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Your wedding day is very important to you, and like all brides, you want it to be beautiful. With all the options and possibilities available, planning this aspect of your wedding can be overwhelming and potentially very expensive. The first thing you need to do is determine your style. What type of mood do you wish to create? Do you want classic, contemporary or romantic? Do you prefer simple beauty or elaborate elegance? (One point to keep in mind; elaborate does not always mean more expensive.) A simple scheme can often require more work because little details are more likely to be noticed by your guests.) How do you decorate your home? Look through decorating magazines and make a note of which types of decorating schemes you tend to prefer. Planning your decorating will be much simpler once you have an idea of what you want to accomplish.
Once you have an idea of what you want, consult with your wedding planner. He / she will be able to offer many ideas on how to accomplish what you want without going over budget. You and your wedding planner should begin your decorating plan by visiting both your reception and ceremony site to discuss ideas and to take pictures of the area. You will often notice things in photographs that you may not have noticed before and the pictures will come in handy as a reminder as you plan. Your wedding planner will probably want to walk through the different aspects of the event with you. This will help you get a better idea as to which areas your guests will notice most.
Balloons
One decorating item that is often overlooked is balloons. While the words "balloon decorations" probably makes you think of bright, tacky colored birthday decorations, you may want to reconsider. Not only are balloons a very inexpensive item, they are now available in a wide range of beautiful colors, pearlized colors and metals that can compliment almost any decorating scheme. While I would not recommend using balloons to decorate your ceremony site, there are a number of ways the you can use them to compliment your reception and dance areas. Balloon arches can be used to accent doorways, as backdrops to the head table, or to mark off the dance area. Clusters of balloons can mark entrances, brighten dark corners, or hang from the ceiling. There is no end to the possibilities.
Rentals
Another very common way to save money is to rent. For the majority of weddings today, at least some of the decorations are rented. This is especially true for large and expensive decorations such as arches and punch fountains. To avoid disappointment on your big day, make sure you or your consultant have actually seen the item before you rent it. You would not want to discover on the day before your wedding that the Victorian-inspired wrought iron arch you were picturing was actually a simple, round topped brass arch and it's too late to get the one you wanted. Make sure you are specific about what you want.
Double Up
Plan your ceremony and reception decorating together. Try to find ways to use decorations from your ceremony at the reception. For example, the candelabras and archway used for the ceremony could double as the backdrop for the head table at the reception. Keep this in mind as you are picking your decorations and choosing rents. Your wedding planner can make sure that the switch is made between events.
Location
Before putting a deposit on a venue for your ceremony or reception, ask for a tour. Make sure you know what you are getting into. Get a good idea of how much will need to be done to accomplish the feel you want. If the site you have picked is typically beautiful and well-kept, it will require less work. A site that is in need of repairs, has outdated necessities or needs a lot of clean-up may be cheaper to rent but may also require a lot more effort and money to decorate. Choosing the right location can make all the difference.
Know Your Priorities
Know what areas matter most. The majority of your budget should be focused on the reception, as that was the guests will spend the most time. Also, consider where the majority of your photos will take place. For the ceremony, this could include the area were you will be standing and the table for signing papers. The reception's key photography areas would be the dance floor, the head table and the cake table.
These are just a few of the ideas you can used to save money on your decorating. Use your imagination and your wedding planner's knowledge and you will be able to create the wedding you've always dreamed of, on budget!
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Source by Crystal Unrau
