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How to Choose Chair Covers for Events

How to Choose Chair Covers for Events

white chair covers

Seating is one of the most essential parts of hosting an event, and decorating your chairs is just as important! Whether you're looking to add a minimal touch of color or texture or you're looking to completely hide unsightly chairs, purchasing bulk chair covers is a great and economical option!

Chair covers for events come in a variety of different shapes and sizes to go with the different wedding chair styles, sizes, colors, and themes! With different options to choose from, finding the perfect chair cover might seem a bit overwhelming, especially if you're not sure what chair cover fits your chair.

However, there's no need to stress! We have created a comprehensive guide to help you learn how to measure your chairs and find the perfect fit for your special event.

What Is A Chair Cover?

pink chair sashes

A chair cover is a slipcover that goes over chairs to mask unsightly patterns and issues such as tears and stains. They can cover everything from the seat, back, and legs or just the chair cap or top.

It can also help uniform the look of an event, whether you’re using the same type of chairs or not. It helps with event decoration since it is a great way to tie in your event colors and theme! 

The Benefits of Using Chair Covers

beautiful wedding setup
blue chair ties

Aside from covering up wear and tear on chairs, you'll find there are plenty more advantages to using chair covers. 

While most of them are basic and can look dull, there are different types of covers for different types of chairs to help an event stand out. Some of these include unique textures like sparkling sequins or satin fabric, which can add interest to your event. They provide areas where you can incorporate your event’s theme to give more character to your decorations.

Another advantage of using chair covers is that it can help you save time and money since all you have to do is put it over chairs. You wouldn’t have to worry much about decorating ideas. They look great as is.

There’s a huge selection of patterns, fabrics, styles, and colors. They also fit different types of chairs including folding chairs, banquet chairs, or Chiavari chairs, among others.

Tips For Buying Special Occasion Chair Covers

Using chair covers is an affordable way to upscale your wedding ceremony and reception party. However, purchasing the incorrect covers can make a dent in your budget. To keep your event looking flawless while staying on budget, consider the following guidelines on how to choose the right chair covers for your special event!

1. Determine The Chair Model

Before you buy your covers, you'll need to know what kind of chair model you have or will be provided by the venue. If you're unsure of the chair type that your venue is providing, you can always ask your venue manager or event coordinator.

Banquet Chairs

Banquet chairs are one of the most popular types of chairs in the event planning industry. They can be found in hotels, restaurants, and event halls. These are available in round tops, crown tops, and square tops, with round tops being the most commonly used. 

Chiavari Chairs

Chiavari chairs are also known as Tiffany chairs. This extremely popular and stylish chair style is all the rage right now! Beautiful in their own right, these chairs don't need to be covered.

However, when paired with the perfect chair slipcover or cap, these seats are transformed into whimsical chairs optimal for wedding receptions and sweetheart tables.

Folding Chairs

Folding chairs offer a more casual seating style than the banquet and Chiavari chairs, with style options in metal, Samsonite, and Lifetime. The folding aspect of the chairs makes them easy to move and transport and often is the more economical chair option.

If your event takes place in a more rustic environment like a barn or an outdoor garden, then these chairs, embellished with the right chair covers, will provide a more refined look.

Universal Covers

If you're not sure where your chair fits in under these three categories or your chair is just a little smaller or bigger than the standard chair, we still have you covered. Our universal self-tie chair covers are the ideal chair covers for you!

They are large square covers that will fit most chair models and types including metal folding, banquet, wood folding, and Chiavari chairs.

2. Chair Cover Size & Measurements

Many chair covers can look the same at first glance. However, some details can affect how a cover fits. You can easily avoid purchasing the wrong chair cover by measuring your chairs first. It's always better to be safe than sorry and avoid any confusion!

Although the chair covers might look similar, they won't fit every type of chair. Before placing an order, we suggest confirming the following measurements:

  • The chairs' overall height 
  • The height and width of the chair back
  • The seat width and length

Measurements are very important! That is why we provide our customers with as much detailed information as possible in our dedicated size chart. Here are some of the most common chair sizes and measurements. (Please keep in mind measurements will vary based on the type of chair.)

Banquet Chairs

banquet chair
banquet chair

Chiavari Chairs

chiavari chair

Folding Chairs

brown folding chairs
white and black folding chair

white folding chair

3. Picking the Chair Cover Fabric

Once you’ve confirmed the size of the chair, you can move on to the next step which is choosing the material of the covers. We have a variety of materials from basic polyester and spandex covers to specialty linens such as sequins, velvet, and vintage veils! We'll go over the three most popular and commonly used chair cover materials.

