Tuesday, February 1, 2011

DIY Decor: Wedding Reception Style

Lovely to see you today; hope you're staying warm and hopefully have the day off from the impending snowpocalypse! The Mr. and I are home bundled up with the puppies and are waiting for what the weathermen are calling a "history making snow storm!" The last snowstorm of this type was in the year I was born! I've never in my life seen 20" of snow and I'm kind of hoping we get that much just to say we experienced it. And, let's get something straight here, I only want to get that much snow if I get to stay home from school and our power stays crack-a-lackin'. Otherwise, seƱor blizzard, you can take yourself on out of here!

With this winter weather we have going on here I fully expect to be off another day of school this week, and maybe even more. My students are going to be in such a funk when we get back, but so goes life!

Wow, I'm a babbler today! My purpose of this post was to show ya'll the wedding reception decor that I was hired to create this past weekend! I am pretty pleased with how it turned out and the bride seemed pleased as a peach so that made me a happy camper.

First and foremost, I was decorating a VFW so there is only so much you can do to that sort of venue. You all catch my drift, right? Some things just can't be camouflaged and well, you just have to work with what you've got.

I'm satisfied with my ideas and DIY decor, but I wish I would've taken better photos. Oh well, I still have LOTS to learn when shooting in low light. At least you guys will get the feel of everything, even if you have to suffer through a some graininess.

First up, we started with a boxy room with long tables.

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I decided to break up the monotony of continuous rows of tables, and decided to use some horizontally and vertically. I was very happy with that decision!

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Most of the decor you see is DIY. The floral centerpieces were made out of tissue paper, floral wire, and floral foam. They are lovely but oh-so-time consuming.

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The ornaments were on super sale at $.49 a case, and the branch centerpieces were in restaurant sized tin cans with sand to support them. I covered them with polka dot wrapping paper and made lanterns out of small mason jars and bendable wire.

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The large white luminaries were on sale at Garden Ridge and I loved the filigree design they showcased.

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The other short centerpieces were silver spraypainted pinecones in the same pottery as the flower arrangements.

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Finally, I snapped a couple of pics with my cell in the dark, and even though the quality leaves a lot to be desired, you can kind of get the feel I was going for.

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For my first time around, on a limited budget and time frame, I think the job looks pretty darn good.

Thanks for reading and stay warm, friends!

xoxo

34 comments:

Natalie said...

You did a wonderful job! I love bright pink and damask together.

Unknown said...

AMAZING! You did such a great job! I love the branches:)

Bri said...

You made a VFW look lovely!

Caroline @ The Feminist Housewife said...

Joi!! I am so impressed...it turned out AMAZING. And you definitely transformed the space. Great idea to alternate the table directions too!

Way to go, girl!

Kelly said...

This is my first time commenting on your blog, but I've been following your blog for over a year! I think you did an awesome job and definitely transformed the venue. It's beautiful!

Sandy said...

You did a great job! I love the pink!

gail@My Repurposed Life said...

very pretty! I love the colors and that one big bouquet is gorgeous!
my daughter is getting married in april, she's doing a total diy reception (vintage)
gail

Shannon said...

You made that VFW look guh-oooood lady! I love the colors, the different patterns, all of it! Especially the ornaments...I used them for a friend's January wedding a few years ago, so cheap but so shiny and pretty.

Krista said...

I think it turned out fantastic! Great job!

Elisa @ What the Vita said...

Yes, you're right, this is great! I love the variety of things but they all look so connected - great job!!

I am soooo jealous of you and your snow days and your days snuggling in home away from school! I'm a teacher also but unfortunately it never snows in Austin!! Last year it snowed like 1/2 inch (a big deal here) and school didn't even close. So I have no hope for this year... Can't we just have ONE snow day?? Just one?

TLF said...

Oh my goodness, it looks amazing!!
Awesome job!!
Give us a tutorial for those flower tissue paper centerpieces!!

lemondropdreams said...

You did a great job with what you had to work with! Stay safe and warm, my hubby was suppose to drive to St. Louis today but thankfully he'll be staying home to endure the KC blizzard!!

Laura/Hayestone/Design Share said...

Looks cute Joi!! Good Job! I've done weddings before and I know what a lot of work they can be! Some of your readers, including myself, might like to know....what was the budget? And WOW ya'll are getting a lot of snow!! Stay safe :-)

Liz @ It's Great To Be Home said...

Work with what you've got indeed! You totally rocked it out, and I'm not surprised that the bride was thrilled. And the placement of the tables was genius! :)

Hilary @ My So-Called Home said...

Where was this reception? And I hope you took down the Bud Light sign- hah. I was wondering what you were doing with so many planters at your house- how much staging did you really need for Apartment Therapy?? I wondered.

KT @ KT's Refinishing School said...

That looks great! I especially like your decision regarding the orientation of the tables :)

We have hunkered down here for the day too--things are gonna get crazy out there--be safe and stay warm!

Suzanne Anas Jurich said...

Wow! Great job! What a beautiful transformation of that space!!

...and is that seriously tissue paper in some of those centerpieces? It really looks like flowers! Beautiful!

Michelle said...

It looks so good! Love those centerpieces!

Tonia Lee Smith said...

It's beautiful! Fabulous job.

Melissa Beck said...

Joi- You did a wonderful job! Especially with the short amount of time and budget you had, I think you pulled off a miracle! I love love love the ornaments and sprayed snow cones and branches and that pink with the silver and damask...wow. I wish I would have known you when I got married :)

Caitlin @ Desert Domicile said...

Amazing job Joi! I love how you turned the tables and all of your decor was beautiful :D

Suzie said...

great color combo! The snow is crazy, rigt?

Unknown said...

Joi, I love what you did with the place and really has given me inspiration about my wedding in August. I was wondering if you or the bride were going to sell any of those items.. if so could you let me know.

Stephcis@aol.com

Thanks so much.

Samantha @ Black Velvet Chair said...

Oh I was so excited to see this.....& you delivered - I bet the bride was pleased. Well done! Bravo!

Amnah said...

Beautiful. You did awesome.

No tissue paper flowers for the Bud Light sign?

I hope to recreate the tissue floral arrangments for my cousin's upcoming graduation party. I'll send pictures!

niartist said...

You did a fab job joi! I love the color combinations. LOVE!

michelle@decorandthedog said...

Snow-M-G (just heard that on the news and I can't stop laughing..and using it in every sentence)...the decorations look awesome!! Nice work!

Kim @ NewlyWoodwards said...

Looks amazing. I love teh black and pink combo and the flowers you made are amazing. What will you do with all of them now?

Freckles Chick said...

You ROCKED that venue, girl!! Seriously, you transformed the space into something truly magical. The color combo & varied centerpieces are beautiful. Your layout of the tables was genius--I never would've thought to do that! This is why you are becoming oh so famous & I'm hoping you'll still want to be BFF's. =]

Also, I think you should send those tissue flowers to Kim & me. ::looks around:: Who said that?

Blanca A. said...

Say what you will about the VFW, but you made that place gorge! Very sophisticated!

Michelle @ Ten June said...

Looks fabulous!!! Love the pink colors. Good luck in the snow! xo

Sara @ Russet Street Reno said...

Joi, you are so talented. To turn that VFW into THAT is amazing!

Oona Johnson said...

Seriously stunning... Can I ask what the budget was? You did such a wonderful job.

Sharstin said...

how did i miss this post?? everything looks gorgeous!

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