Annie Lee | Daughter of Design: Maybe it’s because I’m the daughter of an interior decorator but when I’m designing an event I often think of resources I grew up around like fabrics, tassels, pillows, etc. The best thing about these items is that they can be incredibly inexpensive yet have the most visual impact since it takes up quite a bit of square footage. Yards of fabric can be purchased for as little as $1/yd and can enhance your event with added color, texture and best of all cover up for any unsightly fixtures!
Many (most) times, the existing drapes simply do not match the wedding color or theme and rather than try to pretend they don’t exist or succumb to matching those colors, I often buy bolts of fabric that compliment the look. With affordable fabrics in all colors and tones to be found at your local garment district, this tip is not to be skipped. I once re-draped an entire 200-person ballroom for less than $75 dollars and the curtains looked so nice that the venue asked me if they could keep it afterwards!
Goodbye, multi-color, 1970’s loud-print drapes. Hello, chic vibrant red curtains!
At other times there were no curtains where there should have been. For example at this street level restaurant the entire front of the room was all glass and as fond as we were of sharing the beauty of the event with pedestrians walking past, well we’d rather not. Plus this way as the bride approached the entrance there was a reveal moment and you didn’t see her until the very second she started her march.
Goodbye, pedestrians and passing cars. Hello, soft flowing curtains!
photo courtesy of Beth Keiser
Nothing like cold metal poles to create an eye sore in the middle of a soft candle lit tent. There’s an easy fix for that!
Goodbye, ugly metal tent poles. Hello, elegant curtain panels that enhance the color of the table décor!
Panels and screens are often used to conceal the reception tables that are hidden behind them if the reception and ceremony are in the same room. If those panels or screens are unsightly, simply hang fabric over them and create a wall of ivory, brown, blue, green,…whatever it is that goes with your wedding best.
Fabric is not just for curtains. Reupholster a couch for a day. Finish with accent throw pillows from a discount outlet like Ross, TJMaxx or Marshalls and you’ve utilized the existing furniture to it’s fullest and at a small cost.
Goodbye, fall foliage couch. Hello, red lounge furniture!
Pipe and draping can be expensive so as a cost effective alternative, B.Y.O. F.! As long as you have the permission from your venue to drape your own fabric, this is an excellent way to fix and decorate while staying within budget.
We’ve reached out to leading wedding planners to get their expert advice on how to get a great look at your wedding, without breaking the bank. You can find these amazing tips in our The Look For Less category.
Today’s feature was written by Annie Lee of New York & L.A. based Daughter of Design. Keen on creativity, Daughter of Design is recognized for its fresh thinking and positive, “can-do” approach to planning and producing events. Lee’s fluency in weddings helps to translate and articulate a bride’s vision from idea to life for a truly stylish and distinctive occasion. Recent weddings can be found in Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, InStyle Weddings and People Magazine.
