How to Style Your Wedding Tables on a Budget
By Abby Saylor Armbruster
Hello everyone! Welcome back to another installment of my wedding series. Today I'll be talking about one of my favorite creative elements of the wedding planning process so far: styling tables!
There are so many ways to approach this, but I'm sure many of us agree that we'd like to choose the prettiest option at the most affordable price. If you're having a big wedding like me, there are going to be a lot of tables to fill, meaning your decor could easily spike to an uncomfortably high price if you're not careful. Here are my tips for decorating on a budget and hosting the wedding reception of your dreams without breaking the bank.
My first money-saving tip is to play up the wedding party's table more than the rest. This table is one of the main focal points of your reception and should really set your whole theme into place. I suggest spending more time and money on this table to make it look fully stylized while adding less decor at a cheaper price to all the other tables so it complements the main table. Some items to include on the wedding party table for a standout look include placemats, glass dinnerware, real flowers, candles, photo frames and cloth napkins.
Second, use recycled or reusable items. Dig up some old glasses, vases or empty glass bottles (check out the copper spray-painted ones I'll be using) and decorate them to fit your theme. Head over to your local thrift shops and antique stores for unique items that can be used as-is or can be customized to match elements of your wedding. I love the look of decor that isn't exactly matching on every single table so the overall look doesn't feel too repetitive and gives more of an effortless vibe, which means utilizing varying decor could work in your favor!
Next, skip out on fancy dinnerware. Chances are if you're having a wedding reception that's anything more than a small get-together, real dishes for each guest to eat off of are going to be very costly. I suggest getting nice dishes for the wedding party table and thick, durable plates and silverware made out of alternative materials for the rest of the guests. You'll want to check with your venue and caterer to see if either of them offer dishes as well. My venue, Avon Gardens, offers table cloths, cloth napkins, and some decor, so it's great to utilize those options if they're available to you. If you haven't selected a venue yet, this may be a great deciding factor to consider when trying to cut costs.
Lastly, don't overdo it. I know it can be tempting to try to really wow your guests with tons of show-stopping decorations, but sometimes less is more — especially when you're working on a budget. If you're really wanting a heavily decorated reception, allow yourself enough time to hunt for inexpensive pieces. You can buy items in bulk online or ask a friend or family member who has recently gotten married if they have any decorations left over. You can customize previously-used/standard bulk decorations for your wedding by adding simple finishing touches. Don't be afraid to get creative and use scraps of wood and leftover paint to DIY your reception and make it totally unique. Check out my Pinterest board for inspiration.
Thank you guys so much for reading and I hope you found these tips to be helpful! Keep up with my wedding planning journey on my blog (a honeymoon destination reveal + tips for traveling on a budget went up this week) and be on the lookout for another post by me here on IndyBride2B in a couple weeks!
Have a great week!
- Abby