How to Decorate a Wedding on a Budget

Ideas for Planning Frugal Ceremony and Reception Decorations

Nov 26, 2008

In this era of do-it-yourself projects it is easy to decorate your wedding on a budget.

One of the most fun parts of planning a wedding is deciding on how to decorate for the occasion. The possibilities are absolutely limitless when it comes to this portion of planning. If you have a budget that you are trying to follow, here are some frugal ideas that might help you out.

Choose a Wedding Theme

Choose an overall wedding theme. Every wedding should have a basic theme as a foundation for decorating both the wedding and the reception. It makes planning for decorations easier, and allows you to stay within your budget just as easily. It can be as simple as a classically themed wedding or as innovative as a NASCAR themed wedding.

Choose a Wedding Color Scheme

Choose a color scheme. Remember the color scheme should be present throughout the wedding and reception. It need not be overwhelming, but should be part of the selection process while shopping for specific items.

Planning for Wedding Decorations

Find a picture of a wedding decorated in a similar fashion to what you would like for you own wedding. Try to avoid stores and shops that are specific to wedding materials. Instead find those stores that might have a wholesale selection of the items you need. Suggestions of places to shop include:

Use these pictures to pick and choose items that you particularly like, then attempt to find inexpensive substitutes for those objects. Wedding decorations include:

You will need flowers for bouquets, men's lapels, the church altar or dais, and of course, the reception hall. Silk flowers can be lasting mementoes and the present day silk flowers are extremely realistic in appearance. They also are, in most cases, less expensive than the real thing if you monitor the quantities that you use. Stay away from specialized designs and stick to bulk items.

Tulle fabric, ribbon, and silk flowers can be tied to the end posts or around the end of pews and back of chairs for a stunning decorative accent. Use these inexpensive materials to tastefully emphasize your overall color scheme.

Beautiful centerpieces can be created using various size glass bowls, jars, pillars, wine glasses, and inexpensive large brandy sniffer glasses. Fill the container of your choice with candles, silk flowers, colored stones, or candles floating on colored water. A well made centerpiece can also serve as wedding mementos for the bridal party.

A well chosen set of table decorations can be an excellent accent for the wedding reception. While many people are drawn to colored table clothes, classic white tablecloths are quite elegant and are an inexpensive way to accentuate the room. The place setting can be chosen from a selection presented by the reception hall then accented with your chosen wedding mementoes and place cards to save the cost of purchasing them yourself.

Colored ribbons, tied around wine and champagne glasses for accent add a distinctive touch without a greatly added expense. Place cards can be hand-made by the wedding team using a computer printout, ribbons, and flowers.

Wedding mementos can be anything that the wedding couple decides to choose for their guests to have to remember the occasion. Some ideas include:

Recruit volunteers to assemble all of the different items. You will most likely need volunteers to do the actual decorating as well. Most people will work for food so feed them, and they will come.

Planning the decorations for your wedding is an exciting adventure. Most couples really look forward to this part of the planning process. If you follow these tips and use common sense, you will have the wedding of your dreams without it being a financial nightmare.

The copyright of the article How to Decorate a Wedding on a Budget in Wedding Decor is owned by Denise Oliveri. Permission to republish How to Decorate a Wedding on a Budget in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.