Chiavari chairs look spectacular but they can add a bit to your overall budget at $5-$10 per chair. This article is a guide on everything to know about chiavari chairs for Indian weddings.

Many brides ask, should I invest in them or not? How much do they cost? Why don’t venues offer them? Why are venue chairs so corporate looking? We’re going to address all of these questions in this article.

In this article:

• why venues don’t include chiavari chairs
• the different types of chiavari chairs
• chair costs
• what to ask chair vendors

So why don’t venues just include these chairs with their outside catering package? 

1. Chiavari chairs aren’t that comfortable. They don’t have back padding and after a while those rods start to dig into your back. And they’re so corporate looking because venues, especially the large ones that host indian weddings also host a lot of corporate events and conferences. In fact for a lot of venues weddings and social events are the smallest portion of their overall event business. So really their primary focus is attracting corporate events and conventions.

Take a popular Indian wedding venue like the Hyatt Regency Long Beach. Did you know that hotel is actually connected to the Long Beach Convention Center? It’s just such a beautiful property and one of the original Southern California hotels that allowed outside catering, a baraat and an open flame, so they became very popular amongst the South Asian community. But their core business is to be a convention center hotel that houses thousands of guests attending conferences.

2. Chiavari chairs are delicate. They scratch and dent easily, certainly a lot easier than standard banquet chairs. And remember, the venue staff is doing a lot of labor stacking and unstacking chairs so sturdy, resilient chairs are a more durable investment.king

3. So why don’t venues keep standard banquet chairs AND chiavari chairs? Because they don’t have enough storage space.

4. I’ve never seen a couple walk way from a venue they like, because they didn’t offer chiavari chairs. When that starts to happen enough, venues will reconsider this.

So, my team and I prepared this short guide to help you understand the differences amongst various chiavari chairs, so you can make the right selection for your wedding. The last thing you want is to spend a lot of money on chairs and find them damaged.

{Questions to Ask Your Chair Vendor}

1. What colors are available? Chiavari chairs come in all sorts of colors, including transparent aka ghost chairs.
2. Does the chair price include the cushions? What cushion colors are available? Are all of the colors the same price?
3. Does the price include attaching the cushions to each chair? 
4. Does the price include chair setup and tear down? This is really important because they might quote you a price for the chairs only and not the labor to set them up and pack them up at the end of your event. FYI, since we specialize in venues, the setup and tear down time is usually not included in the total event time. In other words, if a venue says you have 6 hours, that’s actual event time. Setup and tear down don’t take time away from those 6 hours. The number of included hours varies at each venue. FYI, depending on how elaborate your decor is and event size, setup for an Indian wedding ceremony is usually 1-2 hours. And reception setup between 2-3 hours, again depending on event size and how much setup there is.
5. What if I want to use the chairs during the ceremony and my reception? During the ceremony, earlier in the day, the chairs are setup in what is called theater style like this picture:

But during the reception they’re setup at the tables in the ballroom. That means you need people to setup and tear down for each event. Will the vendor do that? And how much will it cost? At one wedding, the couple had to rent two sets of chairs for two reasons:

a. there wasn’t enough time in-between the wedding and reception to transfer the chairs from the ceremony space to the reception space.

b. the way their venue was setup was that everything was outdoors – the ceremony and the reception. And the two lawns where each event was held were connected. So they couldn’t have staff transfer the chairs from the ceremony to the reception without all of their guests seeing all of that. It would have been all out in the open.

1. 

   Chiavari chairs can be used outdoors and indoors

   

   Chiavaris are popular, elegant and beautiful in- person and in photos

   

   

   Chiavaris add style and elegance

   

   

   The wood chairs are available in the most number of colors.

{Our Recommendations}

• For colors besides black, white, gold, silver – go with wood chiavari chairs.
• If you’re going to seat 10-12 guests per table, go with aluminum chairs because they have slightly smaller frames.

{Take Aways}

1. Chiavari chairs definitely add a lot to the overall look of your wedding events. At most of the weddings I have attended over the last three years as well as the many weddings I come across, I see chiavaris at most of them. But you have to do what’s right for you — your venue, your budget and time constraints. In my opinion, you trade comfort for style/looks when selecting to go with chiavari chairs. I hop this guide will help making your decision easier.
   
2. The second take away, is to ask these questions above, of chair vendors before committing. Those finer details and distinctions are so important to ensuring everything goes smoothly on your wedding day. The last thing you want are surprise fees or end up with chairs and no cushions or no one to setup the chairs for you. You’d think things like cushions coming with the chairs and chair setup/tear down would be common sense. But in my experience there’s nothing common about common sense. So it’s best to ask questions, get clarifications and the info you need!

Was this guide helpful for you? Let me know in the comments. And follow ShaadiShop on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram so you can see our latest guides and tips.

And if you need help finding your venue, contact me. ShaadiShop is a free service. We walk you through the whole venue process from exploration to booking. It’s 100% free. And you get special ShaadiShop-only pricing. Learn more about how it works on our homepage.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! 🙂

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Cover image: Lin and Jirsa