Tag Archive for: The WOW Wedding guy

Rant alert! Wedding chair covers ~ when did they become a thing? Why do people have them? Should you put them in the FIB? What is a FIB?

I will attempt to answer some of these questions, but first let me just say, if you are going to have chair covers do them properly – like this! Make sure they add a real WOW to your wedding.

When did they become a thing? 

I have no idea! What I do think I know is why they became a thing – because of scruffy chairs that needed to be hidden!

Let’s be honest here, weddings are big business for many venues and many venues are a bit shabby with tired carpets and furniture. So, slapping some elegant covers on chairs and using beautiful drapes and fairy lights can improve a room very quickly. The problem, as I see it, is that the venue have found this is great way to charge every couple for the service.

Why do people have them? 

The chair covers make everything look clean and uniform. The addition of a sash gives you the opportunity to inject colour and maybe some bling, but that can be at considerable cost. I took the picture below at the recent Chilworth Manor Wedding Fayre and I got really excited because the venue has really good, neutral coloured, comfortable seats that didn’t need covering. That means you might have more to spend on really beautiful things like flowers, the lovely arrangement here was provided by our friend Carole from the Flower Stables.

Should you put them in the FIB and what is the FIB?

OK first, the FIB … I’m going to call it the “Forget It Bucket” – but that’s not what the “F” really stands for. I first heard the phrase in the VERY excellent Bridechilla Podcast by Aleisha McCormack. I highly recommend this podcast, in fact I’d go as far as to say it’s essential listening BUT it does come with the warning that Aleisha is not for those who are easily offended by profanities. One of Aliesha’s jingles is “The Bridechilla Podcast, telling chair covers to get f****d since 2014”.  I’ll be posting more about BrideChilla soon but please check it out.

In Conclusion

A covered chair with a sash can look really elegant. However, once someones been sat in it for a while the sash often moves and it’s not quite as tidy. Badly tied sashes often come untied and end up being a slip/trip hazard on the floor. I know some venues where the same chairs are used for the ceremony in one room, then moved to another room for the wedding breakfast and then moved around again for the evening party, often the sashes need redoing several times. However they can be a good way of getting your colour theme into the day.

My personal opinion is book a venue with chairs that don’t need covers but if you do want, or need, to have covers do them well, create something special. Here’s a beautiful venue dressed to make it look even more gorgeous. It’s the Hampshire Barn at Norton Park (click here) and it was dressed by my friend Suzanne Tie The Knot Events (click here). The table cloths and sashes really take the room to another level while maintaining a clean, tidy feel.