top 5 things you can cut from your wedding decor! Part II

Believe it or not, chocolate can be your worst enemy. Okay, maybe not yours, but it can certainly be a decorator's not-so-welcome-buddy. Chocolate not being a decorator's BFF can mean $$$$ for your wallet (you know, the one you were going to buy yourself at the Coach outlet in Buffalo as a "IMGETTINGMARRIED!!!!!" gift...

So what does chocolate have to do with it? Here's the breakdown: You have a receiving/gift/signing table. The decorator will do it up pretty as per your specifications that you drew on a post-it during your meeting at Tim Hortons (this actually happened!. But what you may or may not know is in most banquet halls, your receiving table becomes your sweet table. That's right the pretty table with your guest book and place cards will end up full of cold cuts, sweets and *GASP* a chocolate fountain.

So this is where you can save money. Most decorators charge to decorate this table. The hall already puts either a floor length table cloth on the table or a plain white skirt on the table. Use what the hall provides!

You can still dress up the table, but it's less expensive to dress it up with accents that sit on the table - like pictures of you and hubby, scatter rose petals on the table, make a mini candy buffet or just leave it plain.

This way your table still looks pretty, but you saved $$$ doing it.

If you still want to really dress up the table, ask for a simple organza draping for across the front. Still less expensive AND your decorator isn't grumbling at the end of the night because there's chocolate all over her lovely white material. and everyone lives happily ever after!


I'm off to Chicago to visit my honey and do a wedding - yes, I do weddings in Chicago. I always mix business with pleasure. :O)

Be sure to tune in next week for Part III - Use what your mama (or the banquet hall) gave you.