Wedding Wednesday: Finding the right table decor

Remember those gorgeous trophy cup flower arrangements I was lusting after a few weeks ago? Turns out that finding good-looking trophy cups is an expensive endeavor! They start around $30 on eBay and Etsy; with 15 tables to decorate, that was definitely out of my price range.

My mother suggested I check with a local trophy store on prices for new loving cups; I didn't bother, as I was certain the cups in my price range would look chintzy and cheap. For good measure, I checked equestrian ribbon and trophy staple Hodges Badge- their silver trophies started at $55!

I'd resigned myself to tasteful vases last week when Johnny's mother and aunt came to visit. They've graciously volunteered to do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to planning. We visited the venue, and Johnny's aunt asked a few questions about table linens. We were referred to Party Perfect, a local store that the venue uses to rent just about everything.

Party Perfect appeared to be what a Pinterest wedding board looks like in the wild. There was burlap. There were mason jars. Vintage cake stands lurked behind brightly-colored antique glassware. A giant wooden "MR & MRS" cutout adorned a wall. I attempted to leave immediately, but was confused about which door was real and which door was really an upcycled accessory for a rustic and romantic wedding.

A helpful girl escorted us to the table linens section; I never knew there were so many shades of white, or that a bright white tablecloth would seriously clash with cream-colored hydrangeas. After finding a soft ivory table cloth, we tried a few different table runners and decided they all looked hideous. I didn't want to tables to be stark landscapes, so I went with mint green napkins for a pop of color. (To match the mint juleps, of course.)

I opted for silver chargers, because they reminded me of silver award plates. Somehow, all of the napkin rings were sparkly and hideous; I'd love to find some more of my cool snaffle bit napkin rings, but that kind of thing might get pricey on 150 napkins.

The coolest thing I found at the store were these faux-silver julep cups! The small cups will be serving their intended function: we'll be serving mint juleps in them. 

I loved the way the big cups looked, but when I sat down at the table, it was difficult to see and talk with someone on the opposite side.

Enter the crazing glaze silver bowl! I promise the bowl is more silver than it appears in this photo; the crazing makes it looked aged, with just the right amount of patina. The bowls are short, pretty, and remind me of these silver award bowls.

I'd like to incorporate some equestrian touches on the table, but I'm not sure where or what would work best. We aren't planning on assigned seating, so table numbers aren't necessary. Maybe photos of past Derby winners with a paragraph about them? Johnny's aunt suggested pictures of Johnny and I, but horses are so much more photogenic and interesting...

Thoughts? Suggestions?