My stepsister is getting married this weekend. They are having a tented reception in a family member's backyard. I just recieved a panicked phone call that they have basically no decor save for linens and a few things for the tables. Yikes! As an event planning junkie it was a natural fit that I was the recipient of this phone call, but I wondered what advice/thoughts you might have? I am going to run out this evening after work and buy up as many things as I can locally as there is no time for ordering online. Her colors are chocolate and baby blue. I imagine I will be relying heavily on Martha's beautiful paper puffs, but do you guys have any other thoughts? Please shoot over all of your ideas! I am hoping I can pull this off and make it look beautiful, pulled together, chic and well thought out when it is anything but well thought out.
What kind of budget do you have to work with? If you have some cash to work with, get flowers from the farmer's market or a nice grocery store. Flowers look instantly elegant. You can buy them tomorrow and put them in water overnight to be ready for the weekend. For vases, you might be able to buy vases, use them for the day, and then return them all as long as you leave the price stickers on the bottom.
For budget, I'm just going to spend what it takes and then return extra stuff as applicable. What do you think of playing off the mobile idea in the link above and using fishing line and silk flower heads to make garlands?
First - BREATHE! My other suggestion would be to focus on one or two high-impact ideas rather than trying to do a million scattered things. Guests will appreciate and remember one wonderful detail more than a bunch of half-baked details. Maybe focus on one or two areas - the ceiling and escort card table perhaps, and make those look fantastic. Remember, the guests will never know what is missing, they will only enjoy what is there.
I agree-- The first step is definitely taking a big breath and focusing your energy on a few great things.
How about lighting?? Maybe you can do some sort of uplighting and put some colored celophane on the lights? It would change the whole mood of the inside of the tent. Maybe try uplights from Ikea or somewhere like Home depot-- The kinds people use to light their landscaping? Just put a few here and there, and voila!
Maybe lots of candles on the tables? Just wrap each votive with a strip of ribbon, and you've added color AND mood.
Great ideas, thanks so much! I am starting to get a vision and get a checklist going here so I can maximize my effort this evening. I would love to do swags of fabric looped from the tent ceiling, but am not sure what kind of fabric might work without being hemmed and there certainly is not time for that. Any thoughts from the fabric savvy hive members?
I saw a set up in a magazine the other day with a bunch of candlesticks of all different heights set up down the length of the tables. It was simple and beautiful.
Cyd, we draped tulle from the ceiling to look like the sky for sorority recruitment. We taped christmas lights to the ceiling underneath, and it actually looked awesome! You wouldn't need to hem tulle, but in order for fabric to drape well in a tent, you need about a bajillion yards. Just kidding. But you do need a lot, and it gets pretty pricey. Do you have a fabric district in your area? I'd go and see what they have if you're heart is set on fabric. And how are you going to hang this? Are the tent people going to hang it for you?
Here are some ideas I thought of at the moment. I think they are pretty doable within a day or two given you have stores around you. (I work in manhattan and there are plenty of districts here that are true saviors!)
1. Candles - ikea, michaels, crafts or floral shops. You can buy small votive holders like plum-puddin recommended and put brown/baby blue ribbon around it with glue or double stick tape. You can also use tissue paper, fabric or printed scrapbook paper.
2. Flowers - ikea has some really great metal pails in bronze (great against brown or baby blue) and you can fill them with flowers like hydrangeas, azaleas or roses (these flowers are rather inexpensive and carried in all floral shops) Michaels also has these glass cylinders and squares that are cheap and would look great!!!
3. I personally like table runners if you're having rectangle tables. You can visit a fabric store and just iron a crease onto them instead of sewing them (or use fabric glue.)
4. I found these mini lanterns at IKEA the other day that are soooo cute! You can use them in between center peices with flowers laid next to them. you can also hang them from the tops of tents to act as over lighting.
