Budget

• Probably one of the most important elements to consider when planning your wedding day decorations is your budget. Wedding day decorations can get very expensive very quickly so when deciding what you want to do it's important to create a budget and stick to it. Plan your decorations well in advance of your wedding date. Keep track of everything that you want to include and how many of each item is required. Before you purchase decorations create an estimate and make sure that it correlates with your budget. If your budget for wedding decorations has to remain low, select a few decorations that will produce a large visual impact, such as candles or flowers.
  
  

Timing

• The time that you will be given to decorate for your wedding day will depend largely on when your chosen venue allows you access to the area. Generally, you will be given at least a day, possibly two, to decorate prior to the ceremony and reception. Use your time wisely. Do as much as possible in advance. Plan only the things that must be done at the last minute for the day of the wedding such as flowers and lighting candles. You want to keep your wedding day stress to a minimum, so find out in advance how much time you will be allowed to decorate and make a schedule to use your time wisely.
  
  

Style and Mood

• Your wedding decorations should in some way reflect you as a couple. Decide what kind of mood you want to create, whether you want a theme, a romantic, traditional, or fun feel. Plan your decorations according to the mood that you want to create. Use colors and other elements to help reflect your personal style. For a traditional feel use wedding colors such as white or ivory with a metallic such as gold or silver. A romantic mood would include warmer colors and rely largely on candles or subdued lights as your light sources.
  
  

Venue

• While you are planning your wedding decorations, take into consideration the space and features of your venue. Take several pictures of the interior of the space being used. Record measurements of the areas to be used in decorations so that you know your decorations will fit and will not overwhelm the space.