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Dressing Up a Casual Reception Site
By Cara Davis
Aug 9, 2006, 12:13
The simplest way to add dramatic flare to your serving tables at the reception is to create depth and dimension by elevating your serving platters at different heights. Use bricks, books, shoeboxes, and hatboxes the boxes and swag garland and tulle, white lights, or ribbon between the
items on the table. For a beach-themed wedding, sprinkle shells and sand around the table and place the food on the elevated platforms.
Frame the table with palm trees or large plants behind or on either side of the table. Add white lights for an evening wedding.
Small palm trees will add height and drama to your serving and guest tables if you can create them or rent them for an affordable price. Get them plain and embellish with flowers, fruits, coconuts, or shells that match your theme.
Make sure your buffet tables are skirted to the floor. Renting table linens will look better than cheap, vinyl tablecloths you can buy from a party store. If youıre not renting or borrowing table linens, cover tables with
white or colored butcher paper then lay inexpensive sheer panels over the top.
Candles go a long way to create the mood and serve as decorations throughout your reception. Consider placing them in special non-flammable bags to light the path to your reception on the beach.
CENTERPIECES
Have your bridesmaids place their bouquets in vases of water on the reception tables after the wedding. On the leftover tables, create inexpensive centerpieces. Purchase flat mirrors from a wholesale decorating store. Arrange four to five pillar candles of varying sizes on top and
sprinkle shells for striking centerpieces.
Wide shallow bowls filled with potpourri or water and several floating gerbera daisy blooms are another way to create a casual, yet elegant centerpiece.
For a casual daytime wedding, place flowering plants in terracotta pots in the center of each table, or fill empty pots with green moss and a variety of white or off-white pillar candles. Place a handful of flower blooms
around the base of the candles.
Place inexpensive, fresh fruit like lemons and limes in a large glass bowl or pillar. Sprinkle flower blooms at the base.
Spray-paint small wicker baskets from a local craft store to match your weddingıs colors. Fill with raffia or dried moss and top with ribbon, beads, flowers, or wedding favors.
Wrap or decorate empty boxes of varying sizes in wedding wrapping paper (plain white will work) and ribbon. Stack or place next to each other. Swag garland and faux pearls between the gifts. For a Christmas wedding, wrap with gold or silver (holiday looking paper) and swag garland between the gifts.
MUSIC
Hook up a CD player or iPod to the sound system and pump out tunes that fit your receptionıs mood, whether it be big band, classical, or soulful classics. Make sure the level of the music doesnıt drown out conversation.
Hire a local college music student or students to play the piano. Consider having someone play a saxophone to pre-recorded instrumental music.
Hire a DJ instead of a band. Remember that the longer your reception goes (including dancing and/or drinking) the higher your costs are going to be.
WEDDING FAVORS
Guests just donıt appreciate or care about wedding favors much these days. Probably because the wedding favors couples can afford to buy are cheesy or
useless. Try to use wedding favors that will work into the design of your reception tables to get a double use out of them.
Here are some ideas for simple, elegant wedding favors:
* CANDY: Wrap Jordan Almonds, candy-coated chocolate, jellybeans, hard candies, or mints in tulle circles. (Get a friend to help make these.)Scatter them across your tables. For a simpler favor, sprinkle Hersheyıs Kisses on the tables instead.
* PICTURE THIS: Picture frame place card holders (if you need them) can double as favors. Try to buy in bulk to reduce costs.
* WHO ORDERED TAKE-OUT? Buy white Chinese takeout boxes in bulk from a restaurant supply store. Fill them with inexpensive candy (bought at bulk) and tie the box in a strip of tulle.
* MAGNETIC APPEAL: Buy packs of adhesive paper for printers at an office supply store. Print a photo of you and your fiancé with the wedding date sixteen-up on a page, print the photos and place the adhesive side down on a sheet of thin magnet. Cut the magnets to size and place on reception tables.
FINAL TOUCHES
The best wedding receptions take in consideration the little ones who will be in attendance. Create a special place for them to gather (kids tables or a separate room) full of activities to keep them having fun all night long.
Appoint someone to oversee this area as well. Consider serving them cupcakes and sprinkling their tables with activities ranging from toys to coloring
books and crayons to occupy them for a couple of hours.
Cara Davis is the author of Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot: How to Plan a Church
Wedding for Less Than $5,000 (RELEVANT Books). CheapWaysTo
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