Anyone decorating their own venue?

Hi!

I'm also decorating the venue myself. We checked with our venue if we could decorate the night before which they said was fine providing they didn't have a wedding on. Otherwise the room will be made available to us from 6.30am the morning of the wedding. I figured this would be fine as I'm sure it's going to be a sleepless night for me anyway. Otherwise I will brief the bridesmaids on layout the night before and leave it to them. Luckily I do have a very artistic bm so I'm sure it'll be in safe hands.

We will be doing our own decorating, but not on the morning of the wedding. Unless it was a fairly late ceremony we'd not have time and I'd not want the stress.

I think it depends how much you have to do though? We've hired some land and tipis, so have virtually everything to do ourselves. If we didn't have access to the land a couple of days beforehand i'd definitely be finding room in the budget to get someone in to do it for us (if there were no friends/family I could recruit)

Do you have any trusted family members or friends you could rope in instead?

I've got 2 experiences of doing this. The first was my sister's wedding and we had access the night before which was fine, and went smoothly.

The other was my friend's wedding, and we had access a couple of hours before the wedding. So she sent 2 of us bridesmaids down, the staff weren't ready for us. It was a nightmare of epic proportions. If you have any spare money - throw it at this problem. Don't ask your bridesmaids to do it on the day, it was too much pressure. We wanted to do a good job in the time constraints, but felt rushed, got back to the bride, and then got shouted at by her for not being ready in our dresses. It's too stressful for the bride, and makes your bridesmaids fed up and cross with you.

You want to relax and enjoy your day, not worry about centrepieces and sequins. If the venue won't do it for you, then find a company who will. x

We've just talked to our venue about doing this - but we are not doing everything. We have a florist and the venue is going to sort out the centrepieces (I want books under the main vases as we're going for a shabby chic look). I wanted some pompoms and some bunting and they basically said we have to hang it up ourselves as they won't get on a ladder to do it. I think my boyfriend and some other friends will do it the evening before the wedding. As others have said, I don't really want to do anything on the day of the wedding except get ready (although we are staying at the venue the night before and I am positive I'll be sneaking in to check that everything is set up to my requirements). We've figured out the bunting and pompoms will probably be under £50 which is a total bargain compared to what we've been quoted (about £400).

xx

Not at all helpful, but this had a huge impact on the venue I chose. My venue allows us to bring everything in the day before, they have a table which we can set up exactly how we'd like it and they will take photos and replicate the next day. I've got to be honest I was quite shocked by the amount of places that assumed you'd set it up yourself. If I'd have gone this route, I too would have paid someone to do it. There us too much going on in the morning.

Ours is a bit of half and half. We're providing loads of decorations, eg the candelabra, candles, flowers etc. A dresser is providing chair covers and sashes and will go and set them up. The venue will get a number of boxes clearly marked per table, with a photo of the intended look. Then it's over to them. We would have some time in the morning - but I won't have the inclination as I will be busy being spoiled and H2B bless will have three youths to contend with.YOu have to think of the two stages, depending on the type of wedding etc. The first stage is to prepare the room and chairs for the ceremony, then the second stage if you're staying in the same venue, is to prepare for the breakfast. You will deffo need help if you have to transition from one look to another. We're taking our guests out for photos etc and that's when the venue will chnage the rooms for the meal.

It all depends on the type of venue and how helpful they are. Some do these things for free - mine for example, but others will charge, or you can just hire a venue dresser and get them to do it all. This can work out frighteningly expensive.

We're not having our ceremony until 1600hrs so we will be decorating the restaurant in the morning and the church the evening before. This has always been factored into the weekend and I have plenty of people travelling on the Friday to help out with all the tasks. I'm looking forward to doing it all with my friends and family as I think it will be fun and add to the experience and there's a couple of people I trust to take over if it all becomes a bit too much.

Hi,

I know this is a little off subject but what do you mean when you say you have hired land with tipis? I am only just starting to plan my wedding but cant find a venue I like, I would prefer to hire land and set up a marquee but didn't think you could unless the place is registered? Sorry for the random question.

You can have your reception wherever you like. For the ceremony though, you're right. it has to be licensed by the Local Authority for civil ceremonies to be held.

