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Martha Stewart Weddings

The Prettiest Place Settings from Real Celebrations

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plates
Credit: Elizabeth Messina Photography

Get inspired by beautiful tableware, from dinner plates to chargers.

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plates
Credit: Elizabeth Messina Photography
Get the Best of Wedding Décor and Details

Wedding table settings can vary greatly, but a few main elements can generally be expected: Every guest will need utensils, a napkin, drinkware, and dishes to eat off of. While each piece of the puzzle is important, plates are often the first thing guests will notice, considering that they take up the most space, and are what place cards and menu cards typically sit on. So, although plain-white options are readily available, you may want your dishes to pop a little more. If you're hoping to capitalize on your table's design potential, your plates are a great place to start.

To help you get inspired for your own celebration, we've rounded up some of the prettiest place settings we've seen at weddings and related events. Formal, casual, classic, nontraditional, bright, muted, pattered, solid—whatever you consider the style of your dreams, you'll find it in this list. For seamless, cohesive tablescapes, choose one look to copy for your own special day. Or, for a more eclectic affair, you can mix and match your favorites.

If you have other details—like your centerpieces—picked out, click through for ideas that'll complement them. Alternatively, use the dishes that catch your eye as a launching point for the rest of your décor search! If you're not sure how to incorporate plates into the broader scheme of your party, show a planner the ones that tickle your fancy and create a game plan together. Then, once the wedding's all done, consider keeping a set for you and your spouse—dishes this lovely deserve to be repurposed.

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Alternating Dishes

plates
Credit: Ashley Sawtelle

This wedding's place settings featured alternating middle and bottom dishes.

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Floral Plates

plates
Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

Floral plates were especially seasonal at this springtime wedding.

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Blue China

plates
Credit: Joseba Sandoval Photography
Learn How to Put Your Wedding China to Good Use

Classic china is always a timeless option—this wedding's dishes were no exception.

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Intricate Plates

christine-dagan-wedding-placesetting-4319_01-s113011-0616.jpg
Credit: Love, The Nelsons
Go Inside This Fall Wedding

This bride wore a patterned wedding dress, and selected dinnerware that would match. "I wanted a design that would playfully tie into the vibrant colors of the gown," she shared.

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Purple Chargers

plates
Credit: Ben Yew

These gorgeous purple chargers looked lovely beneath floral plates.

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Textured Dishes

ciera preston wedding place setting
Credit: Ashley Sawtelle
Go Inside This Outdoorsy Wedding

Textured white plates dressed up this reception's wooden tables.

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Complementary Plates

abby elliott bill kennedy wedding table
Credit: Corbin Gurkin
Go Inside Abby Elliott's Wedding to Bill Kennedy

Odd Mom Out's Abby Elliott chose a selection of mismatched vintage china for her reception, which reflected the day's lighthearted mood.

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Gold-Leaf Dishes

plates
Credit: Lacie Hansen Photography
See More from This Casual Wedding

These patterned plates were beautifully refined.

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Muted Plates

plates
Credit: Caroline Tran Photography

Floral plates sat atop uniquely-rimmed chargers at this wedding. How dreamy and romantic!

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Festive Dishes

plates
Credit: Jenny Haas

These fun, festive plates were from Target! Who knew gorgeous dinnerware could be so affordable?

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Pink-Rimmed Plates

plates
Credit: L. Hewitt Photography

The peachy-pink plates at this reception went well with the napkins and centerpieces.

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Leaf Plates

place setting
Credit: Corbin Gurkin Photography

Nature-inspired patterns are always eye-catching, as these botanical plates went to show.  

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Elegant Dishes

plates
Credit: Kayla Barker

Ornate dishes, like this textural set, always look perfectly polished.

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Wooden Chargers

plates
Credit: Tec Petaja
See More from This Bohemian Wedding

We love how these gold-rimmed dishes contrasted with wooden chargers.

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Mismatched Plates

plates
Credit: Lydia Jane Photography

This eclectic tablescape featured a range of unique dishes, from translucent pink plates to floral ones.

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Speckled Plates

plates
Credit: Lexia Frank Photography
Go Inside This Summer Camp-Inspired Wedding

Classic Party Rentals provided these blue splattered plates, which went with the wedding's campy enamelware mugs.

