Wedding Reception Decoration Ideas

What Are Some Wedding Table Centrepiece Ideas For a Fall Wedding? – Ask The Wedding Expert Answer

July 11, 2009 By Angela Fiebelkorn

Question from Amanda:

We are going to be having a fall wedding and have no idea what to do for centerpieces! Neither myself nor my fiance can agree on any ideas the other
puts forth.

Our colours are chocolate brown, rose red, and burnt red. We are using white to add a dramatic effect to the colours and to tone down the overall richness of the colours. We are hoping for a dramatic centerpiece that is not too over the top at the same time.

Otherwise, we have no idea what we want. The location has hanging chandeliers which is creating a very romantic setting and we want to keep with that as well. Any suggestions at this point would be greatly appreciated! Hopefully we can agree on something sooner or later.

Thank you for your time!

Answer from Wedding Expert Angela:

Hi Amanda, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. My first thought was that white and red flowers would be very beautiful. Or, imagine 3 or 4 white calla lilies in a tall vase with some greenery.

The usual things used for centrepieces are flowers, candles, lights, water, sand, rocks, or food (fruit, desserts). This video on Wedding Reception Centrepiece Ideas will give you a fresh perspective. Candles are a classic, not very expensive, and is always beautiful on a table. Imagine a square mirror tile in the centre of the table with 3 or 5 pillar candles of different heights on it. It reflects the light and is a classic dining room centrepiece.

Food is becoming more and more popular as a centrepiece. A vase of fruit, for example, can be quite stunning. Choosing a fruit like a pomegranite would work with your colours really well. Desserts, say fudge, arranged in a pyramid or other shape around a small vase with a flower in it can look quite lovely. You wouldn’t see the vase, only the flower with your chosen dessert surrounding it.

Water also makes a great centrepiece. There are great water activated lights that can dress up a basic vase with flowers to give it added sparkle. Just follow Reception Decorations to find the water activated lights.

This video at the end of the post also has some great ideas for wedding table centrepieces. Good luck and I hope you find something you both like.

Angela Fiebelkorn, The Wedding Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, Reception Tagged With: Wedding Reception Decoration Ideas, wedding table centrepieces

How Do I Use Turquoise and Pink In My Wedding Decorations? – Ask The Wedding Expert Answer

July 9, 2009 By Angela Fiebelkorn Leave a Comment

Question from Larissa:

Hi! I`ve picked turquoise and pink, fuschia really as my two wedding colors, but I`m having a hard time deciding on how to combine them: on tables, wedding party attire, etc. I really want to incorporate touches of both but achieving a classy look. Thanks!

Answer from Wedding Expert Angela:

Hi Larissa, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Turquoise sounds like a great colour to incorporate into your wedding party attire. Turquoise dresses for the ladies, and the men can have accents of turquoise with their suits (tie, pocket napkin, cumberbund). Add the pink through your flowers (bouquets and boutonnieres) to keep the look sophisticated.

As for the reception table decorations, this video might be helpful. Consider the use of table runners, or chair covers to bring the colours into your decor. Flowers will also accent your wedding colours.

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

Angela Fiebelkorn, Ask The Wedding Expert

certified WPIC Wedding Planner

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

Gift Card Holders Add To Your Wedding Decor

June 25, 2009 By Angela Fiebelkorn Leave a Comment

At every wedding, guests will bring a card to congratulate the happy couple. These cards often have money in them, or gift certificates, and you want somewhere to put them that is safe.

Gift card holders are just the solution for holding all your wedding cards. They come in many great shapes from a square to bird cage designs. This particular gift card holder is made of metal and has a scrolling vine pattern, dazzling glitter, and a fun metal gift bow. The card holder has a white cardboard insert that can be place on the bottom to prevent envelopes from falling out.

With many weddings today, cash gifts are common, and it is important to have a safe place to put all those envelopes once the guests have all arrived. Putting the envelopes into a hotel safe, or locking it in the trunk of your car are good options. Sometimes, a reliable person will hang on to the envelopes throughout the entire evening for the couple.

The beauty of the gift card holder will add to your wedding reception decorations, and give you a great place to keep your wedding cards. In years to come you can use it for birthdays, and other occasions.

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, invitations, Reception, Wedding Ideas Tagged With: gift card holders, Reception, Wedding Reception Decoration Ideas, wedding reception decorations

What Centerpieces Should I Use In August? – Ask The Wedding Expert Answer

May 1, 2009 By Angela Fiebelkorn Leave a Comment

Question from Fran:

My wedding is August , 2009. The reception will be in the commons of my high school-really lovely setting. What should I use as centerpieces during such a hot month. Candles seem hot yet romantic.

Answer from Wedding Expert Angela:

Hi Fran, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. The two most popular centrepieces are candles and flowers–alone or in combination. This video on Wedding Reception Table Centerpieces will give you some ideas. Candles do not give off much heat, and they are so beautiful and classic on a dinner table. The soft candlelight is quite romantic and beautiful.

If you wanted to do something completely different, you could use rose bowls or vases with water/goldfish in them. A tall vase filled with lemons and limes is quite dramatic. Pay attention to tables in magazine pictures or on tv shows. You will be amazed at the variety of centrepieces you will suddenly notice. Head to your local magazine store and browse through the bridal magazines. Look at all the centrepieces to get ideas. Your public library will also have books on decorating to give you yet more ideas.

Good luck, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding.

