Weddings can be expensive and keeping the event under budget is in the background of virtually every bride’s mind. When I was planning the decor for Madeline’s wedding, I knew a little creativity and hard work would go a long way. I scoured the internet for pictures until we landed on the design that made us (Me, Maddie, her sisters) all swoon. It was so dreamy! But could we do it without breaking the bank? Yes…and you can to! (Total cost – see end of post)
To create this look, you’ll need these items. I’ve created an Amazon shopping collection here if you want to see everything in one place.
- Roll of hard cloth wire for each 10 feet of the table (our display was over 50 feet!!
- Zip ties
- Sturdy rope to hang the display fro the cross bar at the top of the tent
- Glass or plastic orb candle holders. Glass is more expensive but they pick up the light at night so beautifully. Plastic is much cheaper but still looks good. We chose the glass, but do what fits your budget. We used about 12-14 lights per 10 foot of display.
- Battery operated tea lights with remote control. The remote control was critical! When the sun set, we just hit the “on” button and all the lights came on at once. Plus, they last for up to a week so you can use them again and again
- Twine to attach the glass orbs
- Greenery – and lots of it! You can order this from a florist (it’s one if the cheapest items you can get from a florist) or cut down greenery from your yard or a neighbors yard (with permission). Make sure to use greens that won’t wilt. There are a lot of good choices. You can also order fake greenery and use it for other projects.
The how to:
- Unroll the hard cloth wire and coil it to make a tube that is about 12″ in diameter and 10 feet long. Use zip ties to secure it where ever needed to hold the shape.
- Use the rope to secure the top at both ends and put the rope over the top bar in the tent. Don’t raise the structure up yet. Tie the rope off to the side poles so that the hard cloth frame is about 4 feet off the ground. This will allow you and your friends or florist to fill it with greens without being on a ladder.
- Use the twine to hang the orb candle holders at different lengths. We hung some at 12″, some at 16″ and some at 18″ for variety. We put a single tea light in each one.
Screenshot - Now FILL it with greens. Just stick them in the hard cloth structure util it looks full and lush.
- When it is finished, get some helpers to pull it into place. Using the rope that is tied off to the sides, pull the whole structure up so it sits several feet above where the tables will be. Make sure it is level. Don’t put it so high that you lose the intimate effect, or so low that it interferes with your guests at the table. Then tie the rope off again to the side poles. Secure those knots! We don’t want this to fall mid reception!
- Using the remote, turn all the candles on and watch the whole thing glimmer as the sun sets. It’s magical!
Total cost of materials without greenery = $405 for a 50 foot display
Total cost with real greens from the florist = $620 for a 50 foot display
