There are so many different paths you can take to decorate for a wedding reception.  Flowers are beautiful, but so expensive.  There are lots of other avenues you can take to decorate for your wedding.  I was able to bring the bride and groom’s vision to conception by using candles, votives, vases, and beautiful wedding garlands.  You will notice in these decorations that only artificial flowers were used here and there.  You can have a gorgeous wedding reception without flowers.

Decorating without Flowers

Here I added some artificial red picks to this live garland.  The bride went with a cranberry theme and I thought these picks looked beautiful with this wedding garland.  It added just enough hints of red where we needed a little color.   Hint:  Sometimes you can go overboard and add too much.  Simple and elegant is the way to go.  

I absolutely love this monogram script of the couple’s initials.  Unfortunately, I ordered it so long ago I forgot the name of the company.  But I do remember I got it off of ETSY.

This gorgeous wedding garland was purchased through The Magnolia Company. This company was an amazing find. They help you find the correct date to send your live garland so you have optimum success with their product. It arrived in a box with each garland wrapped in plastic wrap.  The bags contained moisture inside so the garland would stay fresh during shipping. The garland was easy to manipulate.  It looked healthy and had a vibrant green color.

I used all gold accents on the dining room table.  Lots of these vases were bought at Michaels around Christmas time. Ribbon and gold pick accents were added to give the table the final touches it needed.

If you would like to order this garland, you can find it under the wedding garland section of The Magnolia Company site.  If you like what I ordered it’s called Carolina Sapphire Salal Garland.  I bought it in 10 foot sections.  I did have to cut one of them down to use it in two areas.  I don’t suggest that, but it is something I needed to do for aesthetics. I ordered 3 of their garlands and I was very pleased with them all.  I would definitely order from them again.  They last about 3-5 days once you take them out of the moist bags. They did arrive on the exact day they said it would.

The ivy used on the stairs was used in mine and my sister’s wedding.  I just love that we were able to use that in my cousin’s wedding in some way.  The candles on the steps made the the entrance very welcoming.

I really enjoyed decorating for this wedding reception.  It was a unique party situation. I like trying new things and pushing the boundaries with entertaining and decorating.  If you are unable to afford flowers or just want to try some other forms of decorating, it is doable.  It can turn out absolutely gorgeous.  Think about the time of year you are throwing your wedding.  Mix seasonal elements and your wedding theme together and you can end up with a really beautiful outcome.

If you are planning a wedding and are in the Hampton Roads area you won’t want to miss Mayapalooza. This epic bridal event is on March 5th 2016 from 12pm-6pm at the Virginia Beach Field House.  For more information check out www.houseofmayapalooza.com.  If you go please leave me comments.  My hair salon Mystique Salon and Day Spa will be there doing hair for the brides.  Have a great day and check out my Instagram and Pinterest.  I have tons of other great pictures on both accounts.

Yours Truly,

Jenn