This can be a touchy subject.  Nevertheless, it needs to be said.

Sometimes, brides are stuck between the hard place of having great decor or some other vital portion of their menu.  After pouring hour upon hour on Pinterest, message boards and bridal magazines, they become inspired, depressed, agitated and resigned… in that order.  The rationalization from friends who are uber crafty and older relatives who “just got married at the church and were happy” is that “No one really notices the flowers or the linens”.

Honestly, that’s not true.

There is a huge difference between this:

and this:

What if I said picture one is at a seaside luxury resort and the second picture is at a local VFW.  As a guest, how would you feel walking into picture one?  What about picture two? Granted, those are vastly different existing on separate ends of the spectrum, but you get my point: Decor Matters.  The worst thing in the world is to have a world class venue, DJ or band, five star food and the details to tie the wedding together are nonexistent. Having this type of lopsided event gives the impression that the money ran out for the decor.

Your environment sets your mood.  

Picture this:  you move into a new, stylish apartment.  To celebrate, you decide to throw a dinner party for your nearest and dearest friends.  The apartment is the talk of the town with the sleekest architecture and views.  However, like most apartments, it’s painted the standard, generic white.  No matter how beautiful the building is, it’s the personal details and decor that makes it stand out.

Your centerpieces, when done by a talented, professional designer  can add depth and warmth to your room.  They can guide you into perfecting your color palette to create an enchanting look for your venue.  Decor only looks small and incompetent when it has to compete against your venue.  Work with your venue and you can create something amazing.  Here are some tips:

• If your venue has ugly walls, chairs or floors,  find out how much it will be to rent chairs or chair covers to eliminate the problem.  Find colors that don’t compete with the floors or walls.
• Lighting can change everything.  Simple uplighting around a room will give you a soft wash of color over the entire room.  This creates a beautiful canvas to enhance your tables and centerpieces.
• If the budget is limited, avoid white polyester linens for your tables.  These should only be reserved for your food tables.   While these can be the cheapest linens to acquire, they will also swallow and dwarf any plans you have for your centerpieces if you do not fill the table. If your centerpiece budget is limited having only one centerpiece on an expansive white six foot table will only compound your decor issues. Instead, opt for color to add vibrancy or texture (pintuck, bichon, taffeta, etc.) to add depth.
• Runners and overlays are a great way to add variety to the table.  Make sure your runners are actual runners– not chair sashes.  This isn’t for what they were intended, so their impact isn’t as fluid as a true runner.  Additionally, runners and overlays look best when they are paired with complementary liners (the base linen).  A colored overlay over a white tablecloth has a “restaurant” feel to it.  Look to add depth and texture with a runner or overlay atop of a liner of the same color or in the same shade family. If you want to go bolder, use the colors in your palette.
• Just as we have to consider the width of a table, when planning your centerpieces, also consider the height of the ceiling.   Centerpieces that are too low will also make your room look larger and your tablescape very minimal.
• Napkins are ways to add pops of color from other shades in your palette.  Creatively folded or presented, it can add more depth to your table, filling it more with a functional necessity.  Consider having your tables completely set, even for a buffet to avoid your tables looking too empty.

Color, texture and florals set the tone and enhance the experience for your guests. It can transport and transform them.  Who doesn’t like to get dressed up  and go somewhere nice for a special occasion?  Dining and dancing in a beautiful room truly adds to their experience and participation level.  All things being equal, not all weddings can afford an expansive decor budget.  All weddings, though, can and should be beautiful.