Reception Decorating and Set Up

I've mentioned in a couple other posts that Kevin and I had volunteered to help create a dance space for our friend and girls dance teacher Katie Beth for her wedding.  Yesterday afternoon, we met at the Civic Center with a group of other volunteers to get everything set up for today's reception after the wedding service.

The Civic Center is an enormous space that will hold a lot of people and the tables needed to seat and serve them.  The problem with this space is that there is no place to be able to connect decorations to or hang anything from, so all the decor needs to be free standing.  So with a lot of planning, preparation and effort everyone was able to work together to give this area a beautiful transformation to create the romantic environment to celebrate Katie Beth and Zack's new start on married life together.  Here are some photos as we arrived and began bringing the materials in to decorate.

The lattice sections went up behind the head tables to define the space and act as an attractive backdrop that blocks the empty stage area behind.

The table settings began for all the guest tables, serving tables and specialty tables for the cake and scones.

Top picture Marla setting guest tables, center pic show some of the center pieces, bottom pic shows cake table

Zack setting places at a head table, Mae working on a guest table and Katie Beth and Zack in front of the cake table

Scone tables decorated

Then with a LOT of help from many others, we set up the canopies that will serve as the dance area.

Pieces are organized for assembly of the two units

Like giant tinker toy sets they came together, then it was time to add lights
 

After the lights were strung, it was time to wrap with the tulle.  

Details added before it was time to raise the canopies to their full height.

And up they go!!

We will be heading over this afternoon to the wedding and then to enjoy the fruits of all the labor that have gone into preparing for this reception.  I'll post some pictures after the service and reception to show how everything turned out and if all our best laid plans worked as we hope they will.

The tulle, ivy and lanterns at the sides of the dance canopy, the silhouettes at the center two peaks and lantern closeup

Civic Center before.

Civic Center/Reception Hall after

Quite a difference don't you think?  Let the party begin!!!!!