By Riley & Grey  |  Wedding Planning  |  November 04, 2016

Go-To Tricks for Managing Wedding Decoration Costs

Whether you consider your wedding decorations as a top priority in the overall vision for your wedding, or a subtle suggestion to keep in mind as you DIY your way to the altar, we’ve got some helpful tips from some of our favorite event planners to help you manage your wedding decorating costs.

If you are on a strict wedding decorating budget, Chelsea and Tiffany – the women over at Witty Rentals – encourage striking a harmonious balance between splurges and essentials. Take your tables and chairs, for example, you have to have tables – but these can be basic. Instead of spending a lot on both, you can just splurge on the chairs. “The chairs are what makes the ceremony site spectacular and the tables tend to hide behind the chairs during receptions as well.”

Rustic table setup at wedding with succulents and candles centerpiece
Photo: Courtesy of Bespoke Only
Wedding ceremony set up with white chairs and vintage rugs and chevron feature wall
Photo: via Witty Rentals

Melissa Lee, from Bespoke Only, is a proponent of rolling up your sleeves and tapping into your imagination to have fun with a do-it-yourself approach to decorating. She suggests hitting your local garment districts to explore a “fabulous source for event décor needs…an abundance of wholesale fabric stores which offer limitless possibilities for all kinds of DIY projects; be it raw edge silk runners or gingham pocket squares.”

“Opt for using any and all rentals the venue has included in their contract..."

On the subject of fabric – note that this is a component that can really up your wedding decorating costs if you’re not careful – so, Lee also highly recommends, “ordering a swatch before proceeding with bulk as it's never accurate to judge any fabric without seeing it in person.”

While Jove Meyer, owner of Jove Meyer Events admits that he’s not “a fan of cutting wedding decor costs,” he also offers some helpful suggestions for how you can cut a few corners with your budget, without cheapening the overall feel of your wedding day. To begin with, Meyer suggests keeping it simple and to avoid installations. Another helpful tip? “Opt for using any and all rentals the venue has included in their contract and choose not to upgrade linens, flatware, glassware or rentals.” Money saved by “keeping it simple” can then be put toward the items sitting at the very top of your wedding decor list.

Wherever wedding decoration costs fall on your overall priority list, we want you to move forward equipped with this spot-on advice in your back pocket; tips from industry insiders who know how to take the stuff of dreams and spin them into real life experiences, regardless of whether you’re penny-pinching or have dimes to spare.

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