My fiance and I are getting married in three weeks, and we have yet to make a decision on the table linens. 
Some background info... our colors are deep purple and silver with hints of autumn-y colors like reds and oranges, so our color scheme automatically lends itself to being somewhat formal. Our invites (which I made myself) are a heavy, eggplant purple cardstock with a nice woven texture and were sealed with silver wax seals. I know that if I received an invite like the ones we sent, I would be expecting a somewhat formal affair, not black tie, but more than "church dressy."
So, here is our dilemma. I think our tables should be dressed to the nines to match everything else we've already done. I'd like to do floor length table cloths with an overlay that is draped up into swags. My fiance, though, thinks these would just get in the way and our guests would get annoyed. He has suggested we go with knee length table cloths for practicality. I don't mind doing that (b/c they're cheaper) except that I don't think it would look quite as nice, and I'm not sure it would "mesh" with the overall feeling of the evening. Plus, I'm not real keen on being able to see table legs.
Am I just going into overdrive and over analyzing things? I still haven't decided on a cake design because I want everything to "mesh." Ugh, maybe I'm just too anal about things. LOL
Anywho, I was wondering what some of you might think. Practical, won't sit your chair on and yank off the table, table cloths (or skirts)? Or, slightly more formal, goes better with the setting, and looks pretty to boot, table cloths?
Be brutal...well, maybe not brutal; I don't know if my oversensitive bridezilla self could handle it. LOL But definitely be honest; after all, what are "disinterested third parties" for? 
(PS: I've heard the "mom" opinion...it won't matter once you're there, blah blah blah, no one will even remember, blah blah blah, you have to just remember what the day is really about, blah blah blah. I realize all this; I really do, but right now, how well the table linens match is really important. Shallow, isn't it? Ugh, sometimes I hate myself. LOL)
I have done several weddings and I would suggest if you are going for the formal look go floor length. You do have the chance that some might put their chair on the cloth or a spill might happen, but spills happen.
What else are you doing on the table, centerpiece? If budget is a problem and you need to cut somewhere, go short and add sparkle to the table with candles and the such.
I was trying to think back to all the weddings that I've been to, and I guess either one would work.
I agree the full length would make it much more elegant.
But if there are going to be alot of kids at the reception, knee length would be better. Easier to get in and out of chairs. Or to use them as food catchers 
J/K
Just remember, your chairs are going to be pushed up the table anyways so you probably won't see the the tablelegs.
Ok...so that wasn't very helpful....I say go with the full-length to tie everything together. Just think you could make matching swags for your cake...ooohh that sounds pretty just saying it.
Floor length definitely sounds better...and people expect what the invite hints at.
Having everything "just perfect" on your big day is something you deserve and if this is want you want, then do it!
It's a big deal b/c it's for your big day, but it's not that big of a deal to stress over or fight over with soon to be dh.......................if you want it, if you can afford it, if you both can agree............get it! LOL!
If all else fails and you can't agree, just flip a coin!! After all, you've got bigger things to figure out...........LIKE THE CAKE!!!!!!!!!
BTW..............CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let us all know how it goes!!
I used to write a newspaper column on planning weddings and one column was titled "No One Will Notice...."
No one will talk about you if your linens are not all the way to the floor. They will notice the color coordination, the beautiful centerpieces, but no one will walk away muttering "short table linens.... well, I've never.....!"
You can compromise on the length ..... get a little longer than "just over the edge" but higher than floor length, maybe about 3/4 length. The look will be fabulous, your guests will be impressed, and they will love you for not making them battle the linens everytime they get up or sit down! Your headtable will have table skirting; your food tables will be skirted; everything will be great!
Wow! Thank you all for your thoughts. It looks like we're still split almost 50/50. LOL That's ok, though, you've all made excellent points.
We've set an age limit of 12 and up for the kids, so having to worry about kids crawling around under the tables isn't an issue (though I wouldn't have thought about that if m0use hadn't mentioned it LOL).
What else are you doing on the table, centerpiece? If budget is a problem and you need to cut somewhere, go short and add sparkle to the table with candles and the such.
The budget isn't so much a problem. I budgeted enough for table linens, but we have gone over a little in a few other areas, so it would certainly be ok if we saved some someplace else. The table centerpieces are fairly simple: floating leaf shaped candles in short purple vases. Not quite what I had pictured, and I'm not sure I completely like it, but my fiance likes it. I was really wanting three cylindar (sp?) shaped vases of differing heights on each table with one floating candle in each vase. But that was going to cost about 4.5 x what the short vases cost!
If all else fails and you can't agree, just flip a coin!! After all, you've got bigger things to figure out...........LIKE THE CAKE!!!!!!!!!
BTW..............CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh man, don't I know. LOL The cake really has to be perfect since everyone knows I make them. LOL (BTW, thank you! )
Ok...so that wasn't very helpful....I say go with the full-length to tie everything together. Just think you could make matching swags for your cake...ooohh that sounds pretty just saying it.
That thought had crossed my mind about the cake! That would be the easiest way to tie the cake in without showering it with gumpaste autumn leaves (which I've really wanted to stay away from).
Thank you all again! I feel better, too, about wanting everything perfect. Everyone around me keeps trying to "destress" me by saying the reason for the day is what is really important. While, I realize and understand that, I also feel like the details are important, and even if no one else remembers (or cares for that matter), I will (and I do). So, I guess that's reason enough for me to stress over the little things. LOL But you guys have helped me feel like it's not totally shallow of me to feel that way. Thank you!
I'm still interested, though, in hearing what some others might think...see if we can find a clear winner between practical or appearance (just for kicks LOL).
indydebi~ you must have posted while I was still typing. LOL
Good points. I'm wondering, since you're not too far from me, do you have a suggestion on where I could find mid-length table linens? Those would be the obvious compromise, but I haven't been able to find any to rent. I was going to just rent online, but even the online stores I've been looking at are either all the way to the floor or they only have a drop of 15 inches. (I would need a 108" round to get a 24" drop which I think would be considered 3/4 length)
I rent all my linens from (and send all my brides to) Party Time in Carmel, IN. They have a linen chart on their website http://www.partytime-rental.com/07.html that shows you what size linens for what size tables to achieve the length of 'drop' you need.
On the south side of Indy, is Best Rentals, if you want to do some price comparisons. http://bestrentals.net/squartablesloth.htm They also have some photos of the tables with the linens on them so you can get a true visual of how it will look.
indydebi~ Thanks so much! I think I had been looking at Party Time's website at one point and somehow it got erased from my favorites. I'll check 'em both out. Thanks!
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