Decorating for Wedding
Receptions & Ceremonies

-- Decorating For Wedding Receptions --

It can be just as much fun to come up with wedding decoration ideas as it is to enjoy them on your wedding day! Especially when you get to use your imagination :)

Don't be afraid to think outside of the box, the sky's the limit when it comes to the unique subtleties you can add to your big day.

Here are some everyday items that you can use to make your decorations really POP!

-- Decorating For Wedding Receptions --

Use lighting to illuminate

Its amazing what a difference lighting can make to a reception area.

Depending on the mood you're going for, some twinkly white (or colored) lights can make a world of difference! (And they aren't very expensive either)

Go out and buy some string lighting (think Christmas time), and wrap them around pillars, tables, trees and other focal points that you want to stand out.

For an added touch of elegance, drape some soft, flowing fabric over the lights.

Bring The Outdoors In

Find outdoor elements to fill your room with. Whether it be pine cones, leaves, hay, pumpkins, stones, etc. Anything goes! Just be sure to plan ahead and make sure that whatever items you plan to use will be in season at the time of your wedding.

A really pretty idea is to go out and find a bunch of long, skinny branches off a tree, and paint them white. "Plant" them in a pot full of beads to stand them up right, and have lights shining up at each one of them.

Use Uncommon Items

When decorating for wedding receptions, the best items to use always seem to be the items that people don't normally expect. By finding uncommon items to use as your focal points your decorations will not only stand out more, they'll likely end up being the topic that strikes up the most conversations and memories down the road. Some uncommon items might be..

- Live fish, birds or other animals, kept behind glass
- Butterflies, fireflies and other fancy insects
- Unique plants, such as Venus fly traps, cacti or plants
uncommon to see in your part of the world
- Original ice sculptures
- Contained waterfalls
- Extravagant fountains or ponds

Be True To Your Theme

If you have a theme or season to play off of, try to find miscellaneous items that go with your theme. Set these items up on tables, attach them to the walls, hang them from the ceiling or line the entrance ways with them.

Here are some links from our Wedding Theme Ideas page that should help you with decorating for wedding receptions that have a theme:

Beach Theme Wedding Ideas
Butterfly Wedding Themes
Chinese Wedding Theme
Cinderella Theme Wedding
Fall Theme Wedding
Las Vegas Weddings
Luau Theme Wedding
Spring Wedding Themes
Vineyard Wedding Theme
Western Wedding Theme
Winter Wedding Theme

Photos

Add a personalized touch to your decorations by having over sized photos of the bride and groom posted up on the walls.

Have them printed as color photos, sepia, black and white or go all out an invert the colors completely (great to accompany a retro theme)!

Another fun idea is to make one big picture out of a number of smaller photos. Think of it like having a big photo puzzle on the wall!

The Essentials

Of course, there are always a few necessary items that you'll need to remember to pick up. Here are some common must have items:

- Candles/Luminaries
- Flowers and flower petals
- Balloons
- Confetti
- Flowing fabrics
- Tulle
- Centerpieces
- Chair covers
- Streamers
- Ribbon