layered linen and a strong color scheme really make this table pop-designed by Table 4 Decor

Last time we talked about how important it is to work your tabletop design for maximum impact on any budget. As the tables dominate most event spaces, great table top design will have high drama even if you don’t drape the ceiling or uplight the entire room.

This week we are going to do some price comparison and prove why in most cases it is better to

Rent instead of buy -

full disclosure, I own a rental company. However, at least once a week, we hear some variation of this phrase, “man I wish I had known I could rent this stuff.” I am not here to argue that there aren’t some very inexpensive centerpiece ideas that work well. Maybe spending part of your budget on centerpieces isn’t your thing…

But even if spending tons of $$$ on centerpieces or linen isn’t your thing,  don’t count us out yet.

Before we go further, let’s talk about what we mean by inexpensive. That word is thrown around a ton on blogs and wedding websites without any real definition. To us, an inexpensive centerpiece will be under 20.00.  Let’s compare what we can buy for 20.00 to what we can rent for 20.00. Since we are in the beautiful black hills of South Dakota, we used Hobby Lobby for price comparison. (We also assumed that you will be purchasing the items at half of retail price so prices listed are at 50% off.)

rent this lantern for 8.00  with LED candle 11.00

buy this lantern for 17.50  candle not included

How about a lantern centerpiece? It can be decorated any number of ways. Both these lanterns were large – ours is 9x9x18″ tall. Hobby Lobby’s is 5x5x22″ tall.

Hobby Lobby $: 17.50 candle not included.

Table 4 Decor $: 8.00; add an LED candle for 3.00

Thinking about something a bit more grand for less than 20.00? Consider the wild wire candle tree.

it’s like your sitting under a canopy of candle light.

do you really want to own and store these for your wedding?

You can purchase this online: 98.00 + s/h. candles not included

Compare to Table 4 Decor rental price: 18.00 includes candles.

Saves you at least 80.00!

Of course, glass vases are the go to centerpiece option. They are versatile and come in many shapes and sizes. Here are four popular options:

i might have been creeping on hobby lobby. no centerpieces were harmed in the writing of this post.

From left at Hobby Lobby:                      6×20″ cylinder vase             10.00          24″ trumpet vase                 15.00                 4×10 cylinder vase               3.00             15″ tower vase                   7.50

Compare at Table 4 Decor:                        6×26″ cylinder vase             10.00                28″ trumpet vase                 8.00                   4×10 cylinder vase               2.50                   15″ tower vase                   3.00

Not only are the rental prices less, you can also get more for your money.

So how about an actual centerpiece example? We found this submerged floral centerpiece on pinterest when we typed in cheap/inexpensive DIY centerpieces

don’t let pinterest lie to you – this is not being lit by a glowstick.

We estimated the cylinder height at 12″ based on the fact that the LED uplight is 4″ in diameter. We also used comparable quality orchids. Since ours are very high quality, we did not use the cheapest orchids we could find at Hobby Lobby. Plus, quite frankly, they looked cheap and not very full.

As you can see, Hobby Lobby did not offer all the items required for this centerpiece. They did have a 4×10″ cylinder that sold for 3.00. But you will need to source and purchase the LED uplight elsewhere (and no, contrary to what pinterest tells you, this is NOT a glow stick). The labor for DIY is unknown since you will have to make multiple trips to the store, clean the items, weight the flowers, insert batteries, assemble the centerpieces, etc.  I don’t know what you would pay yourself to do these things IF you were getting paid but it would probably be more than 3.00/centerpiece.

Or you can pick them up from Table 4 Decor, clean, assembled & ready to be put out.

And before anyone mentions that they can just sell this online or have all their friends use them – consider this – do you want sloppy seconds for your wedding? Or do you have a specific vision that is uniquely you? There are literally millions of used wedding items for sale online right now – what makes your item the one that will sell? Just as you wanted something special for your black hills wedding reception, your friends probably want the same for theirs.

tabletop design using glass cylinders, yellow calla lilies and slinky’s – designed by Table 4 Decor 2010

great design companies will have products and options you might not even know existed! designed by Table 4 Decor 2010

We have focused specifically on centerpieces here, but this also applies to linen, charger plates, china etc. A reputable rental company will have a deep inventory and high quality items at a fraction of the purchase price. We constantly work to keep our inventory fresh and versatile – staying on the cutting edge of event design. (acrylic cubes anyone?)

