Sweetheart table decorations

Sweetheart tables are simply a table set aside for the bride and groom, away from the rest of the bridal party — as opposed to your traditional long head table at the head of the room at a reception. I’m not sure when this trend began, but I think before my mom’s retirement, I had been decorating sweetheart tables for at least five years.

Why have a separate table from your bridal party? Well, why not? They can be as simple as a small, cocktail table set aside from the rest of your tables, or put on a riser, to connote a place of honor. If anything, even though its the bride and groom’s party, the bride and groom are still the guests of honor.

Above, is a picture of the sweetheart table at a friend’s wedding at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute in Simi Valley.

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Flower arrangements for your sweetheart table

What kind of flowers should you request for your sweetheart table? If you’re looking for flowers that will make for a big impact at a distance, you want colorful, big, lush blooms, like hydrangeas and blooming roses.

Flickr photo by Hoang

Above, I don’t typically see two arrangements on a sweetheart table, but these are meant to be used as a couple. I like the blooming roses and petals strewn between them.

Flickr photo by Hoang

White orchids on a red tablecloth? Big impact. I love it.

This wedding, which I decorated ages ago, used large blooming lavender roses and Casablanca lilies (my favorite flower!), and white Hawaiian orchids. The Hawaiian and dendrobium orchids don’t have as much visual impact as, say, a cattleya orchid, but I like them for the trailing and dangling effect.

You see what I mean? The dangling orchids here are lovely. This reception, which was held at the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles, had a great sweetheart table and backdrop. And all the flower arrangements are simply dripping with orchids.

You can’t see too much of the flowers here — they include pink roses and lilies — but I am including it because its one of my favorite colors and one of my favorite pictures. 🙂

Different flavors of sweetheart tables

Its no secret that I like the sweetheart table versus the head table with all the bridal attendants or sponsors. I think it highlights the couple-of-honor, and for a decorator, it allows us to create a nice focal point in the room.

Photo by Flickr’s mdunn

But there are some instances in which it won’t be effective. Above, you’ve got a lovely little sweetheart table, but its sort of swallowed by that fabulous view. In a case like this, a slightly larger table probably would have filled out the space more.

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Wedding venue no more? Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City

When you drive down Ventura Boulevard, the sight of the Sportsmen’s Lodge is a bit jarring. Amid all the slick stores and restaurants that now flank Ventura Boulevard, seeing what looks like a log cabin in a jungle (for all of the flora on the property is pretty wild) after passing the swanky Sherman Oaks Galleria, then the slick strip malls with Coffee Bean is like saying, “which one doesn’t fit?

Photo by Flickr’s ftfesz71

I’ve done maybe a handful of weddings — 5 or 6, in all the time I worked with my mom — at the Sportsmen’s Lodge. I liked two things about the place — the spiraling staircase in the banquet center (and I cannot, for the life of me, find a picture of the staircase; I’d probably have to dig into my mom’s printed pictures for one) and the swan ponds. Other than that, it was not my favorite venue — it’s in a busy area, the parking lots are kind of hard to get to, the facilities were old, the ballrooms were dark and low-ceilinged. But it had its charm, and we worked with it.

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Just a few flowers needed at a St. Louis loft-style reception

As a florist’s daughter and former wedding decorator, I know I should encourage brides to inundate their weddings with flowers and decorations. Honestly? You don’t need a whole lot for big impact. A friend of the Wedding Decorator (also a fellow journalist), Shruti Mathur, sent over some lovely photos of a wedding she attended recently in St. Louis over the Memorial Day holiday. Yes, I know, its already June 2, but I was on vacation. And it was my birthday. Anyway, on to the wedding pictures.

All photos by Shruti Mathur

When it comes to a party, think of what you need — good food, good conversation, maybe some light (although, that’s optional) and enough decor to enhance the surroundings — not become the surroundings. That’s what happened here. These are orchids strewn artfully over the guest tables around votive candles. In a space like this one, I don’t think you need much more.

With money being tight all across the board, choosing a high-impact color like red can go a long way in a gorgeous space like this one. This wedding reception was at Windows on Washington, a loft-style space in St. Louis. In this picture, you get to see some of the cool features of the room, like the exposed pipes and gorgeous brick walls.

By the way, this bridesmaid’s bouquet is pretty, right? It’s very simple, very colorful, wrapped in blue ribbon. Oh, but wait, there’s more!

I’m pretty sure these bouquets also doubled as centerpieces for certain tables — probably sponsor tables or wedding attendant tables. It’s a good way to make the flowers play more than one part and save some money.

Here’s the all important sweetheart table. Incidentally, I love this photo, since it captures the little boy tracing his finger along the window also. But you’re not interested in that! This sweetheart table is topped with an elaborate bouquet with vibrant red gerber daisies, roses and orchids. Oh, but wait! I think this arrangement looks familiar — it also served as the bridal bouquet.

Here’s a side view of the sweetheart table. The whole place looks so charming.

Mmmmm, cake. Wedding cake is almost always better, too. This cake is almost a decoration unto itself, banded with blue ribbon. Red orchids are also strewn on the table — nice contrast.
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