Whilst enjoying good company (and good food!) at Chick-fil-a last week, I excitedly gave my vision for an upcoming event. A perfect venue, cute tablecloths, fantastic chargers…wait. What?
Chargers? My waffle-fry eating friends didn’t understand what I was referring to. The San Diego Chargers? Phone chargers? A Dodge charger?
My dearest friends of ITN, please explore with me the tabletop-transforming, aesthetically pleasing, pop of fantastic that is a plate charger.
Traditionally, plate chargers are considered placeholders, so that a setting does not seem empty all by its lonesome before food is served. Though the men in your life might consider it just a larger plate for a more generous portion, food actually is never served on the plate, but rather, functions as a base for other plates (i.e. salad, soup, main, etc).
Not only does it serve a practical use, but it truly brings to your tabletop a design element that will make you think, “there we go – that’s exactly what we needed.”
A wonderful example of this was our bridal inspiration shoot with Jasmine Star’s lovely sister Bianca Juarez.
A charger allows you to add texture. Glam. Glitz. It really aids in setting the mood of the table.
Of course you’re so enamored by the endless possibilities of a charger that you’re not even thinking of the cost. But allow me to deliver the wonderful news that this great addition to your table usually costs anywhere from $2 – $10 a setting.
Bianca’s charger above falls in the middle of that price range, even though it looks like a million. Settling into the same price range is this celebratory gold charger from a St. Patrick’s day shoot done last year.
Those classic clean lines and the Oscar gold make me stare at it for an unreasonable amount of time. Do you see what I mean when I say it adds just the right touch?
I think the part that makes me, you, everyone really fall in love with chargers, is seeing the whole thing come together. Not just one measly (but still awesome!) charger, but the total reveal of a complete setting. So behold. Our creative DIY bride Emily rocked the charger.
Simple red chargers turned this Smog Shoppe wedding into something that we gush over regularly at the studio.
Chargers can be made up of anything from china, to plastic, to even non-traditional materials, like the onyx ones we used at the Serra Plaza event where I met Amanda and the ITN team!
But! Before you totally discard the idea of classic white plates and go out to buy all things bright and shiny, please appreciate this latest design element that we’ve been encouraging many of our beloved clients to do.
What’s this? A white plate as a base charger? Don’t mind if I do. It’s just a proper complement. A simple, low budget, setting enhancer. It’s just proof that you can take charge now.
A charger can be flashy. It can be dazzling. It can be basic. But it will always add depth, heartfelt thought, and effortless wonder to your table.
And when the day is done, you don’t even need to wash it.
With love,
