Centerpieces

Of course, everybody wants to hear all about the linens and tableware, but what really gets the eyes popping is centerpieces.  To add a bit of light and drama to the tables, I'm going to start with low lying tea candles in glass holders, which I already bought at a steal; I paid 8 cents for 24 of them!  I'm not kidding!  Thank you Dollar General, and your hidden penny rack!  And thank you Joshua, for working there when these hit that rack!  In the candleholders are orange-colored pumpkin spice scented candles, which were considerably more expensive than the holders but worth the cost for the extra pop they give.

I love these little candleholders!

In the center of the tables (or perhaps two per table, as they're rather long), I'm going to have a stack of books, covered in paper matching the colors of my wedding (which I hope to find on sale after the holiday season), and tied off with a ribbon and a bow.  I'll probably also have a small bouquet of paper cranes tied on, as well, in a simple, elegant sort of way.

Setting the Tables

Since I'm (probably) having my reception inside a picnic pavilion, I know I need to find a good way to dress up those scruffy old picnic tables!  The trick here will be to decorate the tables without them looking cheap, and without spending an arm, a leg, and a half on tablecloths, centerpieces, and other pieces that are usually far too expensive for their own good.

I sorta like the look of that table, though I think a shorter tablecloth with give a lighter, airier feel that will seem more luxurious in the end.  But the most important part is that the tablecloth is really light, and casual.  Not those weighted down polyester tablecloths I see at far too many weddings.  And plastic tablecloths (though I considered it) are right out!  They look obviously cheap.  But renting tablecloths gets pretty expensive, pretty fast.  Even the cheapest linens seem to be about $10 per table, which adds up pretty fast when you consider all of the tables for guests, food, and gifts and such.

Nowhere To Go But Up

Ahh, the decor.  You have your tables, centerpieces, floral arrangements, and all sorts of things to think about.  One thing that is always important to consider, and often forgotten, is the ceiling.  At least that's what they taught me in design school.  And when you're starting with either a tent or a picnic shelter as your reception venue, you have a lot of decorating up to do.  Thankfully, there are a lot of great ideas for weddings out there.

I love the look of paper lanterns, and there are several websites where you can purchase them for a little over a dollar apiece.  If I look around, I might even be able to find other brides who are selling theirs after their own weddings, and save even more.  These can make a very big impact, and with some LED lights and batteries, can even light up the reception as it begins to get dark.  And after the wedding, I might be able to sell mine back to yet another bride, saving her a lot of money.  All in all, it's a lot of look for not a lot of money.

Colors, Colors, Colors!

Though weddings were traditionally the time for white to shine, it's since opened up to all sorts of possibilities.  I've seen brides rocking it out in dresses in every color of the rainbow, though red seems to be especially popular.  In terms of decor colors, you're no longer limited to red roses, but whatever color of the rainbow suits you.  A lot of brides have been going for Peacock lately, or the stricking combo of black and white.  But I need something brighter, something more poppy.

Something more orange.  Paired with gray, it makes a striking combo that's hard to ignore.  Martha Stewart calls it Marigold and Pewter, but if I was going to attach a frou frou name to this particular, yellowy orange, I'd have to pick Apricot.  So, Apricot and Pewter it is!

Suddenly, Cranes! Thousands of them!

1000 paper cranes.  Based on an ancient Japanese legend, any person who can fold 1000 of them will be granted a wish by a crane.  There's also a more contemporary story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who tried to fold 1000 cranes to fight her leukemia as a result of the bombing of Hiroshima.  Whether she was actually able to finish is up to speculation, but either way, her efforts are remembered by many.

I don't know if I really believe that I'll have a wish granted if I fold 1000 of them.  But I do believe that the level of dedication, perseverance, and joyful effort required in folding them all will be helpful to a marriage, as well.  On top of that, the strings of cranes are beautiful, and a single folded crane looks an awful lot like a flower.