popularity. Here are some great last-minute planning tips this for brides and grooms-to-be:

* If renting a reception tent, create a romantic environment by purchasing sheering fabric and 2-inch ribbon from a local discount retailer to drape around the canopy. Create billows of fabric and hang from the ceiling, wrap around poles, and swag in the entryway.
* Whether throwing an indoor or outdoor reception, flowers help set the tone but can quickly add up. A typical flower budget is 15 percent of the overall cost of a wedding. Consider using some of the beautiful and realistic-looking silk flowers available today intermingled with arrangements of fresh flowers to keep the romance high and the costs low. The bride and groom can use the silk flowers in the home for years to come.
* Every bride wants to do something unique at her wedding. Create a dramatic, sweet-smelling entrance for guests by lining a walkway to the reception venue or reception tent with fresh rose petals. Also consider renting a bubble machine, available at retailers for some added ambiance and fun.
* Renting both table settings and white linen tablecloths can get expensive. Instead, consider purchasing clear glass plates from a discount retailer. Stack the salad plate on top of the dinner plate and place a large leaf between the two for a very pretty place setting. Buying plates is often less expensive than renting and the bride and groom can

keep them for the years (and dinner parties) ahead.
* Remember to keep centerpieces either low enough or high enough so guests can see each other from across the table. A simple cake pedestal adorned with sugared fruits and a candle makes a beautiful and an inexpensive centerpiece. Add to the sugary sparkle by placing candles in votive candle holders to illuminate the centerpieces from underneath. Remember to place approximately half an inch of water in each candle holder or glass for easy removal of melted wax.
* For more formal wedding receptions, assigning guests to tables is considered proper etiquette but that doesn’t mean it has to be stuffy. Purchase large sugar cookies and pipe romantic words like “joy,” “hope,” “love,” and “forever” on each cookie. Place one cookie in each centerpiece to replace traditional numbered tables and have your place cards direct your guests to these romantically identified tables.

* Wedding favors that double as place cards can be made by purchasing sugar cookies from a local bakery that are iced in white. Pipe each guest’s names on the cookies in colored icing a day or two before the wedding. Place in cellophane bags, tied with a ribbon, and set at each guest’s place setting so guests know where to sit.
* Handmade keepsakes given out during the wedding reception are an easy and thoughtful way to thank the wedding party. Create beautiful, unique cards for the bridesmaids by purchasing simple white note cards, decorated with the wedding’s theme colors embellished with different fabrics or small trinkets purchased from a craft department. Write a cherished memory or personal note inside the card, which bridesmaids can keep for the years to come.
* And don’t forget the wedding cake, which can be very expensive, depending on the number of guests attending. Consider purchasing a decorated sheet cake from a local bakery in addition to a smaller tiered cake. Then marry them together as one elaborate cake with piping and rose petals. Brides and grooms may find that bakeries can make unique and cost-conscious tiered wedding cakes that are

beautiful as well as delicious. Remember, all cakes are created equal - flour, sugar, and butter - so there’s no need to spend a fortune on one.

Planning a wedding though a huge task can be a fun adventure. Searching for just the right dress, gifts for the wedding party, choosing where the reception will be is all part of the fun of getting married. Many brides stress over the minutest details and forget to have a good time. Don’t let that be your experience; go out and find some unique wedding reception decorating ideas in order for you to create your dream wedding.

Tips on How to Choose Decorations for Your Wedding: You wedding ceremony can take place almost anywhere. You can opt to have your wedding ceremony and reception in the same venue; you can choose a mansion, a yacht, a church, a garden or the beach. Depending upon your budget and your tastes, you can set the scene for an elegant or more casual wedding reception.
What mood do you want for your important day? Do you want to have a formal wedding where black tie and evening gowns are expected? Or are you a casual, laid back type of couple. You can have a ceremony in the evening and light the place with soft candlelight and an abundance of flowers. You can have a modern wedding with cool ice sculptures with white and silver balloon accents. Keep your budget in the forefront of your mind when you are shopping for wedding reception decorations. Planning the budget for each aspect of the wedding is not only important, but can help you to avoid mistakes that can be costly. You can find many wedding decorations to fit your budget and your requirements when you choose carefully with an eye to the limit of what you can spend. A great idea to help you plan the decorations for your wedding is to take a photograph of the place where you plan to have your celebration. You can take it with you and see at a glance which type of wedding reception decorations will fit successfully.
Things to Keep in Mind: When you are looking for ideas for decorating your reception hall, keep the color scheme in mind. Think about what time of year you are being married and match your decorations and colors accordingly. What time of day you are planning to have your party is another factor in the type of wedding decorations you might choose. How many guests will attend and the setting for your wedding reception will also play a part in choosing the right decorations for your special day