Event Budgeting 101 - Decor

Are you wondering how much more you can do than provide the requisite food, beverage, and music for your holiday party with your shrunken budget? The answer is lots, and for a lot less than you may think. It may take a little more legwork, but what better than a field trip to the flower district to escape the office for a few hours.

28th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues is my personal event decor Mecca. It holds many treasures for the savvy shopper...and I'm not even that in to the actual flowers. I personally believe that some event elements must be left to the pros - I vow to never set foot in the DJ booth or to try to arrange flowers a la L'Olivier - but there is still hope for beautiful events in the DIY department if you can channel your inner Martha just a little.

Head to my favorite place, Jamali Garden, and inspiration will find you. They offer countless garlands, containers, trays, ribbons, lights, sand, sea glass, hanging do-hickeys and more. If you walk in to this place and nothing strikes you, follow these simple steps to create an easy and oft forgotten decoration:

• go to the glass aisle
• pick out a tall(ish) container with straight sides
• en route to the register pick up a bunch of round ornaments in whatever color(s) suites your space/theme/desire, (the number will depend on the size of the balls you choose and the container, and try a variety of sizes in the same color for a cooler look)***
• at event, place the balls in container. Surround with candles (hopefully provided by venue) if desired.
• enjoy holiday decor
  

***If you need to avoid any sort of Christmas feel, this Jewish girl recommends the very cute snowball ornaments (cut the string off before putting in vase) with a snowflake ornament or two thrown in to the mix to make an elegant, simple, wintry piece. Or glitter up some pinecones and and stuff those in your vase...the glitter will catch the candle light and look festive.

Depending on the container you choose and how expensive you like your balls, it is entirely possible to do these pieces for less than 1/4 of what you would pay a florist for a centerpiece. Choose your containers smartly, and for your next event you can fill the same containers with fruit, corks, colored liquids, spray painted paper balls or any number of things that play in to your theme.

When the rain holds up and I have a chance to venture over there I will build a sample and show you how it looks...and we'll also get to learn how I fare as a photographer.

Have an eventful day!