Polyester Chair Covers

Available for folding, banquet, and lifetime chairs. These covers are the ideal pick for any banquet setting. 

Polyester is a durable, matte fabric which makes it the perfect base material for any event. They can be easily dressed up with sashes and bands, or even a curly willow chair sash to create a sophisticated waterfall effect. 

Spandex Chair Covers

These chair covers are made with lycra spandex and are available for banquet and folding chairs. Spandex chair covers have a sleek fit capability to create a contemporary yet stylish finish.

Spandex banquet chair covers offer many stylish options with built-in accents like cross back, swag back, ruched, and glitz sequins. They're easy to take on and off and very low-maintenance needing only minimal laundering. 

Sequin Chair Covers

Sequin chair covers are a low-maintenance cover option with a high amount of glamor! Whether you're using a banquet, Chiavari, or folding chair these stunning covers are sure to make your chairs stand out. Available in glitz sequins, payette sequins, and geometric sequins there is no shortage of options for these shining chair covers!

Chair Covers Mentioned

Cross Back Stretch Spandex Banquet Chair Cover - Ivory
Folding Spandex Chair Cover - Silver
Contemporary LIFETIME folding chair Cover - Ivory
Curly Willow Chiavari Chair Back Slip Cover - White
Glitz Sequin Stretch Spandex Banquet Chair Cover - Gold
Universal Satin Self Tie Chair Cover - Silver

4. Choosing a Color for Your Chair Covers

A helpful tip for choosing the perfect color for your chair covers is to consider the following aspects:

Theme

The theme and color scheme of your celebration or event will tie into your chair decor.

Venue

The motif, style, and overall ambiance of your venue or ballroom.

Color Scheme

You can match your covers to your primary wedding color or any of your accent colors or base colors.

In addition, some people even consider the event attire. For example, brides and grooms might consider their attire when deciding on a chair cover color. After all, chairs play an essential role in providing elegance and charm especially when well coordinated with your event decor. 

Chair Covers Mentioned

Spandex Stretch Banquet Chair Cover - Emerald Green
Glitz Sequin Stretch Spandex Banquet Chair Cover - Champagne
Ruched Fashion Spandex Banquet Chair Cover - Navy Blue
Payette Sequin Chiavari Chair Back Cover - Blush/Rose Gold
Velvet Stretch Spandex Banquet Chair Cover - Burgundy
Glitz Sequin Chiavari Chair Cap 16"W x 14"L - Baby Blue

5. The Tablescape Decor

Your theme will play into a few other categories when picking your chair covers. But that is due to the big importance of your event's theme! Chair covers can highlight the theme of a party and create harmony. But many people seem to underestimate their importance. 

If the chair covers are too elegant or not elegant enough, they can clash with the event or wedding decorations and the entire ambiance will be affected. So, make sure not to overlook the overall picture when picking your chair covers!

6. Chair Styling

After choosing your chair covers, there are several ways you can dress them up to elevate the look of your event. For plain polyester or spandex stretch chair covers, you can choose to add chair sashes, chair bands, curly willow chair caps, brooches, or rhinestone clips to add pizzaz to your chairs. 

Chiavari chair covers are special since they usually only cover the back of the chair or the top of the chair to still show off the chair's gorgeous wood details. Depending on the chair cover picked for your chairs, most people often opt for a more dreamy and whimsical look by adding fresh or artificial floral and greenery accents.

If you have pre-styled spandex or Chiavari chair cover with curly willow accents, sequins, or swags, then you might opt for a more toned-down accent like a sophisticated rhinestone brooch, or solid-colored spandex band for a pop of color. However, additional chair decorations are not necessary, just fun!

Chair Covers Mentioned

Rhinestone Velcro Sash Clip/Napkin Ring - Gold
Curly Willow Chair Sash - Aqua Blue
Flower Brooch Rhinestone Chair Pin Sash Buckle - Gold
Glitz Sequin Spandex Chair Band - Burgundy
Pearl Buckle Sash Pin - Pearl White
Velvet Ruffle Stretch Chair Band - Dusty Blue

Event Ready Chairs

Whether you're using your chair covers for a formal event or a casual outdoor celebration, chair covers are sure to add a magical touch to your event decor! Please be sure that you double-check your chair measurements before purchasing your chair covers to ensure they fit your chair perfectly.

Are you a Visual Learner?

Watch our video tutorial on how to choose the perfect chair cover for your special event! 

For more beautiful wedding inspiration and how-to trends be sure to follow us on Instagram and Pinterest!

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