It’s not always about the money – or lack of money – that makes some couples opt for a simple wedding. Some people just prefer a casual setting. Simple and relaxed don’t necessarily mean cheap and unimpressive. Even an informal wedding can be lovely when you choose the right decorations. Don’t buy the décor, though; make it yourself – with paper!
You can’t get much simpler than paper décor. Generally, paper looks cheap and is. But at your wedding, the paper decorations will be fabulous, and the tables will look casual yet beautiful. Since paper is so inexpensive you won’t have to take out a loan to have a nice reception!
Table runners always create a nice atmosphere when dining. Make paper table runners but do something a little different with them. Instead of rolling the paper down the center of the table, lay it out, going from one place setting to the opposite one, across the table. Lay several pieces of the paper so that each piece goes from one long edge of the table to the opposite edge, and so that each piece accommodates two place settings – across from each other. The two end chairs will have no paper unless you want to cut a paper “place mat” for them from the same paper.
Paper that works great for the table runners includes wallpaper, gift wrap, or even butcher’s wrap paper. Butcher paper can be changed from white to something prettier simply by spritzing or dribbling paint onto it. If you want, you can cover the tables with a cloth before laying out the paper table runners.
Scrapbook paper can be used to make place mats if you prefer them to the table runners. Use one piece of scrapbook paper for each place setting then fancy it up a little by gluing lace strips around the sides. The lace also makes the place mats look larger.
At fancy weddings you’ll often see cloth napkins. At your casual wedding you might want to go with paper napkins. Whether you’re using paper or cloth you can still make paper bands which also serve as the place markers. Simply cut strips of paper and lay one strip on each napkin. Bring the ends of the strip behind the napkin and tape to secure. On the front of the paper write the name of one of the guests.
Scrapbook paper works well to make the napkin wraps. With themes of weddings or metallic types the paper gives a touch of elegance to the napkins as well as the whole table.
So, you want a casual wedding and that’s what you’ll have. Everything will look fabulous but you won’t have to invest a lot of time or effort. And, when the reception is over, you can simply wad up the decorations and throw them away or use the pretty paper for future projects!
Reference:
- Pretty paper here: www.papermart.com
