Make It Your Vision
One element that really creates a mood and enhances your guests’ wedding experience is decorations. Decorations can be used to carry on the theme and colors of your wedding, or they can be used to enhance the venue you’ve selected. Rooms can be decorated with very basic elements to elaborate. The theme of your wedding will help to dictate how to decorate. A beach theme or a country theme tend to be more casual, whereas a wedding at a historic mansion tends to be more formal. The two of you must decide what you want your wedding to be, and then the work begins!
Budget plays a large part of your decisions so make a budget at the beginning of the process and stick to it. Some couples choose to have their wedding at a venue that is already beautifully decorated so that little else is needed. These venues tend to be more expensive than “bare-bones” venues. Venues that need a lot of decorations to carry on the theme of your wedding is more challenging and can be more expensive if you don’t get creative.
There are so many decorating ideas on sites like Pinterest (www.pinterest.com) that give you all sorts of ways to decorate on a budget so log on and look. Also let your friends know that you’re looking for suggestions and ask that they send you some ideas. There is so much creativity out there you’ll be designing your decorations in no time!
Stores like Michaels (www.michaels.com) and Hobby Lobby (www.hobbylobby.com) have all of the materials that you would ever need to create custom decorations. Join their mailing lists to receive coupons via email. Watch for sales (buy summer decorations the fall and winter or winter centerpieces in the summer) to save money. Also look at other stores for less expensive options on some items: dollar stores (www.dollartree.com) has glass vases, dried or silk flowers, ribbon, etc. that can be combined in creative ways – and they only cost one dollar! Don’t forget thrift stores and yard sales – they often have unusual things that can carry your theme through. You can also hire a decorator. They should have their own items – or be able to get them for your – and the cost should be included in their overall fee so that there are no surprises at the end. Some brides today buy their decorations, use them, and then place them on Ebay (www.ebay.com) to sell the entire package. You can find great deals this way but may have to compromise on the colors.
With a little imagination – and enough time to create – you can have beautiful decorations that create the mood you and your spouse are looking for – without going over budget.
Challenges:
Select a theme and/or colors for your wedding at the beginning so that everything you look at to buy falls within that theme.
Check return policies – you may purchase an item, get it home, and see that the shade of blue is a little off from your other items.
If you decide you need to change themes or colors after you’ve begun to buy things – maybe due to limited availability – don’t be afraid to change!
Get quotes – with photos – from a decorator before you sign a contract. Make sure all things listed in your package are of the quality level you are expecting.
