"I knew for sure that I wanted to create a wedding website but the free ones from magazines are nothing compared to the quality of Bwedd's ..." - Tracie, Wilmington, IL
As
I pointed out in my last newsletter, the reception is generally the most expensive
part about a wedding. Feeding any amount of mouths can add up very quickly.
With the expense of the meal, it can be difficult to justify spending a lot
of money on making your reception a place that is visually appealing. But wouldn't
it be nice to have a room with a romantic aura about it? So, how can you decorate
your reception facility in such a way that it takes your guests breath away
but doesn't cost an arm and a leg?
The
answer, I think, is craftiness. Now, don't panic. I know many of you probably
think that you don't have a creative bone in your body. Well, I say that's not
true. We all have our gifts and talents, and thank goodness, if yours is not
craftiness, I can almost guarantee that someone close to you does possess this
talent. Others of you are about to complain about not having enough time. To
that I say, hogwash, when something is important we find a way to make the time.
With this in mind, I will share with you an idea on how to decorate your reception
facility.
So....what
makes a room romantic? Lighting, no? Here's what I suggest - first, decide what
your reception decorations budget is going to be. It is important to stick to
this, because things can quickly get out of hand. Set your limit and don't go
over it. Next, you are going to need to have an estimate of how many tables
there will be at your reception. Don't forget to include the cake table, gift
table and any other tables that you might want to place your decorations on.
Here
comes the fun part - head to your local craft or candle store and check out
their candle selection. Don't get too wild, simple tea lights or votive candles
will do. (I found 10 tea lights for $1.50 at http://candles.net/*)
You might want to pick out your wedding colors, but if not, off-white or white
candles are always great. You will want at least one candle for each table,
but if it is within your budget and you are looking for a good favor idea, you
could also get one candle for each person invited to your wedding.
For a more brilliant effect, but generally more
expensive, buy hurricane lanterns and candles in place
of votive candles. (If you don't know what this is,
ask one of the craft store personnel, they are
extremely knowledgeable and helpful.) You will only
want one of these per table, so this is not a great
idea for a favor, but you can consider making a game
out of giving these away. For instance, you can place
a sticker or index card underneath one plate at each
table, and when dinner is almost complete ask everyone
to lift their plates to see who has won the candle.
Another
candle option is to buy glass votives for floating candles. Fill the votives
with water and float the candles for a shimmery effect. These can big or small,
so choose according to your budget and how important it is to you. You can also
give these away as prizes.
Now,
before you leave the craft store, you may want to see if they sell mirrors.
No, I'm not talking about a hand-held mirror, I'm talking about a flat mirror
that you can place the candle(s) on. This will reflect the light throughout
the room and lend to your romantic atmosphere. One round mirror per table will
suffice. If you are going to give the candles out as favors, you can place 7-10
of them on the mirror or around the mirror. Plus, you don't necessarily need
to light them all, so you could just light one in the center and place the rest
on each individual table setting.
Next,
head to your favorite grocer's floral section. (If you are hiring a florist,
you could also talk to him or her about this.) Ask if you can order rose petals.
Specify the date of your wedding as the pickup date (make sure you have someone
who can pick them up for you) so that the petals are fresh for your reception.
The petals are to sprinkle around the candle on the mirror. This adds depth
of color and texture to your centerpiece and is extremely eye- catching. Consider
choosing petals the color of your bridesmaids flowers if you have white candles
or white petals if you chose candles the color of your bridesmaids dresses.
This will produce a color contrast, also appealing to the eye.
Now
there's always the logistics. Don't forget that on your wedding day, YOU are
not going to have the time or energy to put the love that is needed into making
the room look spectacular. You are going to have to trust a friend or family
member to do this for you. Let your reception facility know that this person
or persons will be arriving a couple of hours early to place the candles on
the tables - you don't want her to be locked out. She is also going to need
a way of transporting the candles safely. Make a list for her of all of the
preparations that she is going to need to be concerned with and make sure that
she understands what is involved. You may want to demonstrate for her how you
want the candles to look, but try not to insult her intelligence. Also, if she
is a close friend or family member, she is probably going to want to attend
your wedding. Make sure that there is enough time for her to both attend your
ceremony and place the candles. Last, but not least, be certain to turn the
lights down a bit low, so that the focus of the room is the light of the candles.
I
hope that you have enjoyed this idea, but don't forget to be creative - you
can come up with variations of candles to better suit your personality! In two
weeks, look for tips in The Cost-Effective Bride on how to be more crafty with
your candles as favors. Till then I wish you much luck on your planning and
happiness in your life!
