Do I Have to Use Real Glassware at My Wedding?

We get asked this question a lot. And the answer is nope. Here are a few things to consider when making this decision.

 

What kind of tone are you trying to set?

Is the event formal, laid back or somewhere in between? Nice glassware is one of those details that can give an event a more elevated feel, especially if drinks are served in the appropriate glasses – highball or rocks glasses for cocktails, white and red wine glasses, water/tea glasses etc. If you’re having a formal, plated dinner then real glassware will be expected. If the event is a bit more laid back, we often will use a more universal glass for several purposes – like a stemless wine glass for white and red wine as well as water. If your event is super informal or your budget for rentals is minimal, then you can opt to do all plastic for the entire event which can help make cleanup easier as well.

Use a combination of BOTH glass and plastic.

For those that love the look of real glassware, but want to save a bit, we do combos of glass and plastic all the time. We’ll start with real glassware for cocktail hour and throughout dinner. Real glassware makes a big visual impact when you have full place settings on your tables and is the place your glasses will be the most noticeable and likely to be photographed. Once dinner is over, you can switch to plastic cups for the portion of the reception that will be dancing/party time. At that point in the night, it’s much less noticeable, not to mention safer as guests continue to imbibe and maybe kick off their heels on the dance floor.

Whichever you decide to do, we recommend you try to keep things consistent. If you have nice, porcelain china, fancy flatware and linen napkins but want to use plastic cups, we’d recommend keeping them at the bar/drink station only rather than putting them at each place setting. If you have beautiful highballs and champagne coups, they may not pair as well with a paper plate. Above all else, do what makes the most sense for you and your budget.

More on this here. Happy Planning!