Mr. Caro and I will be celebrating our wedding in a converted church. It took us a while to find the right ceremony venue but we are very happy about our final choice: we think this church has a great intimate vibe and it fits our style perfectly.
The only thing I do not like about it is… the transparent chairs…
Church photo 1 from Melsinea Viaggi, Church photo 2 from Weddings Brescia
Don’t get me wrong: I think transparent chairs look really chic and cool in the right ambiance! I just don’t think the intimate and historic atmosphere of the church fits well with those stylish contemporary chairs for our wedding…
Renting new chairs or chair covers is out of the question. I don’t dislike those chairs so much to be able to justify spending money on them. However if I could find an easy and cheap way to make them look just a bit nicer, that would be great!! Do you have any ideas on how those chairs could be decorated to help them fit better in the church for a more rustic wedding vibe? Or do you think they look nice, and I’m over-thinking it?
And as quid pro quo, here is a selection of my personal favorites when it comes to chair decor. Unfortunately none of these ideas fit the form of the chairs above, but I hope you can find them useful!
Image 1: Shipwrecked wedding photo shoot by Canvas and Canopy Events, photographed by Elizabeth Messina, via Green Wedding Shoes; Image 2: Engagement session by Tonya Joy Photography and Kristina Kendig Design via Forget Me Knot Weddings; Image 3: Chair with satin ribbon via This is Glamorous; Image 4: Wedding programs chair decor via Martha Stewart Weddings; Image 5: Paper and Old Books photo shoot decor by Outstanding Occasions, photographed by Milena Sefferovich via Green Wedding Shoes; Image 6: by All Things Lovely; Image 7: Vintage inspired photo shoot by Simply and Forever, photographer by Untamed Heart Photography, via Elizabeth Anne Designs
I actually really like them in that setting! Sure, they contrast with the rustic aura of the church a bit, but I at the same time I like how they are almost invisible, so that you really appreciate the church structure and they just literally fade into the background! I think if you try to decorate them too much, you might end up losing some of that focus on the beautiful church itself!
I see what you mean, but I actually think the chairs look great because they just disappear into the space. If I were you I would focus on the other decorations you care about — especially the aisle and altar area — and then the chairs really will just disappear in comparison to those decorations. It’s a gorgeous venue!
i agree with you that they don’t fit the vibe of the church….but i wouldn’t want to spend a ton of money spicing them up either….i think if you do some aisle decor along the end chairs facing the center aisle, along with maybe some sort of floor runner – that will help….once everyone is there and seated, you probly won’t notice the chairs much (hopefully)….good luck!! wish i had more advice….
I really, really, REALLY wanted those chairs. Guess how much they are to rent in SO Cal:
$25/chair (plus delivery, service charge, and setup fees)
Yeah.
That didn’t happen…but they would have fit in perfectly with my contemporary art museum wedding.
And I don’t mean the aisle and altar area need gussying up — just that if you were going to decorate anything, that would focus attention strictly on you guys.
@peachybride: That’s exactly what I was thinking. Well said!
@peachybride: That’s exactly what I was thinking. Well said!
I really like them in the space…Even for a rustic vibe…If you lined the aisles with large multi-sized candles that might “rustic-fy” it a lttle bit, but I think they are awesome no matter what the setting…so jealous!
I agree with peachybride! And, once people sit in them, only the backs of the back row will show up in photos. So if you absolutely feel you must do something to them, I’d only do it to the back row and maybe the vertical row that lines the aisle. Anything else is going to get too busy and distract. And yes, you are overthinking it, but thats a brides prerogative! 
the church is beautiful, the transparent chairs would not be noticeable anymore once your guests will be seating on them of course. put flowers in the altar and some candles, it will be so gorgeous!:)
@pookiepie: This is what I was going to say The setting is gorgeous and once the seats are filled you won’t notice.
I agree, once people are sitting in the chairs you will never notice the chairs. Our chairs were mismatched and you couldn’t tell from pictures once the guest were seated.
I think everyone is right in saying that nobody will notice once the seats are filled! I wish I had an amazing idea to help spruce them up a bit, but alas, I do not! I think your guest will spruce them up just fine!
I see what you mean that it doesn’t really match the area although they are really cool! What time of year is the wedding? Maybe you can get some potted branches to line the aisle with to make it more rustic. That way that will be more of a focal point rather than the chairs. I’m sure that no one would think twice about it…it’s the little things that drive us brides nuts! Best of luck!
I actually really love the juxtaposition of the old and new!
Miss C, i’ll trade you your ghost chairs for my chivari chairs any day….I. LOVE. YOUR. CHAIRS.
Those chairs will really “disappear” if you leave them alone. Decorating them, especially with stuff that doesn’t quite “go” with them, may create its own problem. People who notice chairs will understand that is a very desirable chair! But mostly people won’t see them–they are so neutral. I would put my efforts into other decor projects that you can have total control over and make them shine!
I also like how subtle the ghost chairs look in the space! If you’re allowed to have candlelight, I think they’ll look even more ethereal and reflect the light in a very pretty way.
Oh man, I LOVE how they look in that space!!
(Sorry, I realize this is unhelpful.)
Miss Carousel, Dusseldorf, Germany/Garda, Italy Age and Occupation: 29, International Product Manager Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Front End Developer Engagement Date: May 29, 2010 Wedding Date: September 2011 Venue: I’m an American-Italian girl living in Germany with my Belgian fiancé, planning a wedding in Italy. I can’t wait to show our guests the wonderful Lake Garda, Verona, and want our wedding to be a fun filled, charming, day in the life of “La dolce vita.” Mr. C and I love spending time together, and have added wedding related activities to our cooking nights, dance lessons, and road trips. We love sampling restaurants, could listen to Sinatra all day, and are just a tad geeky and into technology. As we want all of our passions to be part of our marriage, what better way to start than by incorporating them in our wedding day?
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