How to Spruce Up Your Reception Without Going to Extremes

All brides want their wedding to be the best representation of themselves and their groom. Some choose a quick ceremony at city hall; some want a simple candlelight ritual with family; and still others want a rhinestone studded extravaganza that will leave them paying off debt for the next ten years. But there’s no need to go to extremes on any of these, especially the latter. If you like the bling, there are a few ways to do it without blinding your guests.

Start with decorations. You can use a few Las Vegas wedding favors to get your point across. A few well placed rhinestone glasses can do wonders. So can bejewelled cups for your wedding party, or other types of wedding favors, like silvery measuring cups or sparkly bottle stoppers. The key to not overdoing it is… to not overdo it. Remember that less is often more, and at a reception, it’s a rule you’ll definitely want to follow. Sparkles don’t have to be everywhere, just in a few key spots to draw attention. You’ll want your guests impressed by the appearance of glitter and glitz twinkling everywhere, not frantically trying to find their sunglasses. If you’re having a night wedding, this is the time to have your decorations shine. Use plain holiday lights or candles to really bring out the sparkle in your table settings.

Second, put a little bling on your bridesmaids (or groomsmen, if you can). When looking for dresses, figure out if there’s some way to trim them with glitter or faux stones. If not, hair ornaments are an acceptable substitute, the bigger the better. You could do a Las Vegas wedding favors style headpiece (on a much smaller scale, of course) for the ladies, and have the groomsmen wearing tie pins that matched. Or keep it simple and do tiaras for the bridesmaids, and keep the pins for the men. If you want to go even more subtle, give the ladies single rhinestones that they’ll apply to their faces. A jewel by the eye or one on the upper lip can be pleasing to the eye, as well as emphasize your theme. Best of all, they’re easy to remove. Want to keep the glitz private? Give wedding gifts that would reflect their theme, like pretty silver necklaces and bracelets with stones. They’ll love the gifts and look great in them—a perfect combination.

Last but not least, glitz out yourself and the groom. You’ll have to be extremely careful about how this is done; enough attention will already be focused on yourself and your groom to be, and if you don’t show restraint here, your guests will think you’re just being showy and obnoxious. To avoid this, you can use the tiara idea for yourself. Make it as simple as possible; a rhinestone band across your forehead, or a headband studded with stones is sufficient. For your groom, give him a tie pin too. If he’s wearing a bowtie, he can use a handkerchief pin. If he’s really daring, use a belt buckle.

Having a glitzy reception doesn’t have to mean going overboard. All it takes is a little research, trial and error to make it work for you and your guests. Remember, restraint is key. A little self control can go a long, long way—and can give you the bling without the bother.