My style doesn't match my venue.

Briggitte has a great idea!

Briggitte has a great idea!

How about doing a backdrop with drapes and lights just behind your sweetheart table and cake table? That's what we did and our venue had ugly walls too (not brick but just the hotel dividers). That's the area that is going to have the most pictures taken. Our florist only charged us $200 for that. Then you can also do uplighting and keep the lights dimmed so people don't really see the brick walls and you have that romantic ambiance that you are looking for. Our Dj did the uplighting for us so the cost was cheap.

I love the look of uplighting.

China Dahl exposed brick is beautiful and I think you can absolutely pull off your theme without spending another $4000. Great ideas JC! The uplighting idea is great as well!

Briggitte I want to truly thank you. Yes I paid the designer for the up lighting but I thought you had to have drapery for the color to show against the brick. That picture is amazing.

The venue sounds great and I think you can def do without the drapery! Esp if it costs $4,000. My venue is kinda opposite of yours but we are doing a rustic elegance theme. We are at a mansion that has marble floors and chandeliers and has high ceilings. We are bringing in the rustic with wood pieces and the decor pieces we will use. I'm bringing the elegance in the details of sequins and glitter and sparkles. It's exciting to have people not expect our decor in the mansion. I think if you really want to cover something, consider covering the ceiling with some white drapery. White is simple and clean and always romantic. Candles are romantic. The design ideas from JC are great! You can still have bling by adding sparkle in your centerpieces if it's mirrors as trays with glass gems or your vases. I'll post some pieces for you. It'll work out great!

By the way, many people would love the exposed brick!

http://www.divinedinnerparty.com/wedding-candle-centerpieces.html

http://eventkings-ny.blogspot.com/2012/03/bling-centerpieces.html

http://www.weddingbee.com/classifieds/show-ad/?id=8293

http://www.ashleysbrideguide.com/the_wedding_scoop/category/wedding-venues-and-locations/P5

http://www.pressherald.com/blogs/mainealacarte/179186031.html

Oh seems like the perfect place to have a fairy tale type wedding!!! Ok sounds weird but I'm thinking kinda woodsy with LOTS of beautiful flowers and lights and bling!!! I wish I could post pics

I think the hanging lights or the up lights are great ways to make the brick look blingy.

The WW ladies have all given some great ideas already & Honestly, your decorator should be able to have the same creativity. I think you need to express to her/him/them that you only have $x for decor and need help making it work. Yes, you need to provide them with direction, but this is their job & they should be able to tell you what can realistically be done within different budgets. Take these ideas, get some more pics from Pinterest & send it all to your decorator with a true budget & ask what can be done in that budget. Hopefully that's helpful.

I wouldn't spend that kind of money. Your wedding is a wedding, not a high-profile event. I don't mean that to sound rude, but you shouldn't feel like you to have to impress anyone or everyone. If you have disposable income I'm sure the draping would be very nice, but exposed brick never hurt anyone, and WW has given you some great alternatives.

Yep and I'm grateful for all of the advice too. My designer has to be more creative- that's what I'm paying her to do. She told me she loves a challenge when I interviewed her so, here it is. Lol.

Oh and trust me. I'm not into impressing anyone. I just know what I want and I will get what I want. My wedding will be small intimate and romantic. It's just that when I have this vision, I can't let it go til it's accomplished. The drapery was stressing me because I couldn't see past it. Thank God for WW. I love seeing things from different people's perspective.