Just as wedding dresses are becoming more daring in color, texture and cut, so is table décor.

New tabletop linens this season feature saturated colors or rich crimsons, chocolate browns, and bright tangerines. They are beaded, corseted, tufted and even spiked with grommets. Faux suede linen adds a new texture to the winter table while winter whites in varying shades at a fashionable touch to even an all-white table.

To match the linens, consider new, unusual pieces from abroad, available from some rental companies. Glass base plates, colored wine glasses in contemporary shapes and hammered copper and silver flatware are just a few items that give tables a fashionable touch.

And if you are the really daring type, consider covering the entire tabletop in whole roses (either the head table or a buffet) for a look that will put your wedding reception on all the best-dressed lists.

After food, lighting is the most crucial element in the caterer’s world. Throw blue or green lighting on or near food and it will look strange and inedible. Turn on the amber glow and not only the food, but your Aunt Sally is gorgeous. Have too little or too much light and you can lose the mood you are trying to create.

Even if you have just a small amount of budget allocated to décor, spend it on lighting! Your caterer can help here as well. Rental lighting has come a long way and a caterer can work with you to rent and have lighting installed over the buffet or on the tables. You can even add some accent lighting here and there to give the room some drama that accentuates your color scheme and any architectural elements of the room. 

If you wonder why your caterer is interested in your flower choice, it’s because flowers are an important element of the overall dining experience. If they are too scented, they might clash with the menu. If too high, they might obscure your guests’ view of the stage, of the dance floor and of each other. If they are the wrong  color and style, they might  conflict with all the hard work that has gone into creating your table design.

Just as a restaurant owner has carefully choreographed all the elements that go into creating a special atmosphere in which you feel and look great good, so does the caterer care about all the elements that you and your guests will experience, before even tasting a morsel of food.

 Linen, the floral design and even the plates, all play a large part of how good we feel in a room and how good we feel in general. Caterers have a lot to say about the look of your table or buffets simply because we are planning the menu and want it to fit the look and feeling of the menu.

Talk with your caterer about the overall feeling of the room. Do you want it to be elegant or casual, contemporary or traditional, lush and rich, or simple? What are your linen colors? Your caterer and you will most likely take a trip to a rental company to look at linens, table settings and chairs. There are so many beautiful options now that your caterer can help guide you in the creation of a table, a buffet and a room setting that fits your vision.