How to Save Money on Wedding Decorations
If you’re concerned that your wedding budget is getting out of control, decor is one of the things you can get creative with to limit your overall spend. Alcohol is expensive. Food is expensive. Unfortunately, you’re just not going to find significant savings with these type of items. instead, here are some tips to save money on other items to reduce your overall spend.
Venue Decor
Those photos you see of a generic hotel ballroom transformed into a magical fairytale have easily had more than $50,000 worth of décor used to achieve that final look. Floor to ceiling curtains and draping can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars in rental and installation fees alone. Consider the labor associated with installing or staging a decorative item, as keeping this in mind will help you understand if something will be on the more expensive side.
Venue rentals are going to be one of your highest costs. Since you’re already spending the money here, select a space that doesn’t need an entire overhaul makeover to be visually pleasing. Hotel ballrooms, generic event spaces, banquet halls, and outdoor tents are going to require serious funds to outfit with enough decor, furniture, flooring, lighting, flowers, etc. to make an impact.
Our recommendation? Seek out a venue that is already nice before you add decorations. Restaurants and bars will already have tables, chairs, and tableware. They’ll also already have catering and bartending capabilities without having to outsource caterers and bartenders. Places like theaters, wineries, historical buildings, courtyards, private homes, and museums are going to have architecture, landscaping, views, and curb appeal as is, so you won’t have to spend near as much on decorations.
Lighting
Lighting for a wedding can become very pricey if you are working with a blank space. Utilizing natural lighting or the lighting already installed in the venue will reduce the amount of electrical equipment you will also need to pay for and coordinate the installation of. Keep in mind the cost for extension cords, generators, etc. As a note, generators are a carbon monoxide hazard if they’re not used properly, so only use reputable vendors to provide these for your event.
Ask the venue if their existing lighting has dimmer capabilities, as well. Lowering the lights can create an automatic ambiance. Review the venue’s policy for using candles, as these can be purchased for less than a dollar and create great low-lighting at the tables. If they don’t allow open flames, battery operated candles can be used. They can be pricey compared to real candles, however, so shop around and look for sales. If you’re outdoors, string lights are affordable, photogenic, and can be repurposed after the wedding. Don’t worry about your photos, a good wedding photographer should have a camera and lighting equipment capable of capturing professional pictures in dim lighting.
Flowers
Full disclosure, we’re a faux floral rental company in Las Vegas. Our purpose is to provide floral wedding decor that provides impact without costing tens of thousands of dollars. We think an arch or flower wall using faux blooms and greenery is an affordable way to add a large-scale, impactful piece of floral decor for your ceremony or reception for less. These items create a great ceremony backdrop and they double as a photo spot for your guests to use for pictures during the reception. The same item using real flowers could easily cost over $5,000, so using a rental provides the same look for a fraction of the cost. Check out our other articles that break down the costs associated with wedding florals.
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