Decorating the venue yourself?

Our venue is the same as yours, tables and chairs will be set up. Other than that we decorate, however we have the venue for 2 whole days. I am asking all our vendors set up the day prior. Are you actually doing it yourself or hiring an outside vendor?

We have the exact same situation, only minus tables and chairs. My DOC swears it can be done in an hour or two before the wedding. I'll have a team of people with her directing. Our rental company can set up the tables/linens/chairs/lights. We have 4 hours before the wedding so I just want to start as soon as we can! I'm nervous, but I'm sure it will come together.

*****Following***** Our venue has an event so we wouldn't be able to set up until about 4. And the ceremony is at 6. i don't know who is setting up, I want to do it myeself and I know I cant. I don't want a DOC really. I have to be really organized so the people who do it can do it fast!

I have outside vendors as far as catering and DJ goes, and I'm negotiating now for drapery and lighting (so obviously if we sign on for that, professionals won't take nearly as long as us haha). We will be the only event that day and we can rent it for up to ten hours. There is a wedding booked the day before, and all decoration time must occur within rental time. I'd love a DOC, but right now it's just not in the budget. I'm actually having two job interviews this weekend that could potentially increase my salary quite a bit, and if that's the case, I may budget it - but it's only a "maybe" at this point.

Ugh. I wish we had the venue for three days. That would be AMAZING. That's an idea, though! I definitely don't want my guests picking up after us and I don't want to stick around to clean up either, haha. So I'd probably hire for that for sure.

The last wedding i was a BM in, we had to set everything up ourselves. We got there at 8 didn't start until 9ish because of some complications with the venue. We had everything set up for 200 ppl before noon. She didn't have a coordinator or anything, just bridal party and family to help.

I'm setting as much as possible up before the wedding. My venue is my dad's homestead so I technically have as long as I want.

I'm going to be doing the majority of decorating, hanging my arch, setting up flowers, etc day of. I plan to have a breakfast buffet type thing at my dads so people can eat, have mimosas, and prepare for the wedding! Right now my timeline starts at like 9, I'm waking up at 7.

Thank you, @TobeMorris! We're only inviting 75-80 guests (it keeps going up), so maybe seven tables and a head table and all of the decor .. blah! I was maybe estimating 2-3 hours. I just talked to the venue coordinator and she said at any time before the final payment due date, I can revise the contract and alter how many hours I need, so that's a relief. If I get too wrapped up in DIY projects and need more time, I can get it, haha.

I will be setting it all up, but the venue is allowing me to go in the day before. Heck probably even 2 days before to set everything up. So I have a lot of time.

@Michelle, that's great! I was thinking of having a brunch with my bridesmaids and my MOH the day of before driving to the venue at the rental time to begin setting up. Then our hair and make-up artists would come to the venue to get us all ready. I know weddings are hectic, but I want to enjoy the day. I like setting up and don't want to feel rushed, and my bridesmaids and MOH have all been very involved and volunteered.

We are decorating ourselves as well.

We get the venue for 2 hours the night before for the rehearsal, and 12 hours on the day of (9-9). We'll probably bring all the things with us the day before and leave it there for the morning.

I'm not sure how long it'll take to set up, but the ceremony starts at 2:30, so I hope it's all set up by at least 2, hopefully way before.

FMIL and her aunt (pro decorator) are setting up, with help from whoever they enlist.

There is an event the night before at our venue and unless we want to pay some extra $ to get in earlier - they'll let us into the building at 10am. Our ceremony is at 430pm a couple blocks away. We will be doing it all overselves. We will have about 65 guests. I am trying to have everything as organized as possible so that it doesn't take too long to setup. We'll have family helping us. I'm boxing everything up by where it goes in the venue or what table it is on. (ie- all the cake table decor will be in one box, all the guest book table stuff will be in its own box..) I'm starting to slightly stress about getting everything setup and being able to enjoy the last part of the afternoon while getting pretty. haha.

That sounds like a good plan Krystyna! Ten hours should be plenty of time. I think setting up as soon as you can will be perfect. Then you can relax and take it easy..hopefully. haha

That sounds like a good plan Krystyna! Ten hours should be plenty of time. I think setting up as soon as you can will be perfect. Then you can relax and take it easy..hopefully. haha

@Michelle, thank you! That was my thinking. I'd rather pay for the entire ten hours and be able to breathe rather than save $600 and be spazzing out. I'm only doing this once, damn it.

Agreed!

We've got our venue for three days so that helps. I'm giving myself about 4 hours right now (about 200 people). If I need to set up tables and chairs then I'll probably give myself another hour or two. I'm planning on the bridal party and family helping and then we can have the rehearsal once everything is set-up. I might get there earlier though to meet with vendors depending on when they get there to drop everything off.

My FMIL and her friends set up our reception in under 2 hours. Same as yours where tables and chairs were done and everything else was on us.

Our ceremony is at 7 and we can get into the venue at 5. I have a DOC and the venue coordinator to help set up. I will also probably recruit FH and his two GM. Maybe my mom, dad, and grandma also. Pretty much anyone who will help. I think it can be done in 2 hours, but make sure you have volunteers. And keep in mind that you'll have hair and make up done so you won't want to get sweaty and dirty either.

Same boat here. We have access to the venue starting at 1pm on Friday and really only have until 5pm Friday to decorate due to rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, and a full day starting at 8 AM Saturday.

I've had a few family members offer to help decorate, but I'm still a little stressed. I plan on having everything overly organized with pictures like below. A tub for each table and pictures of the mock up on the lid so there are few questions and everyone can just jump right in