Plus, when you work with a great design team, you have the added benefit of their insider knowledge – they will work with you to create an event that is budget conscience and totally you.

join us next week when we discuss  how to use design to draw your eye away the ugly stuff in your event space.

Today, we are talking about the one thing that dominates any event room and where your guests will be gathered 90% of the time (and no, it’s not the bar). It is the tables. So tip number two for making your wedding design budget work for you is…

Create great tabletop design -

eye catching and over 5′ tall – these centerpieces matched the design and the space flowers by bent willow designs

when you walk into any event, the tables dominate the space. Make them work for you. If you want a space that blows people away when they walk in the door, work your tabletops.

When designing any table, keep in mind the goal -which is to create a cohesive design that starts at the outside but ultimately drives your eye to the center(piece). Use charger plates, fun napkin folds and even pull in the chairs to create a cohesive tabletop design.  Usually this means not using the linen and centerpieces provided by the facility but do you really want the same tired centerpieces that have been used by every meeting, trade show and half the other brides that year? Here are a few tips:

Do:

• Vary centerpieces.Use 3-4 different centerpieces with similar elements.

two of the three centerpieces T4D designed – both have feathers, red roses and black accents but are totally different

• Upgrade your linen. Table 4 Decor offers over a hundred rental options for your Black Hills reception. Simply changing the tabletops to a colored linen or adding a textured runner will put your own stamp on an event and show your guests that you want this to be special for them too.
• Invest in better chairs or chair covers. Granted not everyone’s budget allows for all these as options but chair covers are a very unifying design element.On the rare occasion a groom comes to a decorating consult and I ask them to look through our books and tell me what they like, 100% of the time the groom’s pick the events that have chair covers. And what they find most attractive about the pictures is that it looks “clean” or “complete”. I credit the chair covers.
• Play with your napkin folds. If you have a 4 foot tall centerpiece, use a candle napkin fold that has some height. If you want a linear feeling, fold the napkin in thirds and lay it on the table.

Don’t:

• Alternate napkins on every other place setting. If you have a varied color scheme, keep it table to table. Walking into a room with alternating napkins on each place setting is like looking at a room of polka dots and has an effect similar to watching Japanimation. There is a heckuva lot going on without much point.
• Use exposed candles.
  

  brand new real wax LED candles for rent for your Black Hills wedding reception

  All candles should be enclosed in containers. It is not only a safety issue, it can also save you money by not getting wax all over the tablecloths.  Or you can rent real wax LED candles (shameless plug for Table 4 Decor’s fantastic new very high quality LED wax candles)

• Allow your guests to ‘pot luck’ your centerpieces/decor. Besides the fact that you are giving your guests a chore and creating a logistical nightmare for yourself, it also ends up looking like decorating vomit.
• Underwhelm with centerpieces. The mason jar trend is a perfect example. All the cute close up pictures we see on the internet make them seem so perfect. And they can be – when used en masse. (check out more insider thoughts on mason jars here: blissfullyinspired.com)
  

  lovely but not statement making. shouldn’t your wedding make a grand statement? photo by JennyMoloney.com

  But plunking down a wood cookie, a quart sized mason jar with wildflowers, maybe an old book and some pearls  in the center of a 6′ round table does not a grand statement make.  A 6′ round table leaves at least a 3′ circle in the center of the table unused. Now add a mason jar that is less than 6″ in diameter – not particularly impressive to the overall design unless photographed up close.

Join us next week when we talk about part 3 – why to rent instead of buy.

image from groomsoldseparately.com

As a bride or groom, the landscape is filled with wedding options too numerous to list. It is easy to get caught up in the latest trends, the cute favors, the unique ideas for placecards.

a different type of draping

It is also easy to be shocked at the price tag as each of these details is added. The perfect favor that only costs 1.50 is now multiplied by 200. The placecard that only takes you 5 minutes to make x 200. The chair covers that are only 2.00 each x 200. And the list goes on…

None of the items are required to have a party but the design, flowers, lighting and decor are the elements that can turn it into a fab-u-lous party. Over the next few weeks we will share 6 design tips to help focus your decor budget and add cohesion to your event design.

Part 1: Focus on where pictures are being taken -

a purple head table designed by table 4 decor

Down the road, beyond the memories of your special day, you have the photo albums. There are pictures cutting the cake, kissing at the head table, having your first dance, making a grand entrance. Create large scale backdrops and blank canvases for design behind these areas.