5. Make pomander balls with fake flowers and hang them. or even use carnations. They take all but 15 minutes for each!
you could do those things hanging from the ceiling (from the above link) with flowers, like you said....it looks like they are using those flower rings you get at the craft store as well, which rather than leaving plain you could also decorate with the silk flowers. Then you could just have varying size candles and petals on each table. you may also be able to find tulle or even chiffon in clearance sections at the fabric store. and if her favors are cute they could be placed on the tables too as an added decoration.
Put a bunch of roses in a square vase. Put blue pebbles (sold at Michaels for about $1/bag) on the bottom. Cut all flowers at the same length and have the top either poke through after half way up the vase or completely under the top rim of the vase.
3) Idea 3
Brown table runners + blue menu cards
4) Hydrendra comes in gorgeous blues. You only need a few stems. Put them in small galvanized buckets.
How about tall vases of different heights from a thrift store/ikea/michaels filled with coffee beans and tied with a blue ribbon? They look really cook and have a nice scent.
I was just thinking of galvanized buckets/pails. Does anyone know where to find them for a decent price? I know Target had some great ones earlier in the season but I'm guessing they are probably gone by now.
Thanks everyone for the fabulous ideas! I will have to post pictures next week with what I come up with...I have a notebook full of chicken-scratched ideas.
Greetings, Hive!
My stepsister is getting married this weekend. They are having a tented reception in a family member's backyard. I just recieved a panicked phone call that they have basically no decor save for linens and a few things for the tables. Yikes! As an event planning junkie it was a natural fit that I was the recipient of this phone call, but I wondered what advice/thoughts you might have? I am going to run out this evening after work and buy up as many things as I can locally as there is no time for ordering online. Her colors are chocolate and baby blue. I imagine I will be relying heavily on Martha's beautiful paper puffs, but do you guys have any other thoughts? Please shoot over all of your ideas! I am hoping I can pull this off and make it look beautiful, pulled together, chic and well thought out when it is anything but well thought out.
Thanks in advance!
posted by Cyd 83 posts 3 months agoThis looks pretty neat. Could you get white and blue fake flower daisies, or whatever her wedding flowers might be and do something like this?
Tent decorations
posted by KatieB 66 posts 3 months agoWhat kind of budget do you have to work with? If you have some cash to work with, get flowers from the farmer's market or a nice grocery store. Flowers look instantly elegant. You can buy them tomorrow and put them in water overnight to be ready for the weekend. For vases, you might be able to buy vases, use them for the day, and then return them all as long as you leave the price stickers on the bottom.
posted by chelseamorning 205 posts 3 months agoFor budget, I'm just going to spend what it takes and then return extra stuff as applicable. What do you think of playing off the mobile idea in the link above and using fishing line and silk flower heads to make garlands?
posted by Cyd 83 posts 3 months agoFirst - BREATHE! My other suggestion would be to focus on one or two high-impact ideas rather than trying to do a million scattered things. Guests will appreciate and remember one wonderful detail more than a bunch of half-baked details. Maybe focus on one or two areas - the ceiling and escort card table perhaps, and make those look fantastic. Remember, the guests will never know what is missing, they will only enjoy what is there.
posted by snmcdowell 467 posts 3 months agoI agree-- The first step is definitely taking a big breath and focusing your energy on a few great things.
How about lighting?? Maybe you can do some sort of uplighting and put some colored celophane on the lights? It would change the whole mood of the inside of the tent. Maybe try uplights from Ikea or somewhere like Home depot-- The kinds people use to light their landscaping? Just put a few here and there, and voila!
Maybe lots of candles on the tables? Just wrap each votive with a strip of ribbon, and you've added color AND mood.
Hope this helps!
