One of the few trends I was adamant on having at our wedding were long tables, also known as “feasting” or “kings” tables.  It was one of the first trends I came across online soon after I got engaged; one I fell hopelessly in love with, and one I could NOT live without.  Pardon the oxymoron, but I dreamed of having an intimate dinner party with 200 guests, and feasting tables were a way to make it feel that way.  Although my wedding venue coordinator had placed only round tables in the dinner loft until that point, she worked magic and came up with a floorplan to make the feasting tables work.

To ensure the feeling of a great, grand, intimate dinner party, we sat all our guests with their dates and their friends, including our bridesmaids and groomsmen.  So the wedding party was split up at separate tables, depending on their social circle.  Moreover, my husband and I did not want a head table nor did we want to sit at the head of a table.  We were already the center of attention and wanted to feel comfortable and at ease while enjoying our dinner and toasts.  So we were seating at a random table, next to our maids of honor, best men and their guests in addition to other friends.

As I entered the dinner loft for the first time, I gasped with glee as I saw my vision come to fruition.

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{All photos taken by the very talented Missy of Missy Photography}

The wheatgrass centerpieces my mother planted highlighted the season of life, Spring, and the grapewood candelabras I made glistened romantically as dusk set.  Both centerpieces were intentionally low to make the ceiling seem higher and for guests to be able to hold conversations across the tables.

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Wheatgrass centerpieces planted ten days before the wedding in regular baking tins; grapewood branches with tealight holders from Ikea.

The rustic, wooden chairs looked right at home on the polished hardwood floors and were the perfect contrast to the rich shimmer of the silver linens.  Each seat had a pre-hung manila shipping tag with guests’ names on one side, and a stamp of their meal choice on the other (steak, fish, veggie).  The entrees were, just like the hors d’oeuvres, fantastic.

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Manila seating tags pre-hung by our DOC, Katie Kozlowski, on our rustic chairs adorned with nails

We literally laughed and cried all dinner long (well, that had to do more with the ridiculously amazing toasts).  Being surrounded by all of our unbelievable family and friends in what felt like a big dinner party was an incredible feeling.  We felt so much a part of our dinner and are so thankful that Ravenswood could accommodate our request.

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My husband with his hand over mine, according to my sister the MOH, this would be the last time he ever had the upper hand :)

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A view of the room from the front.  The two horizontal tables in front had the groom’s parents and family, and the bride’s parents and family.

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Could my parents be any cuter?  We have quite an act to live up to.

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Going around greeting guests–so happy!

Coming Up:  Cake cutting and sweet table back in the Atrium