If you can only afford to pipe and drape one wall – make sure it is the wall behind the head table and cake table.  Don’t skimp on the head table linen – make sure you have floor length cloths or skirts at any tables where guests are not seated.

sweetheart table by table 4 decor

Upgrade the linen at the head table or embellish it with lighting, garland, beads and candles. Be careful using lighting under the head table however,  too  much lighting will pull your eye to the ground.

10  years down the road, the pictures you remember are the ones of you, with your family, those are the ones you look at. Good design will become a part of the feeling of the day, a subtle backdrop to each memory. There are many smaller design details that are easy to get caught up in but never stop looking at the big picture. The cute burlap ribbon with everyone’s name clothes pinned to it is great, but it should be lower on the list of design priorities than your head table and cake table design.

If you’ve ever read this blog, you know I design events for a living and Pinterest has become part of the event lexicon overnight. But what does it mean to event professionals?

We use Pinterest to post pictures of our events and that is pretty much all we have time for. I have a board because I should but that is the extent of my personal business commitment. However, our clients are in love with Pinterest. They have tons of fun and time invested in creating board after board of event ideas. But only about half of them are using it properly and here’s why -

old school pinterest board

Imagine pinterest as a large corkboard in your home and somebody handed you 50 thumbtacks and said “go – design an event.”

(each item on the board would have to be an actual sample or photograph) What would you think? Is 50 thumbtacks too many or too few?

After you spend time tracking down fabric samples; candle samples; china patterns; centerpieces; décor, are you going to fill the board completely or need more space? Will you be more cautious about your selections? Reevaluating continually, weighing the value of each item?

hilariously perfect from splashmediaau.com

Then there is the vitual corkboard- pinterest – Only on this corkboard you can add as many ideas or pictures that you want with nothing more than the click of a button. You add it here, post it there, click on to the next thing without any thought to what you just posted. In ten minutes you can have 10 different pinterest boards with 50 pictures each. Amazing yes. Useful?  To be determined.

When planning an event, is every single thing you come across worthy of a thumbtack? Is every single hair style or party favor or appetizer that grabs your attention worthy of a thumbtack? Would you commit to that item especially if it means discarding others?

Probably not…

Should you start by researching and collecting data? Absolutely. Should you have 25 pinterest boards like hair, centerpieces, lighting, etc? For sure! But then YOU MUST EDIT.

reminder not to share from neatoshop.com

Too much information is not only bad when your boyfriend tells you he once used your toothbrush – it is also bad when planning any large event.

Too often we see pinterest accounts that are filled with so much information it has no point of view. It reads as a disorganized mess with little cohesion or voice.

After you put the research boards together, you must pare them down. You must make decisions and use your discerning eye to put it together. Remember – the last board only has 50 pins on it – make them count!

say it with me – Pin then edit!

]]> http://designdakotastyle.com/2013/03/25/how-a-bride-should-actually-use-pinterest/feed/ 1 designdakotastyle corkboard hilariously perfect from splashmediaau.com reminder not to share from neatoshop.com thumbtacks http://designdakotastyle.com/2013/02/12/design-case-study-a-centered-dance-floor/ http://designdakotastyle.com/2013/02/12/design-case-study-a-centered-dance-floor/#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:55:01 +0000 designdakotastyle http://designdakotastyle.wordpress.com/?p=273 Continue reading →]]> Actual Case Study: Centered Dance Floor: Blessed Sacrament Church

This is a large space – 60×120′. The ceilings are over 25′ in the center and angles on each side (sort of like a barn ceiling). We are not allowed to hang anything from the ceiling. A couple other design issues are the vending machines and recycling bins in the corner. The back wall has a number of double doors that not ideal backdrops for a head table.

example 1a

Example #1a is how they normally set up the room. The dance floor is in the corner, the head table is straight across from the entrance and the cake table is right in front of the vending machines.

When the guests enter – with three separate design points, their focus will be jumping around the room. The head table and dance floor in particular will compete for their attention – both upon entering and once the dancing starts.

example 2a

Now look at the sightlines from the entrance with a centered head table and dance floor (example 2a). The guests are drawn into the room with a strong center focal point and clean back drop. The centered dance floor unifies the design.  It also concentrates the budget. By pipe and draping the entire back wall with ceiling height drape and lighting, then creating a light and fabric dance floor frame you can do more with less.

example 1b

Which brings up argument # 2 for a centered dance floor – prime real estate. With a corner dance floor, it puts your best guests at a disadvantage. Note the three pink reserved tables (example 1b). Your parents, grandparents, etc are seated closest to the head table, but that only gives them front seats to the head table action. Then, when you have your first dance and for the rest of the evening, they are removed from the action.

example 2b

Now look at the pink reserved tables in  example 2b. The best guests have only to turn their chairs to be a front row participant in all the evenings events.  Much more river front property. Also, note how more tables are exposed to the dance floor. This event floor plan engages more guests in all levels of the reception.

