Decorating with Tulle

Decorating with tulle can turn your reception area into a gorgeous fantasy. Although white is definitely the all time favorite, decorating with other colors is becoming more popular. I've seen black tulle used draped around tables for an elegant black and white wedding theme.

Here are some basic instructions for decorating with tulle no matter what color you decide to use!

One key note when working with tulle - DON'T put your finished tulle creations in plastic bags, Rubbermaid boxes or crammed together in ANY CONTAINER!

Tulle smashes easily and is difficult to get back into shape the day of your wedding. For times sake you really should make them up ahead. But hang them by their tails pinned to hangers - and hang them up in out-of-the-way place until your wedding day. Transport them carefully - even if you have to make two trips.

How to Make Tulle Pew Bows

The most common decorating with tulle project is bows.

If you are going to make tulle pew bows, buy tulle by the roll - not by the bolt. It comes in 6" wide and usually has 50 yards or more on the spool.

Trying to save money by cutting the 45" or 54" wide tulle to make bows will just give you a lot of headaches - it's not worth it!

How many spools of tulle you will need depends on the size of your bows.

Here is a simple chart:

∙ 8" diameter Bow - 3 yards for the bow and 1/2 yard for the tail

∙ 12" diameter Bow - 4 yards for the bow and 1/2 yard for the tails

∙ 16" diameter bow - 5 1/2 yards for the bow and 1/2 yard for the tails

That means that out of a 65 yard bolt of tulle you can get approximately 18 small bows , about 14 medium size bows, and 10 large bows.

Step 1. Decide on the diameter of your bows.

If you want your bows to be 12" across, then measure that width and mark it on a piece of cardboard.

Step 2. Fold your Tulle and Pin

Tulle can be very slippery to work with. You need to fold your tulle back and forth like an accordian pleat. Pin the cut end on the first mark with two corsage pins. Fold tulle back to second mark. Pin with two pins.

Continue weaving back and forth, repinning each time to help keep the tulle in place.

Step 3. Keep the number of Loops Even on Each Side

Keep weaving until you have the number of loops you want on each side. I usually do at least five on each side to get a good full bow. Pin all four corners securely.

Step 4. Slide a 3' length of Tulle under the Center of the Bow

Take a 3' length of tulle and slide one end of it with your hand under the pinned layers. This length of tulle is what you will use to tie the center of the bow.

Step 5. Tie the 3' Tulle Length into a Snug Square Knot

Your bow should look like the picture below. Tie the center snugly with a square knot.

Step 6. Unpin the bow and Fluff Out Layers of Loops

Place your hand inside the large loops and twist the bow loop. This will puff out the tulle pew bow.

Your finished bow will look like the one pictured below. Notice the two short tails handing up by the bow head. These are what you use to tie it to the pews, tables, and other places that you are decorating with tulle.

If you desire, add greenery , colored ribbon or flowers to the center of the bow

Decorating with tulle gets easier with practice. You'll soon be turning these pew bows out in no time.

Send me your pictures of how you did your decorating with tulle. Pass it on - one beautiful bride at a time.

How to Use Tulle on Tables

Decorating with tulle on tabletops can be used around the cake, among the gift packages and on the edge of the bridal table. I've also seen tulle used on the buffet tables - but take care that none of it is too close to any open flames.

Here below is a picture of a where I decorated the edge of the cake table with tulle. I sprinkled rose petals over the top of the tulle.

I then gathered the tulle together in the front, and weaved it through a rhinestone belt buckle. I finished with a pink bow on top to pull out the color of the wedding.

Weaving tulle through large belt buckles also works well on the back of chairs if you don't care for the bow look.

The beautiful shine you see surrounding the cake is flattened clear marbles. I prefer these to confetti because they are much easier to clean up and can be reused over and over again. (Think of resale value to another bride!)

How to Drape Tulle and Other Material on Table Edges

Pinning tulle to tables on your wedding day can be very time consuming and downright aggravating! As a wedding florist, my time is precious. I use a handy little item called a bouquet table clamp.

It serves two purposes. First, you just slide it forward over the tulle where you want it fastened and tighten the clamp under the table ledge. No more pinning tulle! Yeah!

Second, it serves as a holder for your wedding bouquet at the reception. Now your bouquet (and the bridesmaids bouquets) are now clamped to the front of your table as table flowers! Solves two problems with one product.

The clamps are a little expensive - but can easily be resold on E-bay or with an ad through your local paper. They save me so much time during decorating I won't go without them.

Here are two bridesmaids bouquets used for decorating the cake table after the ceremony was over. The bouquets were placed in the table clamps. These clamps are also what holds the fabric draped over the cake table top.

Isn't this a beautiful way to use your flowers more than once?

How to Decorate Chairs with Tulle

Another decorating with tulle project - your chairs! It's easy to make a tulle chair wrap. Pull a 4 foot length of tulle around your reception chair. Tie with a square knot. Now attach one of your tulle pew bows (see instructions above) by tying around the center of the pew bow with the tails of the piece that is around the chair.

Easy and fast when you have your bows pre-done. (Remember how to transport - don't crush)

Wedding Ceiling Decorations - Decorating with Tulle and Gossamer

I then pinned it then whipstitched it later with needle and thread.While most brides are planning to drape tulle as their wedding reception ceiling decor, you may want to consider using gossamer fabric instead.

Gossamer is a very light, sheer, gauze-like fabric, popular for white wedding dresses and decorations. It is very shimmery and has a beautiful draping effect. I find gossamer easier to work with than tulle.

Another alternative is to find a lightweight nylon fabric. (Similar to nightgown wear.) I used lilac nylon fabric to drape in front of my own daughter's head wedding table and it hung like a dream. The best thing is that it doesn't have the wrinkling problem like you have when decorating with tulle.

Sorry for the poor quality of the pics below - I cropped them from my daughter's wedding. But you can see how lovely the draping effect is with very little effort. I lucked out and bought this cheaper than I would have paid for a bolt of tulle!

If you are planning to decorate the hall yourself - I highly recommend that you plan out the draping AHEAD OF TIME!! I literally went to a church, set up the same number of tables and played with the fabric.

I hung it on hangers until the wedding day. When decorating time came, I simply unfolded the draping, hooked it over table clamps (works much better than pins!) and BOOM! It was up and perfect in 15 minutes. Doing it ahead of time is a real timesaver if you want to do much decorating with tulle.

The cake table below was decorated with tulle, white lights and pull bows.

Pull bows save a lot of time during decorating because you . . . pull and place! No twisting or wires needed.

To see how to make a traditional pew bow out of satin ribbon, click here.

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