The Truth Behind Wedding Décor Costs

Pinterest has changed the way that brides approach their décor. Brides are now walking with their tablet or ipad (instead of clippings and binders!) to show decorators exactly what sort of décor they would like. It’s the age of the more informed bride!

However, despite this information and access to hundreds of images; the fact is that without a definite budget in mind; backdrops, arches, arbors, specialty dance floors and centerpieces, can all add up fairly quickly.

Here is a breakdown of where most costs occur for wedding décor:

Scope of the work– if you’re after a “turn-key” type of service where the decorator handles every aspect of the décor from: place settings, favours, flowers, photo walls and draping, then this expertise is going to hike your cost up. This is the most stress-free approach though, since you won’t have to worry about dealing with multiple wedding suppliers for table linen rentals, vases and miscellaneous props.

Location & Scale – An empty hall, a warehouse or community centre, will require more décor elements that say, a scenic outdoor venue which may only require aisle runners, cocktail tables and head table décor. Formal weddings and larger guest lists will also require more décor – from the charger plates at the tables, to elaborate lighting and draping on the walls or ceilings. Venues that are not easily accessible will also increase your décor costs since your transportation costs will increase.

Individual tastes – Many couples are satisfied with sourcing items from the decorators’ own inventory, however, the more custom touches or unique requests you have are sure to increase your décor budget. Many couples also want bespoke items that have to be manufactured, hand-made or hand-painted, which is a more expensive route. Another cost driver occurs when couples request items that are not readily available here and would have to be imported.

Decorator’s Experience – A decorator with more experience will typically have a higher fee. What you’re paying for is probably: theme development, design consultations, site visits, certification in design, know-how, reliable transportation and professional labour.

Limited “set up” time – If you have booked a popular venue, chances are that there will be minimal time allocated for “set up.” This means you may have access to the venue late the night before or early on the morning of the wedding. This narrow window of opportunity increases your labour costs since more manpower is needed by the decorator to have everything organized on time.

Seasonality – Booking a wedding near to a public holiday or at peak times such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day might increase your costs due to limited availability of décor items; since décor will be in such high demand. On the flip-side though, many venues might already be decorated for Easter, Christmas or New Year’s Eve and you can save on décor costs if you don’t mind keeping their existing décor for your wedding.

Cost of removal – What goes up, must come down! That’s what they say and truth be told it’s quite a risky process to dismount items – think about the fear of breakage, ripping of fabric, sorting and careful wrapping and packaging that is required to clear all your décor away. The convenience of having this done for you is one of the cost factors that is built into your décor price.

For wedding décor ideas and inspiration, visit the TrinidadWeddings’ Pinterest board here: https://www.pinterest.com/trinidadwedding/wedding-decor-ideas/