When the ceremony is over and you sit down for your first meal as husband and wife, no doubt you will want to ensure the food is perfect, the champagne flows and the tables look beautiful for your guests.
If you have chosen a colour theme for the rest of your wedding, carrying this through to the reception party and dining room is easy. All you need are a few pretty table settings, some place cards and, of course, a stunning centrepiece to get everyone talking.
For those of you with a Christmas wedding on the cards, this can be the ideal way to incorporate a bit of the festive season into your celebration. After all, the holiday is sparkly and decorative, so why can't your table decorations be as well?
There are some classic colours we all associate with Christmas - red, gold and green - so why not use these as your starting point for your centrepieces? Think of the beautiful wreaths that hang on doors as December 25th approaches and use these as inspiration.
Karen Howes is co-owner of Taylor Howes Designs, an interior design firm that works with private clients, property developers and hoteliers. She agreed with this sentiment, advising anyone who lives in rural areas to get some tips from nature.
She said holly, ivy and mistletoe are the perfect leaves and plants for festive flower arrangements. These could look beautiful in the middle of your dinner tables with a few candles or tea lights.
Ms Howes also had some simple ideas for those of you who would prefer to bring a slightly more modern touch to proceedings with pretty wreaths and arrangements, especially at this time of year when you'll be purchasing presents as well as finalising plans for your nuptials.
"I buy the base of my wreath and then add cinnamon sticks, purple ribbon and purple baubles and purple feathers - glamorous and inexpensive," she stated.
If this sounds like your cup of tea, instead of a traditional poinsettia with a few sprigs of holly and some fake robins, Ms Howes also recommends putting large willow branches into vases to create a minimalist yet modern and pretty arrangement.
To her, this is a "Narnia-inspired theme; everything is crystal and white hanging off the branches [and] old chandelier crystal drops look great".
Obviously, crystals and chandeliers are going to be a little more expensive than some of the other options, especially when many of us are still feeling the effects of the recession this Christmas.
Speaking to Steamboat Today, Jill Waldman, owner of The Main Event in Steamboat Springs, said you can save money by swapping a glamorous venue for a more conservative setting and inviting fewer guests.
Then, there's nothing stopping you from letting your imagination go wild with beautiful festive decorations to bring the location to life.
Once you've decided on the flowers for your tables, Ms Howes has one final finishing touch you could try to leave your friends and family feeling ready for Christmas after the big day.
"I then buy large vases and fill them with different-sized baubles. Fill tea lights with fig-smelling candle lights," she stated.
Your guests are going to think Christmas really has come early!
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