Frame Your Love -- 5 Cheap Ways To Make A Photo-Ready Wedding Backdrop
When it comes to finding the perfect place to say, "I do," not every couple can have a perfect location -- say, a cliff overlooking the ocean at sunset or soaring snow-covered mountains. For most couples, there is some compromise to the location of their actual ceremony due to budget and logistics. If your wedding venue provides a less-than-stunning backdrop for exchanging vows, it will be indelibly recorded in your memory and especially in all your photos of the big day.
So, what can you do if your ceremony backdrop just doesn't have any wow factor? Here are 5 inexpensive ways to brighten up your background.
- Arbor. A basic outdoor garden arbor can be dressed up to fit nearly any wedding theme or style. Hang curtains from its sides in your thematic colors, tied back with ribbons or clumps of your wedding flowers. Weave fake ivy or other vines through the sides, intermingling flowers. Or cover the top with lush greenery and flowers, letting it overflow above the bridal couple. The arbor gives you a frame on which to be creative for your backdrop.
- Bedazzle it. Crystal curtains are walls of hanging faux crystals usually up to 3 or 4 feet wide, and they are available online at many retailers for as little as $50. Hang the jewels either as a unit behind your ceremony or use the individual strings to provide a beautiful frame. Use splashes of your wedding flowers to cover any unsightly place where the crystals are suspended. For added pop, scout home recycle stores for a hanging crystal light fixture like a lantern or a chandelier that can be hung over the happy couple.
- Lights. String lights are an easy and cheap way to spice up a dull background, especially at an evening wedding. You can DIY a simple frame to support the lights by using a wire strung across the wall, a fabric-covered trellis or even strategic use of large push-pins. Be sure to discuss using a light curtain with your wedding photographer to ensure that it will photograph well at your desired time of day.
- A chalkboard. Want a really unique backdrop? How about writing your love out on a wedding chalkboard? Chalkboard paint is available at many paint supply stores and can transform any smooth surface (like Masonite panels or plywood) into a canvas to create a personalized and artistic frame for your photos.
- Vintage furniture. You can dress up a ceremony space by adding furniture, believe it or not. Vintage furniture can be distressed, painted and decorated to give your wedding a classic, chic look. Use old, distressed doors to frame the space and complement it with wingback or dining chairs, a rustic table or dresser and some flowers or green plants. Hang an empty frame from wire behind the couple and let some curtains flow to complete the artistic look. What type of used furniture you use only depends on your taste and style.
If your backdrop isn't ideal, you don't have to settle for a boring background to all your wedding photos. Taking control of the look of your ceremony space doesn't have to cost a lot, but it will add tremendously to your memories every time you look at your pictures.