I know the ladies here will have amazing ideas!
posted by plum-puddin 7 posts 3 months agoGreat ideas, thanks so much! I am starting to get a vision and get a checklist going here so I can maximize my effort this evening. I would love to do swags of fabric looped from the tent ceiling, but am not sure what kind of fabric might work without being hemmed and there certainly is not time for that. Any thoughts from the fabric savvy hive members?
posted by Cyd 83 posts 3 months agoI saw a set up in a magazine the other day with a bunch of candlesticks of all different heights set up down the length of the tables. It was simple and beautiful.
posted by jeeyol 87 posts 3 months agoCyd, we draped tulle from the ceiling to look like the sky for sorority recruitment. We taped christmas lights to the ceiling underneath, and it actually looked awesome! You wouldn't need to hem tulle, but in order for fabric to drape well in a tent, you need about a bajillion yards. Just kidding. But you do need a lot, and it gets pretty pricey. Do you have a fabric district in your area? I'd go and see what they have if you're heart is set on fabric. And how are you going to hang this? Are the tent people going to hang it for you?
posted by rebecca 986 posts 3 months agoYes - stay focused!
Here are some ideas I thought of at the moment. I think they are pretty doable within a day or two given you have stores around you. (I work in manhattan and there are plenty of districts here that are true saviors!)
1. Candles - ikea, michaels, crafts or floral shops. You can buy small votive holders like plum-puddin recommended and put brown/baby blue ribbon around it with glue or double stick tape. You can also use tissue paper, fabric or printed scrapbook paper.
2. Flowers - ikea has some really great metal pails in bronze (great against brown or baby blue) and you can fill them with flowers like hydrangeas, azaleas or roses (these flowers are rather inexpensive and carried in all floral shops) Michaels also has these glass cylinders and squares that are cheap and would look great!!!
3. I personally like table runners if you're having rectangle tables. You can visit a fabric store and just iron a crease onto them instead of sewing them (or use fabric glue.)
4. I found these mini lanterns at IKEA the other day that are soooo cute! You can use them in between center peices with flowers laid next to them. you can also hang them from the tops of tents to act as over lighting.
5. Make pomander balls with fake flowers and hang them. or even use carnations. They take all but 15 minutes for each!
posted by pinkparfait 71 posts 3 months agoyou could do those things hanging from the ceiling (from the above link) with flowers, like you said....it looks like they are using those flower rings you get at the craft store as well, which rather than leaving plain you could also decorate with the silk flowers. Then you could just have varying size candles and petals on each table. you may also be able to find tulle or even chiffon in clearance sections at the fabric store. and if her favors are cute they could be placed on the tables too as an added decoration.
posted by dreambml 425 posts 3 months agoAh breathe!
My wedding is next week and I haven't decided on a videographer yet and I am still surviving :D
Some very easy suggestions:
1) idea 1
Float flower in a long vase for dramatic impact: http://www.teleflora.com/orchids/bouquet/green-orchids/zensational-168083p.asp?point=1
2) idea 2
Put a bunch of roses in a square vase. Put blue pebbles (sold at Michaels for about $1/bag) on the bottom. Cut all flowers at the same length and have the top either poke through after half way up the vase or completely under the top rim of the vase.
3) Idea 3
Brown table runners + blue menu cards
4) Hydrendra comes in gorgeous blues. You only need a few stems. Put them in small galvanized buckets.
posted by sphbride 96 posts 3 months agoAh, I should've read through the comments above ... Looks like you are looking for room decorations :)
posted by sphbride 96 posts 3 months agoHow about tall vases of different heights from a thrift store/ikea/michaels filled with coffee beans and tied with a blue ribbon? They look really cook and have a nice scent.
posted by amyp 6 posts 3 months agomean to say cool not cook. Ha.
posted by amyp 6 posts 3 months agoI was just thinking of galvanized buckets/pails. Does anyone know where to find them for a decent price? I know Target had some great ones earlier in the season but I'm guessing they are probably gone by now.
Thanks everyone for the fabulous ideas! I will have to post pictures next week with what I come up with...I have a notebook full of chicken-scratched ideas.
posted by Cyd 83 posts 3 months ago