Here is the end result:

1. bathrooms – i know this should go without saying, but it is the unglamorous details in planning that are often overlooked.
   

   found this great porta potty set up on weddingbee.com

   If you are having an outdoor wedding in the park, make sure there are bathrooms close by – not more than 50 steps away. Remember, someguests will be elderly, have children, take medication etc. If you are having 200 people at your home, don’t rely on your home bathroom and get at least 4 porta potties and 2 hand washing stations. which reminds me – don’t forget the handwashing stations. Very chic brides even offer a tray of toiletries near the portapotties for their guests.

2. food/drink – if you invite people out to anything, they will expect to be fed.
   

   from ryan becker photography

   I love food so I am easily bribed with a decent steak sandwich or a good bottle of whiskey but that’s just me. Social engagements revolve around food and drink. That does not mean you have to feed them a bollywood style feast but food and drink is always implied. There needs to be easily available water, coffee and hopefully punch or tea available. The food should coordinate to the time of day. If you are on a budget, invite people out for an early afternoon wedding followed by a dessert buffet (served around 3:00 in the afternoon). If you invite people out for a 5, 6 or 7:00 event, expect to feed them a full dinner.

3. comfortable environment – we harp on this a lot in client consultations. no doubt
   

   tent wedding in chadron NE

   about it, outdoor weddings are amazing. they have a backdrop painted by Mother Nature and a charm that can’t be duplicated.but never forget it is still outdoors. the variables are great and unpredictable. just because you have always dreamed of an outdoor reception in Spearfish Canyon, your guests are mostly there for a party. Your guests need shelter from the sun and weather. They need heat when the sun goes down. They need adequate seating and space to move.

4. safety-  Offering a safe environment to let your hair down is any host/esses job. First there are the basics – sound structures, adequate lighting, clean and useable kitchens/bathrooms/entrances.
   

   found this from blue pueblo on tumblr.com

   You don’t have to go so far as creating a whatever happens in vegas stays in vegas type vibe, but creating a sense of personal security for your guests is easy and expected.  Use reputable vendors with reputable inventory and insurance. This especially includes food and beverage purchases; dj and lighting; decor. It can be easy to exchange an unlicensed kitchen or a green designer with very little carpentry experience for a lower price tag. But reputable vendors will be able to provide you with any certificates, licenses and proof of insurance. And don’t forget to provide well lit parking areas and pathways for guests.

5. Expectation of behavior – or as the adults like to call them – rules.  Never underestimate a guests discomfort when confronted with many other adults they don’t really know but are suddenly related to.
   

   the brides sis did a great job on these chalkboard signs.

   Are you doing food stations, having a line dancing seminar, expecting people to go around inside for the bathrooms – then TELL THEM. This is such a vital key to a successful party. Most of the ideas we hear are great in theory but bad in practice – due to poor planning. Most people have gone to many weddings in their lifetime – they all essentially have the same flow – with small variations. So when they get to your event and you wanteveryone to take off their shoes and have a formal Japanese style tea service (very awesome idea, btw) – you need to TELL THEM. They have a preconceived expectation of behavior and you are expecting them to act in a manner different than what they expect. Don’t get discouraged – people really love new ideas – they just need to be told how to expect to behave when they participate. It doesn’t matter if you are 3 or 30, knowing how to behave in any situation is key to not getting spanked.

• Plastic dishes are just as nice. No they aren’t. Are there nice lines of disposable dishes? Yes. But we’ve all had the experience of too much delicious food and horribly inadequate  utensils. So are disposable dishes as nice as real dishes?… Let’s not get carried away.
• Plastic dishes are less expensive.
  

  nothing beats the clink of toasting glasses

  I’m not going to lie and tell you there aren’t really cheap disposable dishes that will cost pennies. But for milestone events, don’t cheap out on the china – even if you end up going disposable. Plates aside, what about stemmed glassware? As of the time of this blog, retail plastic champagne flutes were 50 cents to 90 cents apiece on amazon.com. Rental glassware costs average 40 cents to 75 cents per stem. Not only is that less expensive, rental glassware will actually make a clinking sound when guests are toasting to your new life, continued success, happy retirement…

• My drunken friends will break everything. At Table 4 Decor, we lose less than 4% of china/silverware/glassware per year. Most of the items are just missing, rather than broken. A small amount of them are returned with chips and then removed from inventory. The charge depends on the rental companies policy on breakage.
• It’s too much work to hold a heavy plate, fork, glass etc. This makes me think of the late night infomercial that introduced the cater plate – the guy in the commercial was so befuddled by a glass AND a plate that he was trying to balance the wine glass on the top of his head. Gotta love those infomercials.

