I'm getting married next December, and I need ideas for decorating!?

Question

I had in mind to do a kind of winter wonderland type theme. I want everything to look frosty and wintery but without looking cheap. I really want to use lots of white poinsettias (because I like them and it's close to Christmas), but other than that, does anyone have any ideas as to what I can build my theme around? I'm not sure what colors to include. I was thinking frosty blue, but I'm afraid that will be boring (and look cheap). Also, we're keeping the budget under $8,000, so it can't be too extravagant.

Answer 1

I love all the white & blue & silver comments.  But remember to keep the decorations about winter & your wedding.  Christmas is another celebration altogether and you do not want to bring Christmas into the decorations...ie, trees on the tables, ornaments for guests, etc.  This is YOUR day!!!  And, stay away from the traditional red & green.  Blue is wonderful.....you might want to add a touch of purple.  It would add some depth to the blue.  To keep whatever decorations you choose sparkling, add clear to your colors.... clear decorations sparkle on their own!!

Answer 2

Congratulations!  I really think the winter wonderland theme is a great idea.  I don't think pale blue would look cheap at all.  You could also go with a deep red or burgundy color and it would look nice too.  How about a nice ice sculpture and clear twinkle lights.   Lots of white flowers too. White poinsettias are nice but talk to a florist about other white flowers that are available in december for variety.

Another thing you could do is have a white sleigh pulled by horses to bring you to the hall or even use one as a decoration in the hall draped with flowers.

Answer 3

If you want a frosty wintery look stay away from the traditional reds and greens.  Those are indoor colors.  Blues, silvers, whites are indicative of an outdoor feel.  That is your theme.  Use the blues with fabric ties on your chairs and ribbons and blue/silvers in all your decorations and favors.  Decorate small silver trees as centerpieces with blue and silver decorations.  Floral arrangements can have whatever flowers in white you want but add silver and frosty blue swirl stems to accent.  Keep your blues frosty looking with silver accents.  Napkins should be the frosty blues.  Tie them with silvery/blue napkin rings you can make up yourself.  Have the florist help you with the floral arrangements.  Use them at the church as well.  You don't have to over-decorate.  Less is always more.  Dramatic centerpieces will have an overwhelming WOW factor when entering the reception.  Favors next and chair covers.  You can add additional blue/silver sparkle to the tables with confettis if the place you are having the reception allows confetti.  Not all do.  If you can, over the dance floor for your opening dance, have fake snow open up as you enter and dance.  Make sure the lights are low and some sparkly, frosty spots are shining on it and you.  You will look magical.

Answer 4

Winter would be beautiful.  You could add some Christmas colors and even use bright Christmas tree balls.

Answer 5

i would use alot of white bridal tulle...it is very inexpensive...maybe pull in dark green as you need colors that go with the december theme...lots of flaked snow...you can buy around christmas...

Answer 6

You have alot of very nice suggestions here, but I'm not particularly in favor of black anywhere in a wedding except on the groom and the groomsmen.  White and a frosty pale blue with silver accents sounds lovely for a December wedding.  One thing that I always dreamed of having at my wedding I saw in a magazine and I never forgot it.  The were fabric wrapped, cone shaped, flower holders (not real flowers, so no water) and they are attached to the ends of each pew with ribbon (in your case frosty blue or white, or even better, white lace over a frosty pale blue fabric).  Visualize these hanging decorations lining the aisle as you make your way to the alter.  These can be made very inexpensively and they make a very lovely decoration for a wedding.  And, depending on how many bridesmaids you have, a little something can be added inside these hanging decorations and given to them as a bridesmaid gift, saving even more money on those gifts.  My advice is to stay with a frosty pale blue and nothing darker.  Enjoy your special day - it sounds like you have some really good ideas in mind for a lovely and memorable start together.  Good luck with everything.   ...and I agree with whomjever it was above who suggested to keep Christmas colors out of it and make this a whole differnet ocassion - all about your wedding day.  - L -

Answer 7

I would go with white, silver and clear twinkle lights.  Forget the blue.  Your bridesmaids could wear a subtle silvery colour. I don't mean metallic necessarily, there are silver shades that are gorgeous.  I like the white tulle decoration idea.  Intertwine the tulle with the twinkling lights.  Clear glass centre pieces would be nice.  I agree, stay away from Christmasy stuff.  It's a wedding, not a Christmas party.  I don't really know what blue has to do with with a winter wonderland.  I know there are blue shadows in the snow, but you don't need another colour.  

Congratulations and good luck!

Answer 8

I'm very much into art and decorating so this is my cup of tea!

COLOR:

for a winter wonderland if you like blue you want to go with a few different hues of blue I would go with light blue, royal blue and white. I usually like to stay within three to four colors so it doesn't get to out of control.

TABLES:

For the tables I would use all white table cloths, plates and center pieces. I would make the napkins light blue with light blue place cards with royal blue writing (for a little extra fun you can make your place cards look like snow flakes). Get heavy paper and on the edges use a snow flake hole puncher (you can buy those at scrapbooking places) then write out the names, then on the edges put a light layer of glue on and dip it in very fine STAMP glitter, it works the best!

