I Love... Long Tables

I fear this post might make some people roll their eyes in disgust at my wedding heresy but, in a new spirit of bravery, I am going to speak my mind. I am not a massive fan of round tables at weddings. There, I've said it - should I give you a few moments to recover your composure before I go on?!

I just have a love of long tables - I think they look incredibly elegant, anything you do decoration-wise has more impact when it's repeated along the length of the table top and they just 'work'. I know the arguments for round tables, it's easier to talk to people but at long tables, you can easily converse with at least five people around you. I also think long tables are less divisive - because more people are sat together, you don't have to chop people into groups quite so much. Long tables look great in most spaces and are becoming more and more popular. And in my opinion, this is definitely a good thing...

Above - love this look and the colours are great - the pink peonies, the green napkins, the brown table runner all make this oh-so elegant but not difficult to achieve. My tip would be to speak to your florist about the length of the table to work out the numbers of arrangements needed and tweak to fit your budget. Image - Better Homes & Gardens

Above - another great long table look that has groupings of pots & greenery rather than individual arrangements and I really like this. Again, easy to put together yourself if you bought the plants from a garden centre & potted them into the containers you wanted before the day. You could the gift the pots to guests at the end of the night. Love the white chairs here too and the bright light simplicity. Image - Cameron Ingalls 

Above - another very elegant look, especially with those ornate chairs which match so well with the brown in the ccentrepiece. Notice how the centrepieces here are much further apart (as they're taller so they don't cut the table in two!) but the colour is splashed onto the table top with those sweet little floral pots at each place setting. Image - Italian Lakes Wedding

Above - I. Love. This. The dark wood tables without cloths, the blue runner & matching seat pads, the low level informal flowers and then those impressive chandeliers. It's just gorgeous and I want to be there. Image - Jose Villa

Above - now this is a very pretty and slightly more lavish look with those petal packed arrangements, the silvered votives, the glass candle holders & the silver chargers. Definitely not for you if you're going minimalist but if you're looking for guaranteed ooooohs and aaaaahhhs, this is a winner. Image - Justin Marantz

Above - country style works wonderfully on long tables and the burlap cloth here is the perfect backdrop for those ditsy print napkins and pretty garden flowers. There's not a lot on this table but it looks more impressive because of the replication along the length of it - visual tricks that work well! Image - PGB Photography

Above - love this slice of outdoors heaven. The lights are just fabulous but the tables win it and they're not doing very much really - just plain brown with hardly any decoration but the colours pop so nicely together and again, the replicated look creates more of an impact. Yes, I know we can't all rely on the weather so much we can set up our tables outside in the sure knowledge we'll have a balmy day but this would work perfectly in a marquee too. Image - Sarah Yates

Above - now here's a different look - who said long tables had to be straight! Just to throw another option into the mix for you...! Image - via Snippet & Ink

Above - another very pretty look that's making me think of the seaside with the sandy coloured runner and blue vases. Those simple flower arrangements are great and ooooh, the bliss of that beautiful ironed table lined and there are those fab white chairs again. More proof that long tables don't have to be full of complicated details and massive floral arrangements to look wow - less is most definitely more. Image - The Knot

Above - and another option here. Long tables but still with only eight guests per table. The arrangement of the tables though, lined up parallel, gives the visual impact but your guests are still in smaller groups so it's a win win if you don't like the idea of so many people together. Loving that there aren't any table legs on show and that the linen hangs right to the floor! Again, very simple table decorations that just look wonderful. Image - via Wedding Bee