Blank Slate: [Moving Up]

Blank Slate: [Moving Up]

June 22nd, 2010 @ 11:37 am by Mrs. Thimble
Share

Now that I’ve covered how tables and chairs can shape, style, and set the mood in a room, I want to lift our gaze to the ceiling of the basic frame tent.

[source]

Mmmm. There it is. Steel beams and flame retardant white fabric. Every bride’s dream, am I right? There are several solutions to this potential problem, but most cost a huge chunk of every bride’s budget.

I don’t really have a solution for this problem except to host your wedding in your own backyard and mask the tent’s ceiling yourself because I don’t think any venue is going to be comfortable with a DIY bride on a 20ft ladder hanging paper lanterns on the morning of her wedding. I should know—I asked.

1. Draping

Otherwise known as fluffy ethereal marshmallow fairytale bliss:

[source]

The problem? Apparently, draping the ceiling of a tent costs as much as many brides’ entire budget. I mean, if you’ve got it and it’s a priority, by all means do go for it. But this bride’s pockets aren’t that deep. And, fortunately, we picked our venue for a reason.

2. Clear top

Our venue’s tent can be upgraded to a clear top with the option of just paying for the middle 2 panels or going all the way. I LOVE this idea. I mean, who wants to pay a site fee for the breathtaking beauty of an outdoor venue just to spend the majority of the wedding eating, toasting and dancing with a roof blocking your view?? Not I. Behold:

Blank Slate: [Moving Up] : wedding decor philadelphia reception Slide1051 Slide105

[source for all]

Of course, not all of this loveliness comes at one low price. The lighting treatment in the top right pic is really what makes the ambiance here, but it brings the total cost up to… well, about half of what draping costs, but still more than I’m willing to spend. So, I searched for a happy compromise and began to research…

3. Cafe Lights and Paper Lanterns

Blank Slate: [Moving Up] : wedding decor philadelphia reception Slide1061 Slide106

[clockwise from top left: 1, 2, 3]

So simple, fun, whimsical and beautiful! And probably cheap, right? Hmph. Here’s where the wedding industry really makes me mad. I’ve seen some quotes for paper lantern hanging for the same cost as draping. (Okay, you’re getting that I’m not really a “numbers” person. I think the top of what I’m talking about here is 5 or 6K. For reals.) And our guy Larry with Open Aire Affairs told my dad that the cost of hanging cafe lights will outweigh the benefit. I was looking down the same kind of disappointing road. At least he’s open to creative solutions, and not trying to up-sell us! (Seriously, I heart our vendors.)

Our tent’s roof will be the complete clear top, and we’re sticking with the standard chandeliers that won’t cost extra. Now that’s a compromise. And one I can feel good about, because the complete clear top was my dad’s idea. Um… awesome! (That means, in my not-good-at-budget brain that I can’t be blamed, right?)

Tent brides: Did you feel the need for a roof solution? Was it a priority or not worth the cost?

Tags: decor, philadelphia, reception |

Share |

Latest Gallery Pics

Hot Pink and White with Zebra 36" Lighted Spandex Ostrich Feather Centerpiece

28 Responses to “Blank Slate: [Moving Up]”

1 2 Last

Bee

Miss Hermit Crab (message) 3,562 posts, Sugar bee

I love the look you’re going for! I too looove me some draping, but man! is that stuff expensive!

6/22/10 @ 11:48 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Cardigan (message) 8,645 posts, Bee Keeper

I love the clear top! It looks so pretty!!!

6/22/10 @ 11:50 am (reply)

Guest

Jlock

I went with paper lanterns and ordered about 125 of them. My venue is letting me hang them myself so the only money I am out is the cost of the actual lanterns and led lights… and drinks I will have to buy all the guys in the family to make hang them.

6/22/10 @ 11:50 am (reply)

Member

walkunafraid (message) 138 posts, Blushing bee

We went with a Sperry tent, which is made of sailcloth and has wooden rather than metal beams. So really it’s beautiful enough on its own. But we are hanging about 120 LED paper lanterns as well.

6/22/10 @ 11:54 am (reply)

Member

something.blue (message) 255 posts, Helper bee

Wow, I didn’t realize how lucky we are that our venue’s tent is draped and has great chandeliers. The clear top is really cool though, I’ve never seen that!

