alive, but are often tinged with contrasting or pastel colours.
The protagonists of the centrepieces will be the flowers. Here too, we are spoiled for choice between extravagant shapes and vivid colours: Indian shot, strelitzia, hibiscus, morning glory, passion flower, plumeria are just some of the tropical plants we will see in abundance in the 2024 mise en place.
In this riot of colours, the accessories that characterised the wedding tables in 2022-23 are becoming less and less present: goodbye to lanterns, aviaries, swings and huge candelabras. What remains are vases, glassware and candles – often with a large base and with glass or wooden candle holders.
In a tropical-mood wedding, there will be no shortage of ethnic accessories: objects and placemats worked in polished wood, macramé and coloured fabric drapes.
In short, a mise en place for a vibrant, joyful, young and modern wedding.
The mise en place is the queen of your table: do you know how to choose it?
When choosing your wedding mise en place, keep in mind that it will be one of the elements that your guest will remember. As a wedding planner, I have to admit that it is one of the parts that is often paid less attention to.
Why? Simple, the basic table setting service is often offered in the catering package: white tablecloths and crockery, steel cutlery, classic glasses and goblets. Here, this mise en place, however timeless and always elegant, is not suitable for all types of weddings and all locations. I would say, not even for all the spouses!
This, which I have left for last, is perhaps the most essential point. As the theme, the wedding table setting should first be in line with the character, perceptions and values of the couple!
Are you paying the proper attention to your table setting? What’s your favourite trend 2024-2025?
Tania Costantino – Full Service Wedding Planner in Sicily
Photo Credits: Giuseppe Santanastasio Photographer; Fausto Sari; Pinterest
