Every detail about your wedding is supposed to be connected together by a theme, and that includes the reception tables. The type of table decorations will also depend on your personal style and the overall mood of the wedding. To help you with your wedding table decorations, here are some ideas you might want to explore:

• Flowers are the traditional centerpiece. If you want to have flowers on the table, choose the ones that are complementary to the colors of the wedding. You may also include the flowers used in the wedding bouquet.

• Candles are also great centerpieces. Do not use scented candles because it can be distracting and may prove to be unappetizing. Place table gems on the table so they can sparkle from the light. A great sight especially if it’s a nighttime reception.

• Fruits are among the prettiest and most creative items you can use as centerpieces. They are even less costly than flowers. Fill a vase or container with fresh fruits (oranges, lemons, limes, grapes, or cranberries) and then instead of an entire bouquet for each centerpiece, just add one attractive flower.

If you want you can make a combination of these ideas. You may combine fruit with flowers or have the fruits accented by a candle and leave the flowers altogether. Try experimenting to achieve the combination that will suit your taste.

Once you know your wedding budget, you can then determine how you to spend for everything. It would be great to create a wedding budget spreadsheet to help you breakdown your expenses.

While the average wedding cost varies for some reasons, the national average for a wedding budget falls around $28, 000, excluding the cost for engagement ring and honeymoon. In general, a sample wedding budget includes the following items and may be divided as such:

Attire 10%

Reception (Venue, Food and Cakes) 37%

Ceremony site rental 3%

Flowers and decorations 10%

Invitation and thank you cards 5%

Photography 10%

DJ/Musicians 10%

Wedding planner 10%

Gifts/Favors/Transportation 5%

Having a sample budget is particularly helpful when you want to decide where you can spend less money on so you may spend more on another item instead. This is also beneficial if you want to see how you can consolidate the budget for several categories and allocate the amount you’d save for another category. Like if you’d want to hold the ceremony and the reception at the same venue, then you can have a bigger budget for, say, your attire.

This breakdown may vary depending on your priorities. Just remember that when forming your budget, carefully decide how much you are going to spend for the wedding then determine how to divide the expenses.

Wedding costs have significantly increased over the years (today’s average being $25,000). Still, many couples prefer to spend a lot for their wedding, at the risk of their life savings. But I believe that you don’t have to find yourselves in debt or broke right after the wedding, even though you’ve just promised to be together in poverty or in wealth.

Follow these simple tips and you’d learn that you can make your wedding budget work for you.

• Make a shorter guest list. You don’t need to invite everyone in your office or church. Limit it to only include some of your closest relatives and friends. Remember to be tough on your wedding list.
• Shop around: There’s a greater chance that you´ll find that perfect dress on sale if you have more time to shop around.
• Set a budget: Determine how much you can spend and be consistent with it.
• Borrow or rent as much as possible: It’s cheaper than buying new items.
• Schedule around off peak season: Wedding suppliers often have discounts during less popular days.
• Do it yourself: Express your personality by making your own invitations and Bonbonnieres. You’ll not only save money, you will also create a more intimate and personal atmosphere, making your wedding more special.
• Coordinate with suppliers: Let them know your budget. They may be able to help you work within it or recommend you to vendors who can accommodate you.

Planning your wedding can be tough, especially if you are on a tight budget. But it can also be a learning experience as you’ll learn how to do things on limited resources, and without compromising the event’s specialness.