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by Jeniva Berger

| DECOR IDEAS

White features in blue goblets by Harriette Rose Katz, NYC
www.gourmetadvisory.com

By Joyce Barslow
Decorations will put the finishing touch on your engagement events, ceremony site, reception venue and even the cars in your wedding parade. Your choices will help you set the mood and style of your wedding celebrations. The decorations can be simple, unique, elaborate or traditional they can encompass flowers (real or silk), candles, lanterns, ribbons, balloons, streamers, fabrics and anything else you can imagine.

Once you've decided what you want (sometimes it's easier to decide on what you don't want!) you can start looking for those items that are going to embellish your special day. Some ethnic customs dictate which ribbons and other decorations are to be used to symbolize specific wedding traditions.

If you are going to hire a professional designer, let him or her know the colors, theme ideas, and above all, budget you have in mind. Before the designer finalizes your decorating plans, make sure you have approved the final photos or drawings showing the look, costs and colors of your finished design.

Most professional designers will show you a scrapbook of their previous assignments. They will probably want a 50% deposit on your order with the balance paid (usually by certified cheque) at the wedding. Make sure your contract lists the name of the person who will be giving the designer your cheque, and who the cheque should be given to.

If you are organizing your own decorations, there are several creative designing and craft books that explain step-by-step how to achieve some of the things you want to accomplish. Research will locate florists, nurseries, craft stores and friends who are good at making decorations.

Centrepieces - Centrepieces for your guests' tables at your pre-wedding parties or reception will depend upon how elaborate you want them to be or what your budget will allow you to spend. They can be created, bought or home-made. Usually the centrepieces are designed to carry the theme and display the colors you have chosen. Look through craft books to get ideas for centrepieces and table gifts - candles, flowers, fruits, candles, theme icons, disposable cameras, favors, candies - favorites are tulle-wrapped candied almonds , objects of arts and hobby items. You may even select a "built" centrepiece with breakaway clusters of bud vases or decorative potted fruit trees.

Use your imagination and come up with that special item that means so much to you. Your guests will enjoy your revealing how personal the day is for you.

Decorating materials most used
Balloons - can be fun or gaudy like at a birthday party, or simple enough to just be used to enhance the color effect your overall theme requires. Balloons can be single or clustered, neon, metallic or pastel-colored. They can be used during your pre-wedding activities, the reception and on your car leaving the ceremony. Be careful of helium balloons. Often there is a clause in reception hall contracts that charges for getting the balloons down from the ceilings.

Candles - Candles come in all shapes, sizes, colors and can be decorated with all kinds of materials. They are used for table centrepieces either, upright or floating. On the head table, candles are often in majestic candelabras. Romantic candlelight is perfect for evening weddings. Most decorative candles have fragrances that you can choose. If your decor is planned around candle motifs, check out a candle specialty shop to get some unique ideas.

Flowers - real or silk, single flowers or clusters, potted flowering plants or garlands. Most florists and nurseries rent trees and decorative floral pieces. If you are doing your own decoration and using fresh flowers, find out from a florist or a book how to keep them fresh and alive. Depending on the time of year of your wedding, fresh flowers could be available from the gardens of your families, relatives or friends.

Lighting - Besides candles, there are a number of items you can use for decorative lighting to set dramatic, exciting and romantic moods - chandeliers, hurricane lanterns, small white Christmas lights, semi-stage lighting such as pin spots, or stencilled cut-outs that go over lights to project patterns on the walls, dance floor or ceiling. More lighting ideas are available from specialty lighting stores or stage lighting companies.

Ribbons and Bows - Ribbons can create magic. Some are attached to light wires to enable you to shape gloriously attractive finishing touches. Besides the regular use of bows on packages, and the knife for cutting your wedding cake, they are also handy for decorating the ends of church pews, dressing up boutonnières, and creating flowers and decorations for shoes, handbags and crowns.

Streamers - carrying out the color theme of your celebration, streamers can be used on their own or with other decorations. They are useful to create illusions when you want to block off areas that you don't want seen (such as a kitchen) or to help complete the ambience of a room.

Materials - range from light fabrics like tulling, organza and gauze to heavier ones such as damask, satin and taffeta or to light velvets that can be used for draping, hangings or coverings for the tables, chairs, entrances and walls. Designers make it look so simple when they take a piece of cloth and bunch it up "just so" to construct a beautiful archway or put a unique cover on chairs. If you're doing your own decorating, check out decorating and craft books that will assist you with step-by-step ideas for colors, fabrics and styles.

Other - ice sculptures; archways and trellises; figurines; urns; personal items - such as framed photographs of you and the Groom from your childhood to your engagement; or seasonal items to coincide with holidays such as Halloween, Valentine's Day or Christmas. If you want something different, allow yourself plenty of time to decide what you want and where you're going to get them.

Going-away decorations - No matter if the two of you are leaving your ceremony or reception by car, hot-air balloon, motorcycle or horse and buggy, traditionally your guests will want to watch you leave. The "get-away car" is usually decorated, sometimes nosily.

To start with, florists carry a special tape and clips to attach items to decorate cars without damaging their paint. Otherwise, anything can be attached and it usually is!

Decorating with Gilded Pears
Fresh pears are one of the natural elements that can be used to beautify wedding décor from centerpieces to elegant placecard holders. Gilded pears, pictured above, add glamour and sparkle in gold, copper, or silver. Pears and candles are an earthy yet elegant show piece that exudes warmth. These decorating items add a personal touch and they are simple to make.

GILDED PEARS
Materials
USA Pears. Select varieties that exhibit the shapes and colors of your choice.
Gold, silver, or copper leaf Sizing, a small craft brush, soft cloth and wax paper.

Instructions
Use the wax paper as your working surface so nothing sticks to your tabletop. Use the small brush to pain on the sizing (a glue-like substance). You can cover the pear completely with it, or paint on a random pattern.

Allow it to dry completely, then place a sheet of thin metallic leaf on the surface and rub it on with a soft cloth. You can rub some areas off for a random covering.

For placecard holders, slice off the bottom of the gilded pear to make a flat base. Set it on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture for a couple of hours, or overnight. Attach the placecard with a beautiful pin, or a twig and some tape.

Gilding supplies are available at craft or art supply stores, and can come in a kit that contains metal leaf and all the tools. ... read more ideas for Pears and Candles/

www.WeddingsHoneymoons.com | May 16, 2008

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