As designers, our team is always excited at the chance to use our skills in a challenging and fun way. Last month, we had the chance to do just that in Plymouth New Hampshire — we got to decorate for a wedding!
Added 2020 stress aside, the day of your wedding (as many of you know) is hectic, with so much happening all at once to make sure everything is perfect. A few weeks before, we got a call from a bride looking for someone handle the decoration of her wedding, and we were so excited to work with the couple to make sure everything was exactly what they dreamed of for their big day!
After a (covid safe, of course) meeting to discuss choices about the decor they wanted, we were able to get to work on the day of the wedding. Their theme was a woodsy winter wonderland (awesome, right!?) With this in mind, we used all sorts of winter-inspired decor to make the event look simply perfect. Luckily for us, the bride had a wonderful vision and was incredible to work with!
We started by walking around the venue placing each vignette in the location that it was going to be set up. The venue was an open barn with two stories that had picturesque views of the snowy New Hampshire landscape. We created a design sheet for each section of the space, and we built our vignettes from these, allowing us to stick to the game-plan and our time schedule.
All of the decor was sourced to reflect an outdoor scene. To achieve this look we used thin cuts of logs that were placed underneath a candlelit lantern for centerpieces. Around each lantern we used pine clippings that wrapped like a wreath. When working with pine clippings it is important to clip only the smaller sections of the branch (no bigger than the width of a pen.) To hide the clipped ends, we wove the sections together so they all faced the same direction and placed the cut ends underneath the next section.
On top of these pine clippings we used groups of pinecones and bunches of holly berries to accentuate the holiday-esque feel. To complete the tables we added votive candles spread around the outsides of the display. In some of the focal points, we even added delicate fairy lights to help illuminate and create a sense of warmth and elegance.
For the larger 6' tables we created a long centerpiece that ran the length of the table. To start, we put down table runners and added a wooden base for the lanterns in the center. We then spread pine clippings on either side facing away from the center. Combined with the pine clippings, we wove in string lights that spanned the length of the setup. To top it all off we added pinecones, holly berries and votive candles! Beautiful, right?
Even though it sounds perfect, sometimes things don't always go to plan. When laying out the table runners we realized that we were short and didn't have time to buy more. We were only missing one, but removing this last table was not an option. For a few minutes, we were scrambling to improvise; thinking of removing the table altogether or traveling 15+ miles to purchase one more. Finally, it hit us! As a solution, we placed two tables together to make one long dining table. We then cut the one remaining table runner in half and placed it near the ends of the long table. This created a large blank gap in the table which we had to fill. To make the table runner look like it stretched the length of the table we filled the middle with a long stream of pine clippings, extra pinecones and holly berries. We placed three lanterns along the table and added in votive candles. This made the table runner feel like it spread across the entire table! Whew! We improvised with what we had and we are so happy to say that it turned out to be one of the most beautiful focal points of the event.
The most important section of this design was their altar. The altar at this venue was the first thing guests see when walking in, and where the most important photos would be taken. We wanted to make this area really shine. There were two Christmas trees on either side of the altar that we decorated with golden ornaments and glittery stars.
Behind the altar was a large fireplace. On each side we placed wooden crates with lanterns on top. To brighten up the spread we wove holiday lights through the crates and added pine branches on top. For the final touches we added pinecones, holly berries and groupings of candles, which totally completed the winter wonderland feel and kept the whole design consistent.
After all the finishing touches were done and the leftover decor was tucked away, we walked around the space and admired the winter wonderland we had created. The whole wedding had a "Christmas in the woods" feel and the venue itself only added to the feeling! This design project was extremely exciting for us, because while we mainly focus on home staging and interior design, we also love event decorating and are happy to do it whenever a client asks!
Decorating and setting up is a huge part of a successful wedding. It takes careful planning and lots of work, but we love doing it! We were happy that we could have everything set up and ready to go for when the bride and groom showed up for their big day.
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