When putting on a wedding breakfast, the layout and décor must be every bit as memorable as the food itself. From taking things al fresco to getting imaginative with table shapes and layouts, there are plenty of options to wow your guests aside from just the menu.
Our variety of historic spaces (including the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and Banqueting House) leave plenty of scope for creative concepts, and our teams are well-versed in delivering wow-factor receptions guaranteed to stand out in guests’ memories. So whether you’re planning for a heritage space or pared-back blank canvas setting, here are our top tips to help you deliver awe-inspiring, quirky dining…
Take things outside
Make the most of the warmer months of the year and take your wedding breakfast outside. Al fresco dining is incredibly popular in sunnier climes and with a summer as lovely as ours this year, it can be equally as impactful in the UK. If you have access to private gardens, utilise pathways for tables and offer guests a unique experience immersed in the surroundings. Bright colours work really well for seating and linen decorations, to coordinate with any floral displays in the outdoor space.
Mix the ‘flavours’
Take inspiration from your setting – but also be brave enough to contrast with it. Dining in a historic setting? Opt for colourful lighting and sleek, contemporary table decoration to create a modern twist. Surrounded by artefacts? Pare back the chair and table choice while letting elaborate floral table-scapes do the talking, selecting accented colours 
from the room décor.
Dinner and dancing
Combining dinner and dancing in the same room is a great way of maximising one space, and giving guests the ease to move fluidly from table to dancefloor. To utilise a blank canvas space in the Kensington Palace Pavilion, we recently opted for clear chairs and mirrored tables to give a real illusion of an expansive room, choosing glitterball lighting to give the whole event a disco feel.
Shape it differently
Break the mould and branch out from traditional table shapes and layouts, even using them to reflect the event’s theme or message. An ‘x’ shaped table worked wonders for a recent wedding showcase event at Banqueting House, reflecting the romance of that first married kiss. Each ‘branch’ was decorated individually to give the feel of varying dining experiences taking place simultaneously, yet all connected by the centre of the ‘x’.
Whatever the theme, don’t be afraid to try something new and quirky, to create an unbeatable atmosphere and experience that your guests will remember long after the day is over!
Article by: Milan Thakrar, Business Development Manager, Commercial Events at Historic Royal Palaces
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