Reader Question: Amphitheater Seating Covers

21 Apr 2008

by Khris

We have an interesting dilemma in the forums and I’m hoping you creative divas might have some suggestions. User virtualvoice writes in with this predicament:

Our wedding ceremony is going to be outdoors in an amphitheater- the seats are all stone and somewhat dirty. We need to have blankets or fabric or something so that the guests don’t get their clothes dirty when they sit at the cermony.

I have thought of asking guests to bring towels from their hotels to sit on, but they might forget and it may be a bit strange of a thing to ask people to bring. (Would that be tacky? I could see it possibly working…) We could ask them to bring blankets, but the majority of them are traveling and won’t want to lug blankets across the country.

I have been trying to think of other cheap ways to fulfill our need for fabric or blankets. With $150 guests, that’s a lot of fabric needed!

Thoughts so far:
- Aisle runners ($30 for 100 ft some places online)
- paint drop cloths? I think the fabric ones are expensive
- $1/yd fabric at Walmart. I think we can find a better deal by thinking creatively
- cheap cloth tablecloths or sheets

Color- it seems like it would be nice if we could get white/off white, blue, gray, peach-ish, or black (or a mix of the above) colored blankets/towels/etc so they match the wedding colors at least somewhat, and aren’t an array of gaudy prints and things (otherwise I could collect random garage sale blankets, etc.). I could bleach them… Any thoughts on that? Would it really matter if the colors clash?

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated!

10 Comments

Allum April 21, 2008 at 9:57 am Reply

the paint drop cloths might be a good idea if you can find an ivory. Possibly stamp a design on the back, add a ribbon to tie them up.
MissP April 21, 2008 at 3:07 pm Reply

Sheets from the dollar store would be my first impulse. Whether or not the colors clashing would be a problem is more a question for you and your fiance. If it bugs you, don't do it - get all matching and maybe either stamp a design or do an iron-on patch that you print from the computer. If not, who cares? Bonus points if you can work in: "How's the view from the cheap sheets?" Seriously, have fun with it.
Linda April 21, 2008 at 3:20 pm Reply

I went to a wedding last year with the same problem. They asked people to bring blankets. Some friends and family of the bride and groom brought extras in case people forgot. Nobody minded.
Kristen May 14, 2008 at 9:34 pm Reply

I would try flannel back tablecloths from Dollarama. You can find them in various prints if there are any that work for you. You can also use the 8 foot lengths of plain plastic tablecloths from dollarstores too. Another option is to get a 100 foot roll of lastic tablecovers...you can get them from party suply stores in just about any color for about $15. They come from a comany called Amscan, so they might have it on their website to check out retailers near you.
cherub May 16, 2008 at 8:11 pm Reply

Asking you guests to bring their hotel towels is very tacky, and you want to stay in your hotel's good favor because they're taking care of YOUR guests. I work in a hotel, and wedding parties are a bit more demanding than the typical guest in the first place. don't abuse their hospitality by ruining their towels, as well.
amohler May 26, 2008 at 1:27 pm Reply

I'd go with Muslin. It comes in very nice neutral colors and its very easy to rip apart (so you don't have to sew them all!) It's also probably the least expensive fabric out there. Buy a large bolt at a fabric store and rip away!
Ashley June 20, 2008 at 7:43 pm Reply

Personally I would make situpons. This website shows you how, but there are other variations. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Shores/9392/crafts2-situpons.html A situpon is an African weaved seat made out of various materials. As a kid we always made them out of newspaper, but those can sometimes bleed. I would get fabric that is on sale or discontinued. You could make them different hues of one of your wedding colors. You can stick the newspaper in between layers to add padding.
Lauren C July 23, 2008 at 12:59 pm Reply

How's this for cheap? You can buy felt squares (they're pre-cut to 9-1/2" x 12") in a multitude of colors. The best online craft store for these (save-on-crafts.com) has 24 pieces for 5 bucks. Felt may keep the bums cushioned and warm too! http://www.save-on-crafts.com/felt.html
Sumiko July 27, 2008 at 4:13 pm Reply

Would you consider paper products? You can buy paper placemats in bulk rather inexpensively in any color you want at restaurant supply stores. If paper is an option, large round paper doylies could be used also. I really liked the felt idea too!
chelsea July 29, 2008 at 9:05 am Reply

I second the felt and muslin - both are less than $1 a yard (muslin goes on sale often, and can be found for about 40 cents a yard!) Good luck with whatever you decide!