Those are the biggest arguments not to rent silverware. But here is the number one reason to rent dishes: the environment.  Renting is one small way but high impact way to green up your event.

we even rent fiestaware in five colors.

As noted in an article by the EPA “If you host a party, set the table with cloth napkins and reusable dishes, glasses, and silverware. Consider renting more formal tableware that you might not use very often. Also save and reuse party hats, decorations, and favors.”

Rental is essentially the best type of recycling.  Here’s some food for thought – approximately 44,000 weddings happen each weekend in the United States. If each of those weddings had 80 guests and served a two course meal, that is 160 plates per event.

If even 1/10 of these events used paper plates, that’s 704,000 plates per weekend in a landfill.

Winter wedding reception decoration

shiny nickel charger plates match the silver flower towers

is there such an unnecessary extravagance to tabletop design as the charger plate? Probably not – but they sure make a tabletop look amazing!

embossed melamine charger

Chargers today come in any shape, size, color and material.

The most common type of charger plate available now is

melamine. This type of charger plate is produced in pretty much any

color out there. You can also find squares and triangle chargers.

Melamine

black melamine charger plates

chargers are reasonably durable. They will chip and scratch but extra care in storage and transport will minimize that type of damage. Two important things to remember – melamine chargers are not food safe – do not eat or serve food off these chargers.

square chargers add a geometric element to tabletop design

They are also not dishwasher safe and they will need to be washed by hand.

the perfect shade of blue – glass chargers complete this head table

Glass chargers are totally fabulous and not so totally cheap. They come in a variety of colors and styles. Clear glass designs will be the most affordable but hand made options are very popular.

Glass chargers are  heavy and difficult to store. They can scratch if stored improperly.

If you buy glass chargers, remember to buy a couple extra to cover any losses. The upside – glass chargers are totally food safe and can double as serving platters in many cases. And – as long as you have a tall capacity dishwasher, clean up is a breeze – just run em through and put them away.

wood grain chargers and a barn wood runner give this table rustic charm

Natural fiber chargers have no peer in event design. A gorgeous leather or rattan charger can add depth to tabletop design that is difficult to duplicate. Tabletop design focuses on building layers and we always like to say that tacky is not a bad word – textures and variety make the design pop. Natural fiber chargers are the best way to add another layer.

As you can guess, storing and cleaning natural fiber chargers is not easy. Wooden cookies must be kiln dried or they will mold. Rattan chargers must be kept in a semi moist area or they will become brittle and break. Long story short, do your research on any natural fiber chargers to make sure you can get more than one use from them.

Remember – play with your table. Charger plates will add dimension to your tabletop design and Damn – do they look good too!

But do you know what is worse than too little space at a party? Too much space at a party.  Feeling like you are rattling around in a large space = party killer. We call it the nightclub effect.

tents require minimum 20 square feet per person

dance floor ready for after dinner action

Nobody stays at an empty club. When you walk into a club, dressed up, ready to have a good time – people need to be around to appreciate your being awesome. Walking in to a club too early or when it’s slow is a total downer. Being around people who are around people who are who are around people who are having a good time makes us feel popular. Everyone wants to be at the spot. At a wedding, the key is to choose the proper sized space.

Think of your reception as a launch party at the trendiest club in town – club jane bride doe.

1. Take into consideration the crowds that will gather. For example lines at the bar or the buffet during dinner. Allow space for lines.
2. Give guests enough space to walk through. A minimum of 6′ from table to table is a good measurement. That allows for the chairs and an aisle. Don’t give it too much space however – keep it in the 6-8′ range.
3. If a space is too large, use pipe and drape to partition it off and make it more intimate.
4. Ceiling height also contributes. A 40×60 room with an eight foot ceiling will feel much fuller with 100 people than the same size room with a 15 foot ceiling.
5. Design the space to maximize decor dollars. Can pipe and drape be used to provide a focal backdrop and minimize the space? Can a centered dance floor take up space and unify the room design? Can a double buffet get people fed faster and fill in the floor plan?