Angela Fiebelkorn, The Wedding Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, Flowers, Reception Tagged With: Reception, Wedding Reception Decoration Ideas, wedding table centrepieces

Wedding Reception Table Centerpiece Ideas – Ask the Wedding Expert Answer

April 30, 2009 By Angela Fiebelkorn Leave a Comment

Question from Shirin:

I am having a reception on the deck of a heritage home with round 6 person tables. As our dinner will be family style (one large dish per table to
share) I am having trouble with selecting a centerpiece style which will not be obtrusive or awkward at the tables. Any ides for how to make the table still look pretty.

Answer from Wedding Expert Angela:

Hi Shirin and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I believe you are referring to Russian or Homestyle service for your meal where dishes or bowls of each type of food served will be placed on table, and the guests serve themselves as they choose. I don’t think it is just one large dish of food as your email suggests.

You have two basic choices for table centrepieces–low or high. Low can be flowers, sand with tealights or blossoms, or water with floating candles. You might be interested in a more modern choice of a dramatic dessert plate since you have Russian service for your meal. It would suit your meal style perfectly. High would be the use of trumpet vases where the actual arrangement is quite high and out of table sight-lines.

This video called Wedding Reception Table Centerpieces will give you some ideas of your choices. Good luck, and if you have further questions, feel free to email again.

Angela Fiebelkorn, Wedding Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, Reception, Wedding Ideas Tagged With: Reception, Wedding Reception Decoration Ideas, wedding table centrepieces

How Do You Decorate A Community Hall For Your Wedding? – Ask The Wedding Expert Answer

April 22, 2009 By Angela Fiebelkorn 2 Comments

Question from Kim:

Our wedding reception is being held in a typical community hall that has a tall ceiling, large square room with basic paint and the horrible rectangular tables. I am having a hard time trying to create a dramatic table setting that makes the hall feel more upscale but still allows the eye to flow easily through the room so that the guests may see one another throughout the night. My colors are cobalt, black and white. We will also be having a buffet dinner and a few bottles of wine for the tables. I am open to any suggestions, please help me!!!

Answer from Wedding Expert Angela:

Hi Kim, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. The trick with community halls is in the lighting. Once the lights are dimmed, you will find the walls will visually disappear. Then you need to bring light back into the room where YOU want it. “Up lights” can be purchased at your local hardware store or anywhere lighting is sold. I have picked them up for $10 and they are readily available. Also, any floodlights will work as well. You might be able to borrow flood lights from family or friends who like to light up their Christmas decorations outside in the winter. Sometimes, your church might have some that you could borrow.

Then you will need to have focal points for your lighting. Imagine light shining through the table skirting on the head table (from underneath the table). It will look very dramatic and depending upon the lighting in the room, it may even look like the table is floating on light. The use of a few clusters of pillar candles in different heights will bring lighting to each table, as well as create a dramatic look.

The picture in this post shows the use of a trumpet vase to create dramatic height. You do not need these vases at each table, but, depending upon your budget, could be randomly placed around the room. You can use fresh flowers, silk flowers from the ‘dollar store’, add some twigs and branches, and some feather, and you could have a dramatic floral arrangement. Fill the vase with sand (or coloured sand) to add more colour to the table.

That should get you going with some ideas. Google images for “wedding reception tables” to get some visual ideas. If you get stuck, I always recommend hiring a professional. An interior designer or wedding planner can be hired for the day to do the decorating for you, and they aren’t that expensive. This video on ‘wedding reception table centrepieces’ might be helpful. There are other videos in this wedding planning series that will give you other ideas for decorating your reception site.

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

Angela Fiebelkorn, The Wedding Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Decorations, Flowers, planning, Reception, Wedding Ideas Tagged With: Wedding Reception Decoration Ideas, wedding reception decorations

How Do I Choose My Wedding Theme Colours? – Ask The Wedding Expert

April 19, 2009 By Angela Fiebelkorn 2 Comments

Question from Faith:

I need ideas on my theme colours…it’s a garden wedding both ceremony and reception. My second question is- I want to use long tables for the reception instead of round any ideas?

Answer from Wedding Expert Angela:

Hi Faith, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I am assuming it is a summer wedding since you state it is a garden wedding. What are the predominant colours of the garden? Green is probably your answer, unless it is full of flowers and has a dominant colour. Why do I ask this question? Depending upon your answer you might choose to work with the dominant colour in the setting.

Assuming green, you could go with pale green bridesmaid dresses, accenting flowers with turquoise, or lime green. Maybe you want to add a splash of a few colours like purple and pale orange.

Or you have the choice of picking any colour you love, and ignoring the green background. Note the photo in this post—an outdoor wedding and a choice of pink and mauve (colours next to each other on the colour wheel). Watch this video on wedding colour choices to understand picking colours.

As for rectangular tables instead of round tables, they are treated the same way as round tables. Long tables do lend themselves to different choices when it comes to table centrepieces. For example, you could have a row of flower petals along the centre of the table leading to a central vase. Alternatively, you could have long rectangular containers as centrepieces, with sand and tea lights, or water with floating candles and flower blossoms.

For both you wedding colours, and your centrepieces, I recommend that you google reception decorations to see what your options are. What colour table linens do you have available to you? That might help you decide your wedding colours, too. Our free video series on wedding planning has three separate videos that address decorations—table centrepieces, and more. You might consider signing up for them after viewing the one on wedding colour choices.

If you have more specific questions, please feel free to email again.

Angela Fiebelkorn, The Wedding Expert

Filed Under: Ask The Expert, Colours, Decorations, planning, Reception, Wedding Themes Tagged With: Colours, reception table centerpiece, table decorations wedding, wedding colors, Wedding Reception Decoration Ideas, wedding reception table decorations, wedding theme