Frugal Decorating for a Wedding Banquet Hall

I love to use "frugal" decorating... I think people appreciate it more too. Here are a few ideas...

1. Music: couple of boom boxes, or a portable stereo, play the music the couple enjoys the most. Or, big band era, 50's, something fun but not annoying.

2. Luminaries for the walk: Spray paint sturdy lunch bags gold and then use stakes, and string Christmas lights inside them. Or, cut a hole in the bottom of the bags stick the light bulbs inside and hang them upside down like Chinese lanterns.

3. Tulle bag of candy: I think the little tulle bag of candy is a good idea definitely cheaper...

4. Pictures: If you wanted to have pictures of the couple, why not enlist someone from the family to create a collage from their marriage to know. Maybe poster size to 8 x 10 and sit on the sign-in table.

5. Sign-in table: Get one of those $4.00 round tables from Wal-Mart and a nice starched white sheet to table cloth. You could get the glass for on top and put pictures under the glass. A single taper candle and a bud vase with a single rose.
You could create a small heritage scrapbook with each a picture on side and on the other side your guest can sign and say a little something about that is specific to the picture. (by the way, I made one for my parents and it was great. they really loved to look back on it.)

6. Cake table: Again, use one of those round tables from Wal-Mart. Starched tablecloth or sheet. If you're using the glass, then you can place pictures on the perimeter of the cake. I think a gold tablecloth with a lacey topper would be pretty.

7. Candles: Take some old jars fill half-way with colored sand, insert small votive candles inside. You can easily color playground sand with food coloring. Fill gallon size ziploc bag with sand drop food coloring, seal bag real good, and squish... it's a lot of fun too. Tie some pretty lace or ribbon with a little card at the top of the jars. Later, you can raffle them off as door prizes.

8. Colors: I think it's real important to another color too. Purple is a great compliment to the gold. It will look very pretty in photographs. See if you can get a large purple flat sheet, hang it behind where the couple are sitting and affix a big 50 on it. You could probably print them out on the computer using sturdy cardstock for the numbers and double-faced tape. It will also give a nice backdrop for the photos.

9. Table setting: Have you tried the "dollar store" for your plates and silverware? Sometime if you call there they can hold it for you. Try imaginative napkin folding; you can do ahead of time. That is always a big eye catcher.

10. Checklist: Put together a 3 checklist's for yourself. Do Ahead OF Time, Who You Call and Time To Go...