How To Decorate For Your Wedding Reception Cheap & With Style

Nadine & Greg have booked a ballroom setting for their reception. What about you...have you chosen your location yet? If you have, it could range from a church reception hall, a gymnasium, a friend's backyard, a lovely old house, or in Nadine & Greg's case, a ballroom. Although there are several gorgeous old homes that are available for weddings in the area (this is the South, after all!), Nadine's rationale was she wanted to see all her guests at once.

Fortunately for me as the planner, the ballroom's date was available and Nadine gets a 15% discount since her parents are members of the club there. Plus, they have many decor items they are willing to loan us for free! So when you choose your reception venue, work those contacts! They will save you loads of money!

The Eiffel tower vases I was going to order they already have, a savings of almost $100. Every little bit helps! They also have the mirrored glass squares I want to sit under the Eiffel tower vases and they may even have enough votives to scatter around the base of the vases as well. The biggest score is coming from the table covers and chair sashes which Nadine really wants to give the ballroom that elegant look. We have found that depending on the website where you order them, it's about as cheap to BUY the chair covers and sashes as it is to RENT them. So do your research. There are many sites selling the covers for as little as $2,25 apiece. The best part is our venue is going to give us a further discount if we give him the covers and sashes after the wedding, since this is an item they don't have, and could really use in the future! SCORE! Didn't you hear me say negotiate!?

 The chair covers and sashes come in a wide variety of fabrics and price ranges, so do what your budget allows.  The sashes in particular are available in tulle, organza, chiffon, velvet, even satin (or an acetate version of satin , much cheaper!)  Do  your homework on fabric finishes by going to your local fabric store and asking to see fabric in those materials if you are not familiar with fabric types.