6/22/10 @ 11:59 am (reply)

Member

joannet123 (message) 133 posts, Blushing bee

I am going with the paper lanterns as well, but keeping them unlit. I could not believe the price of hanging them lit, so I made a compromise. The lighting that is provided with my tent vendor is actually pretty nice. I have about 50 lanterns. I think I might need about 50 more now after reading this.

6/22/10 @ 11:59 am (reply)

Member

VeronicaH (message) 588 posts, Busy bee

I love the clear top! It’s like a greenhouse. What about hanging a few lanterns on the perimeter of the tent (i.e. not the huge, hard to deal with ceiling)?

6/22/10 @ 12:05 pm (reply)

Member

mannellal (message) 484 posts, Helper bee

Thank you Miss Thimble, I am really enjoying these posts. One of our alternatives at some of our venues is to use a tent and that really intimidates me. I feel a tad better after reading your last two posts! Thanks again.

6/22/10 @ 12:06 pm (reply)

Guest

Calendar

@Miss Thimble, how many chandeliers do you have? It sounds silly to say this, but weddings outside in the dark are very… dark. I know lots of dollar tree stores now sell lanterns with a battery light….. maybe check it out. you can always use those again.

6/22/10 @ 12:22 pm (reply)

10.

Guest

Thebrideconcierge

Such a shame that all the options are so expensive (but sooo pretty)!! What if you want with some helium balloons tied from the chair or table somehow? If you can’t hang something, at least you could float something up. =P

6/22/10 @ 12:22 pm (reply)

11.

Member

Grey56 (message) 644 posts, Busy bee

I have never seen the clear top before! I think it’s breathtaking! I bet your guests won’t have ever seen that either, so they won’t even know that you could have had lights up there. Honestly, I think I like the clean look of NO lights anyway!

I do like the above idea - if you can’t have something hanging down, why not have something floating up??

6/22/10 @ 12:27 pm (reply)

12.

Guest

Paula@DreamWeddingItaly

I love the lighting - fantastic!

6/22/10 @ 12:39 pm (reply)

13.

Bee

Miss Octopus (message) 1,446 posts, Bumble bee

The draping is gorgeous, but I like the clear top choice even better! Like you said, I think it makes more sense to have an outside wedding that really celebrates the fact that you’re outside!

6/22/10 @ 12:44 pm (reply)

14.

Member

emma5w (message) 547 posts, Busy bee

That clear top is SO awesome! That’s going to be gorgeous!!!

6/22/10 @ 1:07 pm (reply)

15.

Member

MissCamera (message) 770 posts, Busy bee

We had an outdoor tented wedding and our rental company actually rents “tent liners” that look EXACTLY like your 2nd draping picture. The liner itself cost about 1/3 of what our tent cost. Total cost for the tent & liner with room to cover 50+ people and a dance floor was less than $800. I actually bought tulle from Joanne’s fabric and a few of my helpers and I draped the poles with it. IT looked gorgeous!

I tend to disagree with what you’re saying about how much it all costs- I think it depends on where you’re having your wedding and whether or not you do it yourself, or have an event planner do it. Most everything you suggested can be done for MUCH less than you’d think with some work and ingenuity.

6/22/10 @ 1:08 pm (reply)

16.

Member

LoriLori (message) 727 posts, Busy bee

I So-so-so-so-SO want the clearspan tents but sadly they weren’t available in the sizes we need for the deck on the house we are renting. So sad!

We got the draping and it wasn’t as expensive as what you found, I guess it depends on the vendor. So we’re doing that, perimeter lights and hanging paper lanterns on one tent and a chandelier on the other. (They’re side by side and open in between.) I’m nervous but can’t wait to see how it all looks!

6/22/10 @ 1:38 pm (reply)

17.

Member

j.grossman13 (message) 356 posts, Helper bee

i really wanted the fluffy draping that covers everything up there, but it would have cost just as much as the tent itself, and that was out of the question. i never knew about the clear liners until very recently.

in the end we found a tent vendor who happened to have just purchased a brand spankin’ new tent in the size we wanted, so we got a squeaky clean tent that my family members strung with all sorts of cafe lights for us. of course it wasn’t the most beautiful thing i’d ever seen, but it was cute and for $500 did more than enough.

6/22/10 @ 1:47 pm (reply)

18.