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You may love the look of high end upholstered chairs for your wedding, but this is not always a budget-friendly option for seating a large group of guests. Metal or wood folding chairs are far less expensive to rent, and this gives you a set of blank canvases to decorate as you please to build up the atmosphere of the room. Try these five decorating techniques to give your folding chairs a hint of elegance.

Colorful Chair Pads

Instead of worrying about renting separate covers that may or may not fit the chairs, consider pads that match the dimensions of the seat and match the colors of your wedding. Most folding chairs come in solid colors, so enterprising brides can even sew their own seat-pad covers from patterned fabrics for a bold punch of color in less time than it takes to sew whole chair covers. Chair pads are a good investment because they keep guests comfortable through long receptions, so focusing your decorating attention on cushions makes sense when you're on a budget.

Fabric or Ribbon Bows

Whether you prefer the architectural folds of tulle, the gentle folds of lengths of satin, or other light and airy fabrics, you can wrap half a yard or so around the back of a folding chair for an immediate disguise. This tip works equally well for metal and wood folding chairs, but you may have to get creative in how you tie your bows to fit around the most convenient part of the chair's back. Stiffer fabrics like tulle and ribbons with wire edges allow you to create larger and more showy designs while softer fabrics offer a more organic and fluid look. You can also use small strips of colorful ribbons to tie multitudes of small bows on chairs with slatted backs.

Hanging Flower Arrangements

Already committed to doing your own flower arrangements and using a natural, country, or rustic theme for your wedding? Pick up a few boxes of pint-sized Mason jars at the local grocery or feed store and then order sturdy wire or plastic hangars online. Hang the jar on the back of each chair, pour in a few inches of water, and add small floral arrangements for a living decoration that really elevates the humble folding rental chair from the rental company. You can let guests take the flowers home in their jar vases as favors as well so you don't end up with dozens of jars cluttering your home after the event.

Boughs of Greenery

When you're holding your wedding at a farm, in a local park, or another outdoor setting, it makes sense to incorporate as much nature as possible into your decorating plans. Work with the greenery available during the season to bring life indoors or out. For example, winter weddings can take advantage of the evergreen boughs and wreaths already sold in abundance to create a festive environment without straying too close to the other holidays. Summer gives you the widest range of options for fresh garlands of greenery that incorporate flowers, branches, and other details.

Vintage Lace Covers

Checking out thrift stores and the attics of your relatives may reveal a surprising stash of vintage lace, complete with the yellowing of age and possibly even handmade darning. Using lengths of lace to make small chair-back covers is a quick project that makes the most of a small amount of material. If you have dozens of yards of lace to use, simply tie large swaths of the material around each chair to give it instant charm without spending too much. Even oversized pillow cases and other vintage fabrics can be used to make impromptu and no-sew chair covers for inexpensive wedding decorations.

Visit sites such as http://partypeoplerentals.com to look at tables and chairs to rent.