Inexpensive ways to decorate a venue

krustylouise

Hi all,

Well things have changed recently (very stressful!) as the room in which we're getting married in is smaller and fits in less people than we had first been led to believe. We were told the room fit 80 people, invitations have been sent and numbers stand at approximately 33 day guests and 73 evening guests. Turns out the room can only hold 40 comfortably. Luckily the venue have another (much much) bigger room, which will accommodate us, however it will look too big and our guests might be swamped.

Our budget is absolutely strapped to the max financially, but we need to find a way of decorating this room as cheaply as possible.

I can't stand balloons, so that's a no go.

Any ideas welcome!

Thanks in advance x

Owain_Moneysaver

Does the venue have any portable screens/partitions that could be used to reduce the size of the room? Or could stretch a wire across and hang a curtain?

Slash curtain is fairly cheap, as is bunting

DigForVictory

If you've time, swags of tissue paper flowers are startlingly cheap & look spectacular.

They do take a while to make though - can you recruit school children/teachers/ Brownies & other child labour if you provide raw materials & a donation towards the next trip out? (After the wedding, pick the least squished, wire bunches onto broach/brooch mounts (about £5 for 100 last I checked) from craft suppliers & give them as thankyous?

If great big flowers, ask your local theatres if they'd like them for set decorations?

Hoping your day goes smoothly and that you sail into the calmer waters of married life with delight!

PlymouthMaid

I liked what my daughter did - wooden trellis painted white and white fairy lights around the plain walls. They had table decorations which she made but if short of time flowers in jars could be nice.

whitewing

I don't think it will look too big once people are in it and milling around. Especially if there are children around.

A bubble machine would be great fun but it would depend if it could be done safely.

krustylouise

How did your daughter stick the trellis to the walls without damaging the walls and the only thing I'm allowed to used is white tack! I have the table decor sorted, I'm using the lanterns off the aisle.

I don't want to ask DD's school as she's only been there since feb (she changed schools) and its only a very small village school.

I will ask if they have a screens - I seem to think they do but will check.

Thank you all for your replies, we're very grateful.

PlymouthMaid

I think she used a mixture of white tack and wire to attach it to anything solid enough They were only the cheap flimsy wooden trellis so wouldn't have squashed anybody if they fell over. I have still have two of them in my garden so extra bonus.

AmyTurtle

My sister's wedding reception hall was far too big for the number of people, and the bar was in a separate room off that. It made the atmosphere feel really flat to be honest. I would definitely partition if you can. Paper bunting is really easy to make and cheap - all you need is string and coloured paper/wallpaper. Swags of ivy look nice even without added flowers. Get your friends and family to start saving all their jars and fill with gypsophila (baby's breath) - it's cheap and takes up a lot of room. You can buy a job lot of it from Triangle Nursery online and they will deliver. You'd also be surprised how much foliage you can forage out and about - I work on an industrial estate and all the car dealerships have ruscus hedges around them! If you are having tables spread the chairs out so there are fewer people to each table and that will take up more room.

krustylouise

Thank you Amy,

I have already got my flowers sorted, I am going more down the candle route. The ceilings are quite low, which is good in one way as the room won't feel as big as it is, but bad in another way as bunting or things hanging from the ceiling could act as some sort of garotting device for our guests!

Just out of curiosity how many guests did your sisters wedding have and how big did the room accommodate?