How to Make Reception Decorations on a Budget

Making your own decorations adds a personal touch to your reception.

Wedding planning is an expensive endeavor when you consider the number of items that you must buy. Purchases you'll make before the big day include wedding decorations, favors, cakes, attire and vendor services. When it comes to planning a wedding reception, there are ways to save. Making your own reception decorations is a great idea that adds a personal touch to your celebration. If you're on a budget, learn how to cut corners and save on reception decorations by simply doing it yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Silk flowers
• Ribbon
• Scissors
• Hot glue
• Tape
• Glass vases
• Silk plants and fruit
• Beads in assorted colors

Instructions

1. Come up with your wedding reception theme. If you're going for a floral fairytale-esque look, head to a local arts and crafts store that carries a great silk flower selection.

2. Pick out silk flowers and plastic plants in your wedding colors. Great reception choices are white lilies, red roses and pink daisies.

3. Create your own centerpieces by choosing inexpensive glass vases from a home-goods store or discount shopping center. Fill each vase with water and drop in silk flowers for a floral floating effect. Or, drop in candles in your wedding colors.

4. Make decorations for your reception tables by tying flowers together with fancy, store-bought ribbon, tying them in bows. These also make great wedding favors.

5. Fill small glass vases with colorful beads of all shapes and sizes to add to your homemade wedding reception decor. You can even hot glue on some name tags or place seating placards.

6. Buy wide, lacy ribbon or tulle and drape them from the ceiling across the reception hall. Many venues have chandeliers that allow for ribbon and gauze-draping.

7. Be creative and come up with personalized touches to add to napkins, coasters and seat covers. Emboss the names of the bride and groom on napkins and coasters with calligraphy, glitter pens or stamps.

8. Use Christmas lights in solid colors to add sparkle. Newer LED lights stay nice and cool, so they can be tucked inside fabric or tulle and wrapped around poles or draped across ceilings and walls.

Tips & Warnings

• Look through a bridal magazine for reception hall ideas. You can often take an expensive look and recreate it on a budget.

• If you have trouble imagining color combinations, visit the hardware store and pick up paint sample cards to see how your color palette looks together.

• Never begin making decorations last minute. Planning a reception hall takes time and lots of helping hands.