Hi,

We are having a village hall wedding so will be doing most of the decorating ourselves. Luckily we are allowed in the night before so will be able to set up everything for the ceremony. We are having the ceremony and reception in the same place though so will be going across the road to the pub for a drinks reception while the venue gets changed around for the ceremony. Luckily the caterers will set up most of this but I'm worried about how long it will take them to set up! Thankfully a couple of my Mums friends have offered to help set tables etc and I think I will brief our bridesmaids and best man about how we want it to look so they can help the caterers if its taking a long time! Also I think we will have the tables running along the side of the hall set up with tablecloths, table runners and decorations. Then its just a case of setting the tables and adding our table numbers.

It is quite stressful to think about it all coming together but there is no way we can afford to have someone come in and do it professionally, theres a reason we are getting married in a village hall!! I'm just kinda hoping it will all come together on the day.

I don't think it's fair to ask bridesmaids to do things on the morning of the wedding, when they should be there with you. I'd only say it's possible to do on the day if you can get in very early and / or have a later ceremony like Alyj has.

Our Venue is a village hall, but it's local and I know the people who run it. I'm having some things delivered on the Thursday and will be putting up the bunting that night. There is a Yoga class in on the Friday morning, or we'd have tables and chairs set up on the Thursday night too. From Friday morning we'll be setting up, hopefully finished by early afternoon so I can get my nails done, drink prosecco etc. The morning of the wedding I'll probably be sneaking down the road to check the ceilling hasn't caved in etc. over night (this is the sort of thing that would happen to me!) and then leave the caterers to set up. I may not be allowed (by the rest of the bridal party!) so may send a spy on my behalf!

As others have said - if you can get someone else to do it, outsource. Setting up usually takes much more time than anticipated, and can be stressful.

I'd also advise if your wedding and reception are a the same venue - arrive as late as possible in time for your ceremony but have a 'responsible person' there early if any suppliers need them. My friend got ready at a cottaged attached to her venue and it was hell trying to get ready with every supplier trying to speak to her!

Can they do yoga on/around the tables ! Their supposed to be able to pull weird moves x

I think I definitely need to speak with our venue, I just assumed we would have to be the ones setting up and clearing down but as some of you have said that your venues can do this for you, I'll definitely be seeing if ours can do too!

I totally agree about not getting the bridesmaid's to do it either, they'll have to travel to the venue from around half hour away anyway so they won't have the time.

We're getting married at 2 in the afternoon so it may be pushing it a bit to get everything sorted. I like the idea of doing half and half, I think that is a great idea and it won't be such a hit to our budget!

Thanks for all the great advice everyone xx

My sil had a tiny wedding - 12 of us and we went to the restaurant the night before to set up the table in the private room. It did take a while and we ended up in McDonald's as we were starving! Her h2b had a lovely evening drinking and eating! So even the night before can be a pain. I plan on having a celebratory drink and getting an early night x

I am a bit worried about this as according to our contract we dont have access until 09:30. i think we will be having the ceremony about 2.30 and we live fifteen mins away from the venue. it's a national trust property so no accommodation. OH seems convinced that he will arrange access night before and i am happy to pay extra for it, i am hoping because we are getting married on a friday that noone will be in on the Thursday and so we might be able to wangle our way in!

My plan of attack is OH and grooms men arrive and hang up bunting, put tables in right place and help OH mum put the vases of flowers out. Home by 11:30 and back at venue by 14:00 for me to arrive at 14:30. My mum and dad will go and help in the morning also. I hope it will be ok!

How much would you expect to pay for someone to do it on the day? i would to do it but worried about ££££

That's the only thing that's playing on my mind... the money.

We're getting married on a Sunday so I very much doubt we'll be allowed access at all on the Saturday as it's highly likely there will be another wedding. All the prices we've looked at for the decorations have worked out at nearly £1000!!!! I wouldn't mind paying but for something that could be done ourselves I would rather not splash out that much!

I think i'll definitely be looking at perhaps hiring somebody to do half, perhaps the draping and chair covers and then depending on what time I can get into the room I can sort out the table decorations. If the venue are laying the tables for the meal anyway... I'm kind of hoping, like others have said, they will follow a picture and do the centerpieces for me.