DIY Decor: How Much is Enough?

How much is too much? Photo by hannahelaine photography (hannahelaine.com).

When you are doing the decor yourself for your event or wedding, how much stuff do you need?  Of course, it all depends on your venue, but for your typical wedding-type venue, here are some thoughts.

Table Decor

A centerpiece on your banquet tables is always nice.  There is nothing wrong with adding a few votive candles or tea lights, but three or four per table is usually enough.  Naturally, you want linens on the tables, although there is usually no need for three layers of them; one or two will suffice.  Maybe you are also having favors put out at every place.  They are also part of the decor.  Once you have this many things on the table, you just have room for a table number, bread basket, butter, salt & pepper, and eight or nine full place settings.  If you’re serving family style, remember to leave room on the table for the serving platters.

Room Decor

If your venue is already well-appointed, you may need nothing at all to decorate the room.  It can be a good idea to have a well-made flower arrangement near the entrance, on the bar, and/or on the escort card table.  It depends on how much sprucing up you think the area needs.  Candles on the bar can be tricky as you don’t want them to interfere with bar service.   If you have highboy tables anywhere in your ground plan, a very nice touch is to have your florist create small, simple arrangements for them.  Or put candles on the highboys.  They shouldn’t need any more than that.

Ceremony Decor

It’s easy to go overboard with ceremony decor:  Flowers on the ends of the rows of seats, an aisle runner, candles in the aisle, a flower arch or flowers on the chuppah, and large floral arrangements are all possibilities (and that doesn’t begin to exhaust the list).  I recommend against candles in the aisle as they can be a safety hazard.  I’m also not a big fan of aisle runners as they generally become trash the moment the ceremony is over.  I think a little restraint is a good idea in this area, as well.

Candy Buffets

If you are set on having a candy buffet, be sure to think small.  For one thing, if you’ve fed your guests well and given them dessert, only the children will return to the candy buffet more than once.  You will almost definitely have a lot of leftovers.  Also, be sure to measure both the table and the dishes and other decor that you plan to put on the buffet to make sure it will all fit.  A few well-chosen items displayed beautifully will be more effective than an enormous spread that is visually overwhelming.

Summary

My recommendation for DIY decor is to remember the mantra, “Less is More.”  You don’t need to overwhelm your guests with your decor ideas.  Keep it in the background because the party is really about you, not about the decoration.