To Chiavari, or Not to Chiavari? Opinions Needed!

THAT is my big question right now...

We're in the midst of going over our contract with our venue and I'm stuck with the question of, should I push for the Chiavari chairs, or not and wait to see what the table set up looks like when everything is complete, and then add them if I need to?
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My problem is, the venue we are using has yellow chairs. My color scheme right now is purple and silver, with maybe a few splashes of green here and there. I dont see how yellow chairs are going to tie in with this.

There are a few "pros" to using the yellow chairs:
-they are free/included in our package; Chiavari chairs would cost us $15/chair (and at 150+ people, plus sales tax, we are talking easily an extra $1500 +...for CHAIRS)
-everyone has said they don't remember what the chairs look like at a wedding 
(but I'm not convinced that it's because people had hideous chairs and no one noticed, or people splurged for the Chiavari's and that's why no one noticed).
-they are more comfortable than Chiavari chairs
Left: prom set up when we went to see the place on Friday
Top Right: what the chairs would look like at a table with white linen
Bottom Right: Set up for a conference, but you can see the chairs

The PRO of Chiavari chairs is that they are pretty, and classic. That's basically it. They will be a neutral at the table and let the colors of the table and the room pop.
(I found a place in the area that would do it for $5.50/chair, but I dont know delivery cost and that's still about $800)

I could try and push for a concession on the venue, but I'm not sure that the venue will just give them to us, free and clear.

Also, chair covers aren't an option because those are $12/chair and the timing of our reception won't allow for the time it takes to cover each chair and tie them up, we've been told.

Is it worth it? Tell me, people who have gotten married....is it worth it? I feel like I could better spend $800-1500+, but I don't want the reception to look jacked up and ugly cuz of these mustard yellow chairs!
Help!!

17 comments:

  1. Seriously... No one remembers the chairs...true story! = )

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  2. Personally, I don't think anyone will notice the chair color at all. Especially once the lights dim. I would use the money other places, but if you have a specific vision then go for it. :)

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  3. I'd skip them too, no one is going to remember the chairs at all! :)

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  4. I've gotta agree with the other ladies, that $1500 could go far somewhere else. But, if you want the Chivari, eff em all. It's your day!

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  5. Save the money and put it towards something more fun than chairs. I really don't think anyone will care or even notice.

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  6. Coming from someone who faced the same problem (our chairs ended up being a yellow color too - and weren't a part of my pink and green color scheme): save your money! Trust me! No one will notice, and that $1500 will end up getting gobbled up somewhere else. Definitely save it and use it for some other details you feel more strongly about - like personal touches, your wedding cake, whatever!!!

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  7. You know I am a firm believer in the tiny details making/breaking a party. With that being said, though, I would hold off because of the cost. As you get further...if you find that you have the extra money, then by all means go for it! Or if you find that you're obsessing over it and won't be content without them, then go for it! But my main, main, main wedding advice would be not to overspend by too much. After all, it is just a party...a very important, meaningful party...but I know so many people who have put themselves in debt for it and honestly, at the end of the day, all that matters is your marriage (and the band and the booze as my dad said the whole time we were wedding planning)

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  8. I'm totally the odd-woman out here, but I hate fabric chairs. My venue had them and I could.not.stand. them. They say no one remembers them, which MAY be true, but I knew that I would remember them. And they show up in photos. It's all about compromise. If you think you'll regret it, make the room for them. If you think you can live without them, by all means put the money elsewhere. Everyone told me I was crazy (I ended up doing chair covers and that cost almost as much as renting chiavari chairs) and I don't regret it one single bit!I look at my reception photos and think ... ahhh everything looks so pretty and it all matched! But again, that's just me :) Good luck with whatever you decide!

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  9. I can't remember the colour of the chairs at ANY of the verrrry many weddings I've attended!

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  10. From someone who has worked in the wedding industry for the last 14 years...it is NOT worth it. Save your $ and use it towards something that is going to create "memories" for you ie. extra $ to go towards your honeymoon...no one is going to be talking about how "ugly" the chairs were at your wedding - that is simply a detail only you the bride would notice

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  11. I'm also in the camp of saying nobody remembers the chairs! We did have chair covers at our wedding, but only because it was included as part of the package - no way would we have spent extra on it!

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  12. Our reception venue had HIDEOUS printed chairs that didn't go with our blue/silver theme, and I hate chair covers. So we did the chivari chairs. They were $8 a piece, but we had less than 100 plus free delivery. So it wasn't the worst thing in the world. But I don't know if they were really necessary. There are very few pictures of them. But I say do what you want. If you're going to hate the chairs they have, get them. But I doubt you'll be thinking how ugly the chairs are while you're actually there during your reception.

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  13. A year ago I would have said, yes, it's worth it. Except I was planning our wedding then, and I kept seeing photo after photo of pretty chivari chairs and wanted the same thing. Lucky for us, or really me, our venue had them as standard since they didn't have anything else available. But even so, not a single person mentioned the chairs to me, and I think there's only one or two photos where you can even see them. So while I might like to say we had chivari chairs, no one else at our wedding (even my husband!) would have any idea what our chairs were like.

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  14. I've never been married, so I can't give any advice from that angle, but I've been to a bunch of weddings, and I couldn't tell you what the chairs looked like at a single one of them. I think if it were me in your situation, I'd go with the standard chairs, and spend the $1500 on a longer honeymoon, or put it towards a down payment for a house or something. I'm sure your reception will still be incredibly beautiful, even with the yellow chairs! :)

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  15. Totally not worth it!! Go with the chairs they have and spend the other on something else or save!!

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  16. I love this part: people splurged for the Chiavari's and that's why no one noticed. Totally would be my thought process too. I think you're decor is really going to take notice away from the yellow chairs, but if you get to the end of the planning & have some money, go for it :)

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