2022 Wedding Linen Trends

Long gone are the days when brides and grooms were stuck using the white cotton linens that were provided by their caterer and the wedding venue. Today, you can customize the look of your reception with your choice of many different wedding linens so they fit the theme of your big day.

But, with more choice comes more uncertainty. What kind of linens should you use to decorate the tables at your reception?

Here are some of our favorite 2022 wedding linen trends to get you started. You just may find an idea you love that you haven’t considered before!

Round Tables With Leafy Linen Overlays: Burnetts Boards

Layered Linens

One of the biggest wedding linen trends involves layering fabric. The most basic way to do this is to cover the table with crisp white linen and layer it with a table runner.

There are more creative ways to play with this trend. Cover the table with a dark table cloth, then layer lighter, see-through fabrics on top. You can also create a layered look by using multiple table runners in different colors on each table.

Reception Table With Oversized Linens and Cascading Floral Arrangement: Junebug Weddings

Long Linens

Perfectly tailored table linens will always look elegant, but if you’re looking for a softer, more romantic look, consider using long linens.

Long linens are meant to pool on the floor, whether you use oversized table cloths, table runners, or table skirts. This look is especially striking if you allow your centerpieces to spill onto the floor too. An overgrown floral arrangement is perfect for garden weddings and enchanted forest weddings. It’s also perfect for any couple that wants a less formal look without sacrificing style.

Bare Wood Reception Table With a Long Table Runner: Kate Touzel

Naked Tables

Naked tables are growing in popularity. Think rustic wooden tables that have been exposed to the elements and acrylic tables that are completely transparent.

That doesn’t mean you don’t need linens! It just means the linens you do choose have to create a big impact.

A velvet table runner can look striking on an old wooden table, while a puffy table runner made out of tulle would look ethereal on an acrylic or glass table.

Don’t forget about the napkins! You might want to do something unexpected, like set each place with a velvet napkin, or slip a unique napkin ring around simple squares of white fabric.

Reception Tables with Doily Place Settings: Bride and Blossom

Not Your Grandmother’s Lace

Old lace isn’t old anymore! Among our favorite wedding linen ideas is using your grandmother’s lace.

The trick is to use it in unexpected ways so it doesn’t look like your grandmother’s lace. For example, a lace table runner might be tied with a bow as it hangs over the side of the table, giving it a whimsical look. You might put a lacy layer above a brightly colored table cloth, or you might use doilies under each place setting instead of putting them under centerpieces.

Eclectic Head Table Featuring a Mauve Velvet Table Cloth: This Modern Romance

Velvet

Velvet is a great wedding linen choice for fall and winter nuptials, but it can be quite beautiful in the spring and summer too. You can make sure the velvet you choose is appropriate for the season by choosing the right type of fabric in the right hue.

Heavy velvet that spills onto the floor is great for cool and cold weather weddings, especially when you choose a dark color. Crushed velvet in lighter colors and unique patterns is a better option for warmer weather weddings. If you want to lighten up the look even more, choose a crushed velvet table runner instead of a heavy table cloth.

Reception Tables Draped in White Cheesecloth: Venue Report

Cheesecloth

Cheesecloth is a popular wedding linen, especially among boho, natural, and eco-conscious brides. Cheesecloth table runners are popular, but full table cloths in this material can give your reception space a dreamy appearance.

Cheesecloth is also an extremely versatile fabric. If you’re looking for more creative ways to incorporate this linen trend in your wedding, try tying it to the backs of chairs. You can swag it on the front of a reception table, or adorn each place setting with a cheesecloth napkin.

Wedding Reception Table Featuring an Ikat Table Runner: Martha Stewart

Bold Patterns

Looking to make a statement? Consider wedding linens that feature bold patterns!

That doesn’t mean you have to cover every table in a bright, bold pattern. Instead, look for creative ways to incorporate the pattern of your choice.

For example, you might cover the table with a white table cloth, but place a table runner on top that features a bold pattern. You can keep the table cloth simple and choose napkins with a bold pattern, or you could soften the pattern by placing a sheer layer of chiffon over the top of each table.

Bold patterns are also a great way to make certain tables stick out. You could cover the head table in a bold pattern, but cover the rest of the tables in white linen. Then, repeat the bold pattern with the napkins at each place setting to tie the look together.

Cupcake Table Covered in a Sequin Table Cloth With Greenery: Hey Wedding Lady

Metallic

Nothing glamorizes a wedding like metallic table linens! Glitter and sequin fabrics are popular with holiday and New Year’s brides, but they are also beautiful at big ballroom bashes and mansion nuptials.

Metallic table cloths don’t have to be loud and attention-grabbing. You can find shimmering table cloths in a wide range of colors, as well as sheer table cloths with metallic embroidery.

Wedding Place Setting Featuring Raffia Placemat and Linen Napkin: Weddingomania

Raffia and Natural Fibers

Natural materials come and go out of style. For example, burlap had a hot moment at rustic weddings, but it is quickly falling out of favor. It is being replaced by other materials, like raffia.

Raffia grass is most commonly woven into placemats that look beautiful on reception tables, whether you’re at the beach, in the dessert, or just outside a forest.

Raffia looks beautiful when incorporated with other natural fibers too. Think macrame table runners woven out of cotton twine at a boho wedding or striped grain sack table runners at a farm wedding.

The best wedding linen for your big day is the one that speaks to you. Take the time to weigh all of your options, including the 2022 wedding linen trends on this list, and you will find the best fabrics for the tables at your wedding.