sac: agree with chin that your gowns shouldnt be red and gold or you'll be 'lost' in the ballroom!
The transparent show plate (VIP table) works just like the plate with gold trimmings (non VIP tables).
They are not the actual plate we eat on. The plate we eat on will be placed on top of the show plate.
Its something like a 'coaster', really to make the presentation much nicer, thats all.
Chin: I like tiff blue, but when i suggest to frens, they are worried it will not match with the warm colour of the ballroom. But i saw the setup and its not bad!