CENTER PIECES:

For the center pieces I would get tall clear cylinder vases I would then buy some long twigs, flowers or whatever then buy the fake snow they have there and white glitter and cover the twigs/flowers heavily then fill the glass cylinders with clear white or blue beads or both or you can use little plastic ornaments to fill it or even a bunch of fake snow. You want to use fake flowers/branches because they're cheap but they look GOOD if you buy the right kind. You can also buy already glittery stick/flower type things but it may be cheaper to do it your self.

put a few tealight candles at each table to make everything glitter. Also some shinny confetti of snowflakes on the table would add a little more sparkle.

HEAD TABLE:

For the bride's table I would put three really tall vases filled with white flowers and stick a bunch of white and blue glittered twigs the vases should be at each end and in the middle. In between the vases should be a few square glass vases filled with water or if you like you can put a little blue dye into the water and give it a pretty blue glow with floating candles. I would also put a bunch of L.E.D. lights around your table (white or blue) wrapped in sheer material.

CAKE TABLE:

For the cake table put some Christmas lights all over the table then take some tulle (it's like a white sheer) and lay it over it then on top of that put lots of rose petals. This will give your table a glowing look plus you wont see the cords. Any where you put lights make sure to either paint the cords or cover them with material. If you want to go a step further hang the tulle from the ceiling and drape it over both sides of the table and hang lights with it and finish it off with some sparkly white poinsettias at the top center point.

FLOWERS:

For bouquets I would do white poinsettias, white roses and jasmine for the bride. The bridesmaids I would have white roses and blue roses if you can find them, if not you can use hydrangeas.

ATTIRE:

For dresses I would put the girls in royal blue long dresses with white wraps if you want to make it really Christmasy get wraps that have a little white fur around the edge. Put the guys in white tuxes with royal blue vests.

FAVORS:

It would be really cute to buy little stalkings write your name a date of the wedding fill it with candy canes and sugar plum candies to give out at your wedding. it would be cheap, cute and something people could keep and use as a Christmas ornament for years to come!

Trust me the royal blue and white pop! Also you want to make sure to put up some mistletoe under the main entrance and if the place your getting married will let you, put up a Christmas tree with sliver and blue ornaments covered in white and blue lights!  

I hope my advice helped, I use to want to be a wedding planner and I have been a maid of honor twice within the last year so I feel pretty good about my ideas :)

Congrats and good luck with your wedding!

Here are some websites that have the visual ideas I'm thinking of. Email me if you have any questions I'm enjoying the theme...lol...

[e-mail]

Answer 9

What are you decorating and what will the weather be at that time of year ?

If it is a church and or home always remember less is best, and simple is elegant.The bride usually uses the colour that her bride maids dresses are etc, to add to decoration.

Answer 10

you could have a theme "White Christmas " but in blue ,try to buy fabric ,like sheer that is on sale now and put it away until need it ,get mini lights to wrap around the pillars or whatever will be covered with sheers and lights, white table cloths and blue napkink with snow flakes on them , floating candles in glass bowls, have a Christmas tree decorated in white ,silver and blue . Last year I give this suggestion to another girl but she had red and white , plus she also got a white cape trimmed with fur to wear on top her wedding dress.

Answer 11

December weddings are the best, there is so much you can do! I would do a dark blue and silver they look really sharp together, I found this wedding dress, a friend of mine wore it for her wedding, her wedding was in the spring so this would pop so much more in the winter, here's the link http://www.bridalonlinestore.com/Collect...

You could buy those snowflake confetti from the dollar store and put it on the tables, but make sure to ask the vendor first because some have a policy about not putting that stuff on their tables. You could do ornaments for a wedding favour with your names and wedding date, that way it will be on the tree of your guests every year, as they would probably put it on their tree when they get home and then put it away with the ornaments and bring it out each year, not just put away like most favours. You could also do a cd of favourite christmas songs and you and your fiance could do a cute christmasy picture for the cover. If you wanted to stay away from the christmas theme you could always do a winter carnival theme, just look that up on the internet. You could also look up wedding favours here http://www.wedding-favours.ca/ and get an idea from something on there and go from there!

Good luck and have fun!

Answer 12

A Planet of the Apes theme would be cool !

Answer 13

To keep it looking elegant and give some variety, having most of the decor be black and white with blue accents might be nice. Not a lot of black, but you might have black chairs and black and white decorations. Then you could have blue in other items, like napkins, tablecloths, or vases at the reception. White flowers would set that off nicely. Or you could even go for black calla lilies mixed in with the traditional white ones.

Answer 14

white sounds very pretty, but i would add a touch of red here and there to bring out the christmasy theme. maybe a red poinsettia  here and there. not too many to overtake the white. have the silver glitter to enhance the white. also you can use silver on the red. for decorations, you could go with silver and white, with a touch of red so as not to be blah.  i used to create flowers for wedding.

Answer 15

Check out the hottest thing going in decor...Vinyl lettering and images.  see double u double u double u dot uppercaseliving dot com.  Use id number 985778 along with token "catalog". I have done soo many weddings and receptions using Uppercase Living. Good luck.