Future Brides: for the love of god, please make sure you and everyone else has a comfortable chair at the reception. The ceremony chairs can be fancy or basic whether they are metal, plastic, wooden benches, log stumps, or whatever. Guest will be in the ceremony chairs for typically a half hour. Heck, I can stand for a half hour – so a sitting option is great, no matter what it is. Although, I prefer not to sit on a sidewalk curb.
The reception is a different story. I get that you may not have any option at all regarding chairs. The venue may just offer white wooden folding chairs or maybe you are totally fine with whatever you have. However, if there is any choice of chair selections, please, please choose one that has a cushion over one that doesn’t. More often than not, the only option is the standard cushioned banquet chair.
If there is an option between some nice white ones that match with everything (but have no cushion) vs. an old-fashioned banquet chair, choose the banquet chair. Your guests are going to appreciate being more comfortable. Granted, they don’t have the choice, but if they did I bet most would choose the comfy chair, hands down.
Note this is why almost all airport chairs are padded….so your ass doesn’t get *as* sore. Typically you are sitting in a reception chair longer than an airport chair. Although, we all have experienced a long wait at the gate and wished for large comfy couches (or maybe nap pods? ha ha).
Chair Rentals:
If you are renting chairs, typically rental companies include the cushions. If they do not, then look around. Most Chiavari chair rentals do come with cushions and they are somewhat affordable (if in your budget) compared to other types of chairs. The rental cost per chair ranges anywhere from $7.00 to $10.00. If you have your heart set on renting chairs, it is worth investing a little more for a nicer chair and cut your budget somewhere else.
I do not recommend renting those clear acrylic ghost type chairs. For one, they are super expensive – usually start at $15.00 each. Second, they are not comfortable for a long period of time. While they look stunning with an elegant table arrangement, crystal centerpieces and beautiful chandeliers, I wouldn’t want to sit on them at a reception. If I had the choice, I would choose a banquet chair, no matter how outdated and ugly.
Note that there are many companies that rent white folding chairs with padding built-in for half the price of a Chiavari one.
Chair Cover/Cushion Options:
Rent Chair Covers – there are many, many places to do this and the cost ranges anywhere from $3.00 to $8.00 (but goes up from there for fancier ones). If you are going to go this route, my advice is to choose a local party rental company. They will set them up and will be wrinkle free (if they are a good rental company) and will then pick them up the next day. You do not have to do anything but pay for the rental and pick out your options.
Buy Chair Covers – best advice for this option is to just order one first. Test it out one of the actual venue chairs (if close). If not, find one. Once you get your big order in, check every seat cover for any flaws. Ask a friend to put them all on for you whenever the earliest permitted time is. Some venues will put them on for you which is a blessing. It’s best to get some that are wrinkle-free as they will be put on whenever is good for the set-up staff (or friends of staff doesn’t do).
If you do a Google search, lots of companies come up. Some offer covers for under $2.00 shipped. Do your research before ordering. Make sure it is the material you are looking for. Check out reviews and ask around on some Facebook wedding groups. That is why I trust Amazon. Not to mention, returns are super easy and hassle-free.
DIY Pillow Case Chair Back Covers – this is a great option and there are many crafty variations. A Pinterest Search on this brings up endless ideas. Some simple, some not so simple. Here is a HOW TO video that involves sewing. Here is a No Sew Pillow Case Chair Cover post. Find some pillow covers in bulk from a linen wholesaler such as Hotel Supplies-Online. An organza or tulle bow does wonders.
Make Your Own Cushion Covers – if you have basic wood or metal folding chairs, you can get various chair cushions secondhand at places like GoodWill, Savers and Salvation Army. It will take multiple shopping trips as you will definitely not find them in quantity. Also, you need to be ok with them being all different sizes – which, to me, adds character. Who is likely to notice that anyway?? Although if you do this, you should really find someone you know that can make a bunch of simple cushion slip covers. Material can be bought in bulk.
Make Your Own Chair Covers – I have no advice for this. I can’t even sew a button on. I would imagine that the cost to make your own covers is more than buying new chair covers in bulk. The benefit of this option though is that you can pick out whatever material, color, texture, etc. that you want (within reason).
If you have a family member that loves to sew, you’re golden. For material, JoAnn Fabrics is great and more often than not they have a 30% off coupon floating around. If not, just say at the checkout “oh, I forgot my coupon at home. Do you have an extra one?”. Works like a charm.
Buy Secondhand Chairs – yes, you read that right. If you want to really make the place unique, you can set each table with a different set of matching chairs. Heck you can do this even if they have decent chairs. I’m all about being unique and this is a fun way to do it. The whole table doesn’t even need to match, you can do 4 and 4 or even pairs. This will take a lot of patience and time though. The best place (as I mention all the time) are Good Wills and large places like that. Their chairs are usually in a back corner and are dirt cheap. Yard Sales are great, too, especially afternoon ones because the sellers are practically giving their stuff away. They don’t want to lug all that stuff (especially furniture) back in. Get some spray paint and do them all in whatever shade you want. How fun would that be….chair shopping for your wedding? The drawback for this option though, is logistics. You need to find someone with a huge truck or you will need to rent a U-Haul to get them all to your venue and packed up again. Perhaps you can ask some of your friend’s husbands to take on that responsibility. Honestly, a lot of people love being responsible for something to do with the wedding because, well, it makes them feel special.
CAT TEST
If your cat would curl up and sleep on your chair pick, then you have a winner.
Photo credit: gracey
