How to Select the Right Party Napkins
The most common size and style for a party napkin is the 5” x 5” classic cocktail napkin. Cocktail napkins are the most convenient choice for cocktail hours, bars, and appetizers, but they’re not your only option.
Every event deserves a coordinated theme, and the napkins on your table are part of the story. At For Your Party, we believe your freedom of expression should extend to every detail, and the right napkin does more than wipe a spill.
To choose your party napkin, imagine the theme of your party. Think of the food and drinks you’re serving and then place yourself in the moment. We’ll walk you through how to fit the right napkin to the event you’re imagining. Explore our full collection of Custom Napkins to start browsing for your event.
Napkin Style Comparison
The material and weave of a napkin shapes how it looks and feels in a guest's hand. We call this the napkin style. Not every party napkin supplier offers all of these options, and we think it’s important to offer each one in order to fit your unique party vision.
Napkin Style | Texture & Feel | Best Suited For | Themes |
Classic | Smooth, lightweight and familiar feel. | Casual weddings, birthdays, cocktail parties, graduation parties, showers, holiday hosting, everyday entertaining | Familiar get togethers with family and friends. |
Crosshatch | Slightly thicker and more upscale than classic with a pattern pressed into the surface. | Weddings, rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, upscale cocktail hours, corporate events | Upscale but low pressure events. |
Linen Like | Soft, plush, and cloth-like with an airlaid texture. Very absorbent and durable to mimic real linen. | Formal weddings, black-tie events, luxury dinners, galas, premium brand events | Extravagant soirees to impress. |
Pattern | A decorative printed or embossed surface patterns. | Bachelorette parties, themed birthdays, holiday parties, brunches, retro or colorful events | Fun, colorful and youthful occasions. |
Shimmer | A smooth napkin with a subtle metallic or pearlescent finish that gives a light sheen when it catches light. | New Year’s Eve, bridal showers, holiday parties, disco themes, evening receptions, glam weddings | Glamour and shine for intentional laughter. |
Woven | A heavier texture that mimics woven fabric for a more tactile and structured feeling. | Corporate dinners, whiskey/cocktail events, modern weddings, anniversary parties, luxury entertaining | Masculine and architectural for thoughtful moments. |
Napkin Sizes
We’ve selected our most popular three napkin sizes for you to compare, whether you’re hosting a cocktail hour, a seated dinner, or a casual lunch party.
Cocktail Napkins — 5" × 5"
Cocktail napkins are the most widely ordered party napkin, and for good reason. Compact, easy to grab, and designed for one-handed use, they're built for guests who are balancing a drink in one hand and a canapé in the other.
Best for: Cocktail hours, bar stations, passed appetizer service, bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, and holiday gatherings.
Why hosts love them: A stack of personalized cocktail napkins at the bar is one of the most noticed and most photographed wedding details. They're small enough to order in volume (50–200+ is common).
• Perfect fanned out in a napkin holder or stacked beside the drink station.
• Ideal for couples' names, monograms, a witty phrase, or your event date.
• Order in higher quantities as these go fast at high-traffic bars and buffets.
Luncheon Napkins — 6.5" × 6.5"
Luncheon napkins occupy the sweet spot between the compact cocktail napkin and the formal dinner napkin. Large enough for a seated meal, and relaxed for casual entertaining, they're one of the most versatile napkins in the lineup.
Best for: Baby showers, bridal luncheons, birthday brunches, afternoon teas, graduation parties, holiday dinners, and buffet-style events.
Why hosts love them: Luncheon napkins layer beautifully on a plate, fold into shapes for a tablescape, and work for both plated meals and buffet service. They offer more real estate for design with bold colors, typography, and custom artwork all read clearly at this size.
Works for both standing cocktail parties and seated table settings.
Great for seasonal entertaining, such as Christmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving, and summer holidays.
Wide enough to display a full monogram, logo, or event illustration with clarity.
Dinner Napkins - 8” x 8”
Dinner napkins are the largest table napkin in our lineup, designed specifically for seated meals. Their generous 8” × 8” size gives guests the coverage they need through a full course, while a personalized design ensures your table looks as polished as the meal itself.
Best for: Wedding receptions, formal dinner parties, holiday soirées, seated corporate dinners, and milestone celebrations where the table setting is part of the event’s overall aesthetic.
Why hosts love them: A custom dinner napkin folded at each place setting signals that the host cared enough to personalize every detail. On a linen-like finish, they feel elevated and intentional, like a cloth napkin that doesn’t need laundering. Personalized with a monogram, couple’s name, or event date, they elevate the table and give guests a beautiful keepsake to bring home.
Place one at each setting, folded on the plate or tucked beside the flatware, for an instantly polished tablescape.
A generous canvas for foil stamping: Gold, silver, or rose gold prints beautifully against a linen-like base.
Pairs naturally with matching cocktail napkins at the bar for a fully coordinated event from start to finish.
How to Customize Your Napkins
Personalization is at the heart of everything here at For Your Party, and the FYP Customizer makes it easy for hosts of every experience level. Our step-by-step online design tool walks you through the entire process from size to finish.
Select your napkin size: Cocktail, luncheon, or dinner napkin. We also offer paper guest towels for elevated bathroom stationery.
Choose a curated template or start from a blank canvas.
Add your text: Names, dates, monograms, a tagline, or a custom message.
Choose your print finish: Ink color, foil stamping, or full-color artwork.
Upload your own design, logo, or illustration. We accept vector files, high-res PDFs, and JPGs.
Preview your design before placing your order.
No design experience? No problem. Our team of talented designers reviews every order before it goes to print. We catch alignment issues, color concerns, and low-resolution artwork so your napkins arrive exactly as you envisioned.
Try the FYP Customizer now to get started designing your dream party napkins.
