Wedding Decorations

Another Wednesday is here and today we are talking all about the decorations.

I loved the decorations at our wedding.  They were everything that I wanted them to be and it was completely stress free.  For our wedding we chose to hire someone to do all the decorations at the reception (we only had flowers at the wedding ceremony and no decorations).  This meant not only did they supply all the decorations they also set them up and took them down.  We used Frances Melicks with Shindigs & Such and she was absolutely amazing to work with and I highly recommend.

Why we chose to hire someone?

When it comes to decorations there are two different routes that can be taken.  Either rent all the decorations and have someone set them up for you OR choose to round up/purchase decor and set it up yourself.  We wanted the easier route, the non-stressful route which is why we chose to hire someone that was in charge of the decorations.

What Shindigs & Such Did

Shindigs did a lot for us including all the draping, chandelier, table linens, fabric napkins, chair sashes, candles, candelabras, and vases.  They set up the day before the wedding from 9am-4pm, and then came back again on Saturday to finish up before the reception.  Not only did they set up they also took down and packed up all their items, which made the night easier on my family and myself.

Recommendations on Hiring Someone

Look through reviews and their past weddings or events to see what they have done previously and see if it works for your style.

Meet with them to discuss budget, see what all will fit in your budget and see if they will work with you to make your wedding the vision that you have.

Talk with several different places and choose the one that fits your style and budget best.

Request a simple run through of tables or pictures of what they have done in the past at your venue in order to make sure that you are on the same page.  Essentially go over every single detail a couple months in advance. This will help you feel confident in their abilities and not worry on wedding day how it will turn out.

Recommendations on Doing It Yourself

While I did not do much myself when it came to decorations I have had many friends choose this route instead so I have some tips.

Go to a Bridal Resale.  If you do not know what this is, it is an event that venues may have where past or present brides can sell decorations that were used at their weddings.  It is a great way to find decor pieces for your wedding, and it is not as expensive as buying in store.

Borrow from friends and family members.  Mason jars, vases, table lines, candelabras, candles, etc. are items that friends and family may have that you could borrow.  Especially if you know someone who got married recently.

Less can be more.  You do not need 12 different vases at each table, or a million picture frames, and small decor pieces.  Choose items that stand out and make a statement but do not use too many.

Buy items that you can use as decorations in your future home.  We chose to purchase various “M” decorations that we are currently using in our apartment as decor!

Utilize your local Hobby Lobby or Michaels.  Not only do both always have coupons that can be used, they both also tend to have sales throughout the store on frames, wall decor, mirrors, etc.   Each store has a great deal of items that are perfect for weddings and they are almost always discounted.

What Not To Do

Do not spend thousands of dollars on decor that you will have a hard time reselling.

Do not stray away from your decor budget.

Do not stress about the decorations.  At the end of the day you will be much happier not worrying about the decor, because having fun with friends and family is more important.

Do not forget to ask friends and family to help set up and clean up. I promise they are excited about your wedding and many will be willing to help.

Do not think you can set up an entire venue location in less than 4 hours.  I HIGHLY recommend renting out your venue the day before the wedding to help with set up.  Many venue locations will give you a deal if you rent out the day before too.

Do not waste money on things that do not matter.  If you have been to a wedding recently and do not remember if they had a specific wedding decor piece, do not get it for yours.

Every Bride and Groom is different, every budget is different, and everyone has different things that are important to them.  For Jmo and I the decorations were one of the main things we did not regret spending money on.  Every penny we spent was well worth it and we were both so happy with how everything turned out and how easy it was on the both of us.

I hope all of you have been enjoying Wedding Wednesdays (even though they have been absent for several weeks) and if you ever have any questions about anything make sure to leave a comment below so that I can answer it in a future blog post!

XO

Katelyn Moshier