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Green-Leaf Plates

plates
Credit: Bryan from For the Love of It
See More from This Backyard Wedding

These "Emerald Vine" Lomoges plates were from The Ark.

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Detailed Plates

plates
Credit: Magnus Bogucki
Get the Best of Whimsical Weddings

The place settings—from the figurines to the plates—were wonderfully whimsical at this wedding planned by Italia Celebrations.

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Navy Blue China

jessie-tristan wedding tennessee table setting blue willow china
Credit: Laura Dart
Go Inside This DIY Wedding

This bride collected "Blue Willow" china for her reception.

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Flower-Rimmed Plates

plates
Credit: Marta Guenzi

Supremely-sweet blooms patterned these pretty plates, which were chosen with the help of planner Sara Carboni.

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Butterfly Plates

plates
Credit: Sally Pinera
Go Inside Steven Yeun's Wedding to Joana Pak

At Steven Yeun of The Walking Dead's wedding, guests dined off of one-of-a-kind dishes, including butterfly-patterned plates and bold, blue chargers.  

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Green-Blue Plates

plates
Credit: Michael + Anna Costa

These seafoam-hued plates sat pretty atop clear, gold-rimmed chargers.

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Leaf-Rimmed Chargers

plates
Credit: Corbin Gurkin
Go Inside This Family-Focused Wedding

These The Ark chargers, which were rimmed with golden vines, were absolutely ethereal.    

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Light-Blue Dishes

plates
Credit: Samantha Kirk Photography

These matching plates and chargers were colored a soft, hazy blue.     

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Cement Chargers

plates
Credit: Lavender and Twine
Go Inside This Courthouse Wedding

At this reception, china from the venue rested on industrial-chic cement chargers from Buena Tile + Stone.

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Red-and-Pink Plates

plates
Credit: Sandra Åberg Photography

Pink and red are gorgeously romantic—they combined beautifully on these warm-hued plates. The table settings were planned by Brenda Babcock.

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Patterned Plates

plates
Credit: Belathée Photography
Go Inside This Colorful Wedding

Gold is such a celebratory color—it was used creatively in these place settings.

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Gold-Rimmed Dishes

plates
Credit: Michael Radford

These gold-rimmed dishes were exquisitely simple.

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Mixed Plates

plates
Credit: Sierra Solis Photography
Learn How to Plan an Anniversary Party

Various plates were used at this anniversary party. We're especially sweet on this deep-green dish.

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Colorblocked Plate

katie-brian-wedding-placesetting-3458-s111885-0515.jpg
Credit: Gideon Photo

These yellow-and-white plates were casually cool.

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Clear Plate

plates
Credit: Angga Permana
Get More Ideas for Your Wedding Reception

Classy, clear plates at this glam wedding showcased the lacey tablecloth underneath.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 32
    2 of 32 Alternating Dishes
    3 of 32 Floral Plates
    4 of 32 Blue China
    5 of 32 Intricate Plates
    6 of 32 Purple Chargers
    7 of 32 Textured Dishes
    8 of 32 Complementary Plates
    9 of 32 Gold-Leaf Dishes
    10 of 32 Muted Plates
    11 of 32 Festive Dishes
    12 of 32 Pink-Rimmed Plates
    13 of 32 Leaf Plates
    14 of 32 Elegant Dishes
    15 of 32 Wooden Chargers
    16 of 32 Mismatched Plates
    17 of 32 Speckled Plates
    18 of 32 Green-Leaf Plates
    19 of 32 Detailed Plates
    20 of 32 Navy Blue China
    21 of 32 Flower-Rimmed Plates
    22 of 32 Butterfly Plates
    23 of 32 Green-Blue Plates
    24 of 32 Leaf-Rimmed Chargers
    25 of 32 Light-Blue Dishes
    26 of 32 Cement Chargers
    27 of 32 Red-and-Pink Plates
    28 of 32 Patterned Plates
    29 of 32 Gold-Rimmed Dishes
    30 of 32 Mixed Plates
    31 of 32 Colorblocked Plate
    32 of 32 Clear Plate

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