10 Tips for Winter Wedding Decorating on a Budget

You want your wedding to be fabulous but your budget is less than fabulous? Not to worry. A wedding to remember does not have to cost a fortune if you follow these decorating guidelines.

1. Don't look at Bridal Magazines. Spend your money on the actual wedding. Use the internet, borrow your neighbors Martha Stewart magazine and ask friends to see pictures of their wedding for great ideas. Glossy Bridal Magazines are all about convincing you to spend.

2. Avoid "Wedding" products. Brides are suckers for specialty items and marketing companies know it. The price can double just because it's in the wedding section. If you must buy from the wedding section try Wal-Mart near the craft area.

3. Look for a wedding location that stands alone. At first the best budget option may seem like looking for the cheapest location you can find but before you sign the contract or say you will have the wedding in the back yard weigh the cost of the location, the convenience of the location and think about how look without any decorations. The less you have to do the better!

4. Use things you already have. Everyone has special things and what a great time to get them out of the curio cabinet. Instead of spending money on votive candles and little bags of glass rocks decorate tables with memories. One wedding I attended used teacups and glitter as the table decorations another made bunting for the head table out of a silk scaft collection. Both were splendid!

5. Do your own flowers. You will appreciate the money spent on the bridal bouquet, buttoners and corsages but a little creativity will go a long way for all the other floral decorations. Buy a few bunches of baby's breathe and purchase potted flowers or plants from a local garden store. Cut flowers will wilt and die but live plants will decorate your home as well as your wedding.

6. Think Ivy. There is nothing better at a winter wedding that the lush green viberance that ivy provides. Ivy grows all year long, can be picked several days ahead of time and makes a great runner along tables or decoration for everything from the aisle to the altar. The green color brings any room to life and will match any color scheme.

7. Less is more and bigger is better. The number one decorating mistake people make is putting a bunch of little things all around. Little things get lost and aren't worth the effort. Make everything bigger than your instincts tell you but have fewer of them. Instead of 3 votive candles have 1 substantial one. Instead of 20 little bows have 5 bows that make a statement.

8. Use the talents of the people around you. When coordinating a recent wedding the bride's mother told me about self contained terrariums that she made as a hobby. Excellent! We used them to decorate and it was a smashing success. Another bride I worked with had an uncle that made copper wind chimes. They were magnificent decorations and didn't cost a penny to borrow!

9. Take advantage of holiday sales but remember to think big. Christmas and Valentine red can be interchangeable. Silver and gold decorations are plentiful and on sale January 26^th and spray snow can be used. Be sure to pick up several boxes of ornament hooks to use for hanging decorations, white lights if they are on sale and bell garland if you like. For a winter ball theme you can make use of glittery snowflake decorations or snowmen. When you are picking things out remember to go for the large items and leave the little stuff in the bargain bin.

10. Decorate with wedding presents. This is my favorite wedding decorating idea. We always wonder what is in those pretty boxes and many of those gifts make great decorations! Register at your local department store or Target and explain your unique decorating plan when you talk to people. If you are interested in home party products such as Princess Crystal or Home and Garden Party consider holding a bridal shower where guests order pieces of a set and use it to serve a buffet at the wedding. This is also a great way for guests who can't attend to be a part of the ceremony and reception. A great way to honor these gifts is to include a list of names in the wedding program of friends and family who gave their gifts early so that they could be enjoyed by all!