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How Do I Create A Ceiling Canopy For My Wedding? – Ask The Wedding Expert Answer

July 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Question from Michelle:

What fabric would you recommend that I use to decorate the ceiling to make a canopy decor and a backdrop for my reception hall?  The hall doesn’t have any chandeliers, so I need to try to lift it up with the draperies, but unsure what fabrics to use or how to do it at all.  Please help with any ideas. Thank you.

Answer from Wedding Expert Angela:

Hi Michelle, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.  The most common fabrics for draping at weddings are sinamay mesh, or tulle.  Both have a nice stiffness that lets you shape it, yet it drapes well.  Because they are net-like, you can have light garlands mixed in with it to create a fairytale effect with the lights.  If you use soft, silky fabric, it will just slide where gravity takes it (unless you want to staple it in place).

First, check with your reception hall to see what they have available in terms of backdrops.  Often, they have things available, or have sources for you to rent some.  There are many props that you can rent quite inexpensively, so I suggest you check the yellow pages in the nearest city and see what is available to you before you start building something.  Also check with them to see if you can use tape or staples on the walls or ceilings.   Many halls have rules about those things, so you need to see what you can actually do.

As for the ceiling, depending upon the lighting in the room, and how many windows it has (or doesn’t have) the ceiling might disappear in the low light.  Visit the site in the evening with the lights set like it would be for your wedding.  When you see it in that lighting, you might decide not to bother with the ceiling at all.

Another thing that you can do with lighting is to use “up lights”.  They cost approximately $10 each and can be used to accent the cake table, or light up the underside of the head table.  There are many options, and your reception site should have suggestions as they have seen many functions in their facility.

Another option is to hire a wedding planner or interior designer for the day to decorate for you.  If you consider the cost of purchasing things, and then the work of building what you want, it might be more cost effective to hire someone and rent what you need.  Phone around and get some prices.  You might be surprised.

Good luck, and if you have further questions, feel free to ask.

Angela Fiebelkorn, The Wedding Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, planning, Reception Tagged With: , , ,

How Do I Combine My Wedding Colours? – Ask The Expert Answer

April 16, 2009 By 1 Comment

Question from Sharlene:

I’m planning a Caribbean wedding in July 09.  I need help combining colours of red/burgandy  with gold or green and silver.  Desperately in need of help.

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

Your wedding colour choices sound good to me.  Red and gold are classic colours and are very old world regal.  Green and silver are a much more contemporary choice.  I’m not sure what you need to combine?  Those colours combine very well. 

If you are asking how to incorporate your colours into your decor, speak to your reception site to see what table linen colours they have, and what they can do to put those colours into the decor.  If you want to get the colours into your wedding party, you can do so through choosing a bridesmaid dress in one of the colours, and use both colour in the flowers.  Your florist can advise you about flower choices, so speak to them.

You can also get colours into your decor through candles, mesh or tulle to accent tables, aisle runners, or a multitude of other ways.  Check out these wedding decorations to get more ideas of how to get colour into your decor.

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Colours, Decorations, Wedding Ideas, Wedding Themes Tagged With: , , ,

Wedding Decorations – Creating the Wow Factor

April 12, 2009 By 3 Comments

Wedding Wow Factors for your wedding theme, decoration, destination, reception, and ceremony.

It is part of the twenty free wedding planning series made available to you by Bridal Expert Angela Fiebelkorn.

Filed Under: Ceremony, Decorations, Destination Wedding, planning, Reception, Wedding Themes Tagged With:

How Do I Decorate My Wedding With Sinamay Mesh? – Ask The Expert Answer

March 7, 2009 By 1 Comment

Question from Renee:

I would like to know how to decorate the hall with black sinamay mesh. The rolls are ten feet long and about 12 inches wide. Specifically, I would like to know how to make large bows and how to drape the mesh on the front of the head table. Any other decorating ideas with sinamay mesh would be appreciated.

Answer from Bridal Expert Angela:

Hi Renee.  Since I don’t know the length of your table, I am assuming 8′.  When draping the head table (or any table), always start at the centre of the table with the centre of your roll of mesh.  Then connect the two ends of the roll to the ends of your table.  This will give you an equal amount of mesh on both sides of your centre point.  Then, you can continue to “drape” it once or twice depending how deep you want your drape to be.  If your table is 8′, you would have 4′ on each side of your centre.  To drape it twice, measure 16″ from the centre to attach the mesh, and then in another 16″ attach the mesh again, and that should leave 16″ to the end of your table.  Do the same on the other side.  If you only want to drape it once, it would be 24″ from the centre point. 

Mesh works great on an arbor or trellis.  It can disguise an ugly podium or flower stand.  Often mesh is paired with light garlands to create some sparkle and add lighting as evening approaches.  You could have bows flanking the entrance to your wedding reception. 

As for making large bows, always start at your centre point and work outward with equal lengths of mesh on both sides.  Remember how we were taught to make two loops with our shoe laces, and then tie them together.  The same holds true for making your mesh bows.  You control the size of your bows and how much hangs down by doing it that way.  You may want someone on hand to assist with the bows, holding the centre and assisting in looping the mesh through as you make the bow.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, Reception Tagged With: ,