Congratulations! You’ve just said “yes” to a lifetime of love with your significant other! Now comes the exciting part: planning your wedding! With endless inspiration boards, color palettes, and decor ideas, it can feel overwhelming to decide which wedding design elements you should prioritize (and which ones you can skip out on without sacrificing style).
At HauteFetes, we’ve helped countless couples transform their visions into a breathtaking reality. We know what design elements have the biggest impact on your special day. It’s the little details that help bring it all together. Here are my suggestions on where to allocate your wedding design budget.
Ceremony Chairs
Ceremony chairs might not be at the top of your wedding design budget, but trust us: They matter more than you think. Few things downgrade the look of your wedding ceremony more than basic white folding chairs. One of the easiest ways to upgrade your ceremony is by investing in elevated seating.
Think wooden crossbacks, upholstered styles, cane-back chairs, or ghost chairs. These upgrades can transform your wedding ceremony from simple to stunning.
Here’s what couples forget: your ceremony seats will be captured in your wedding photos. They’ll live on forever, so this wedding design element is worth splurging on.
Table Linens
When it comes to wedding reception design, your tablescape is the foundation for your entire aesthetic, so it’s important to put careful consideration into this wedding expense. Basic polyester linens might get the job done, but they fall short. Think wrinkled, thin, or banquet hall vibes. For a more polished, dimensional look, consider upgrading to textured, tailored, or specialty linens.
Embroidered overlays or layered runners can add texture to your wedding table design. Fabrics like velvet, gauze, or jacquards not only elevate your reception design — they can also help lower your tablescape budget. When you choose high-quality linens, your look will feel more intentional, and your overall tablespace will be top-tier.
Lighting
Lighting can completely transform your wedding reception. It defines the aesthetic, sets the mood, adds depth, and creates drama. Well-planned lighting enhances everything, from florals and table settings to the venue’s architectural details. It can truly make or break the reception experience — and yet, it’s not usually at the top of every couple’s wedding budget checklist.
There are so many different wedding lighting options. Some of these include chandeliers, lanterns, candlelight, uplighting, pin-spotting, and colored washers. (To get a better understanding of wedding light ideas, check out my blog post 10 Wedding Lighting Techniques to Make Your Reception Sparkle).
Even the most stunning wedding reception can fall short when it’s not properly lit. And here’s a big payoff of this wedding design budget item: investing in intentional lighting often has more impact than adding more wedding decor.
Staging
Your stage isn’t just where the band plays; it sets the entire stage for your wedding reception! Between toasts, dancing, and entertainment, a lot of focus will be on your wedding stage — so why not turn it into a show-stopping focal point?
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I love creating a cohesive look for your wedding. The wedding stage is a great place to do that. You can coordinate textures, colors, and structure to create cohesion with your wedding design. Implement specialty lightings, elaborate staging covers, lush floral backdrops, or architectural designs to implement your wedding band or DJ setup into your overall aesthetic.
Prioritizing your staging on your wedding budget checklist is another way to create an elevated look on your special day.
Tenting
If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, a high-quality tent sets the stage for an elevated wedding reception! Choosing an upgraded tent transforms this wedding expense from a functional necessity into a luxe wedding design feature.
Basic tents come with unattractive hardware, visible poles, and creased or worn-looking vinyl, which distracts from the rest of your wedding decor. You’ll end up spending more of your budget on draping or other fixes to hide these flaws. Adding an upgraded tent to your wedding design budget cuts those additional expenses out. A high-quality tent makes it easier to implement flooring, ceiling, and lighting treatments, letting all of the details shine on your special day.
Bars
The bar is one of the most frequently visited spots of the wedding reception. A well-designed or customized bar can take your reception’s ambiance to the next level. I always recommend that my clients prioritize bar design in their wedding design plan.
Consider adding florals, lighting, or backbars to give your guests a “wow” moment when they visit the bar. The bar is also a great place to create wedding color or theme cohesion with the rest of your wedding. Get creative and add tailored wedding signage and bar accessories for a cohesive feel your guests will appreciate!
Which Items to Focus on When Wedding Budgeting
A general rule of thumb is to focus your wedding design budget on areas that will stand out the most to your guests. Overhead items like chandeliers, draping, ceiling installations, and lighting will immediately catch their eye, whereas flooring, tablescapes, linens, and aisle runners are all areas of attention when they look down. Also, take note of any highly trafficked areas where guests spend a lot of time, such as bars, lounge areas, entryways, and seating charts.
Prioritizing these items in your wedding spending plan will ensure that your wedding decor leaves guests with a lasting impression — and makes for great wedding photos, as well!
Want Help Planning Your Wedding Budget?
At HauteFetes, we’ll help you curate a wedding spending plan that brings your dream day to life! After all, you only get one wedding day, and you deserve for it to be unforgettable! From wedding design to catering and music, our goal is to help ensure your special day is everything you’ve always dreamed of.
If you want our help planning your special day, don’t hesitate to contact us now. Let’s make your wedding planning dreams a reality.