By Keven Goh

When it comes to planning for your wedding, deciding on how to set the decor can easily become overwhelming. While decorations set the stage for you and your spouse’s special day, they’re also a fantastic canvas for expressing your creativity and celebrating and your spouse’s unique identities coming together. Good wedding decor provides not only a beautiful atmosphere for your guests to enjoy before and after the ceremony, but also represents who you are. With so many different things to consider, it’s easy to get lost in where to start or what to do. But don’t panic! In this blog, we’ll go over 5 tips for creating stunning decorations for your wedding that are sure to wow your guests and be the backdrop to many beautiful memories for you and your spouse. 

1. Get in Touch With a Professional Decorator 

Unless you want to be designing, manufacturing, and setting up all of your decorations on your own, the most straightforward way to get decor for your wedding is through a professional decorator. First, you'll want to get in touch with the right kind of decorator for your wedding. You have a few options to choose from: you could work with a professional stationery designer or calligrapher, or you could use an online invitation suite. But it’s not as simple as just hiring the first decorator you see! A good decorator should be creative and skilled, while also respecting your own vision for your wedding.

Whichever route you decide to go, make sure the decorator's style aligns with the look you're going for, and that you feel comfortable collaborating with them. The Knot has a great built-in-tool for finding professional decorators near you, but Instagram is also a great way to get connected— try using hashtags such as “#weddingdecorartions” or “#professionaldecorator” to narrow down your search. 

Once you’ve got a pool of candidates, take a look at their portfolio, read some reviews, and then schedule a consultation to discuss your vision. Just like finding a wedding photographer, you’ll want to be as thorough as possible to make sure your decorator is a good fit before hiring them. Here’s some good questions to ask during your consultation that touch on important topics:

• What is your process for designing a wedding?

• How do you ensure that your designs align with our vision for our wedding?

• How do you design decor that's unique to us?

• How involved will we be in the designing process/what is your communication style?

• What is your pricing, and what kinds of packages do you offer?

2. Establish Your Budget 

Unfortunately, like many other aspects of a wedding, decoration isn’t cheap! The cost of wedding decor can vary wildly depending on factors like the size of the venue, level of customization, or vendor expertise. Therefore, your budget is one of the most important things to keep in mind throughout this process. On average, couples can expect to pay anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 for basic decoration packages, while more comprehensive or elaborate packages can range from $10,000 up to $25,000. 

With such a wide range in potential prices, it’s important to set a realistic budget up front so you aren’t blindsided by the costs later on. Determine how much you can reasonably afford to spend, and then prioritize where to allocate those funds. For the more price-conscious, it’s a good idea to focus on the areas that have the biggest visual impact— such as the ceremony site, head table, and entryway. Make sure you discuss your budget with your decorator, and decide on a package that won’t send your budget into the red. A good decorator should be flexible, and will work with you to create a package that’s a comfortable price yet also communicates your vision. 

3. Collaborate and Provide Inspiration

Even if you're working with a professional decorator, you should still be an active part of the design process. Provide inspiration images, share your must-have elements, and give feedback throughout. This collaborative approach will ensure the final look reflects your personal style. Work closely with your decorator to communicate your vision, preferences, and any specific details you want to incorporate. Provide examples of decor styles, color palettes, and design elements that you're drawn to. This will help the decorator understand your aesthetic and create a cohesive look that aligns with your vision. Pinterest is a great place to look for inspiration, and you can always refer to your decorator’s own portfolio to see where your individual ideas can come together. 

4. Incorporate Personal Touches

Make your wedding decor feel unique and reflective of your relationship by adding personal touches. This could be anything from displaying photos of you and your partner, to using family heirlooms, to incorporating your hobbies or shared interests into the design. These little details will make your wedding feel extra special and help tell the story of your love. Consider including meaningful items, such as any special family heirlooms from a grandparent or perhaps a piece of artwork that represents your shared interests. Personalized elements like these will make your wedding decor feel truly one-of-a-kind, and will connect better with your guests!

5. Make Your Decorations Interactive With GuestSnap

If you want to add some functional flair to your wedding decorations, GuestSnap is a fantastic way to do it. GuestSnap is a service that provides a secure, easy-to-use QR code that automatically links to a shared photo album that you and all of your guests can use. Just scan the QR code to access the album, where your guests will be able to upload any photos they’ve taken during your wedding and can also view each other’s photos. There’s no sign-up, login, or annoying registrations to go through, so it’s simple and fast for everyone. Using GuestSnap’s built-in, customizable templates, you can easily integrate your GuestSnap QR code into your wedding decorations and make sure it’s accessible for everyone. It’s a reliable, easy way to make sure all your precious wedding memories are preserved.