Almost all venues work with an in-house design company who offers discounts and special packages to couples getting married at the venue. The advantages of taking an in-house designer recommended by the venue is that it’s a one stop shop. Table design, Chuppah decoration, and floristry should all be included.
However, if you have a designer whose caught your eye, the venue should allow you to bring in the external designer of your choice. On a strict budget? DIY is also an option. You can go to a wholesale flower seller, bring your own table center pieces, etc.
If you go this route, I highly recommend that you delegate this duty to a trusted friend or family member – even if you feel like you’ll be cool as a cucumber on your wedding day, rushing to decorate adds a lot of unnecessary pressure to an already adrenaline-filled day.
How much should your decor and design cost? This is a huge range depending on your personal tastes and budget – as an average, I’d say 2000 – 12000 shekels for decoration and design. Just like a wedding dress, the sky is truly the limit if you’re planning on going all-out and having the most luxurious wedding possible.
Smashing the Glass is an amazing resource for visual inspiration for your Jewish wedding aesthetic.
Table Design
Table design should include the table numbers, flowers, and center pieces. Generally, the silverware, glasses, plates, and tableclothes will be provided by the venue – but there are event designers who may can provide these items. If you’ve ever been to a bar/bat mitzvah or Jewish wedding before, you may be familiar with the time-honored tradition of leaving the event with a souvenir (usually flowers or center piece from the table.)
Some designers now agree to let the bride and groom take the center pieces home after the event for an additional fee. If you feel like mixing-and-matching, let’s say bringing your own flowers and having the event designer provide only the center pieces and table numbers, you should be able to negotiate a discount.
Chuppah
Most venues offer both a traditional and modern Chuppah, which usually consists of a permanent structure like a gazebo. If you go for a modern Chuppah, the designer will ask if you want to adorn the Chuppah with flowers or silk.
Another popular option for the Chuppah in Israeli weddings are LED lights hung in a waterfall style. The cost of decorating the Chuppah with flowers should be included in the decor and design package, but add-ons such as LED lights may cost extra.
Kabbalat Panim & Open Spaces
It’s important to choose the right design to fit your venue – if you’re getting married in a rustic setting full of natural plant life and greenery, you may not want to add a ton of flowers to the mix. If your tables are vintage wood, you may not need a lacey tablecloth.
Conversely, if you’re getting married in a massive venue that’s largely open space, you may need a lot of lights, flowers, and other decoration to break up the space so that it’s not overwhelming.
Many event designers will try to upsell – stay firm in your vision and remember that in Israel, almost every price is up for negotiation.
The Israeli Wedding 