One of my favorite parts of party decorating is creating backdrops. This one piece can instantly create the mood and style of your party. Most people use a backdrop to make the head table or cake table picture perfect. I have style and set up at least a hundred backdrops. Here is how you can create a beautiful backdrop for your party.
First you need a design. This is where pinterest comes in handy. Search for your style or theme with the words “backdrop” and you will get lots of inspiration. Save a few with elements you like. Once you have come up with a solid idea of what you want you should draw a sketch of what yours will look like. I know I am no artist either but making a sketch will help you work out what exactly you want and how your ideas will need to fill up the space.
First you need a design. This is where pinterest comes in handy. Search for your style or theme with the words “backdrop” and you will get lots of inspiration. Save a few with elements you like. Once you have come up with a solid idea of what you want you should draw a sketch of what yours will look like. I know I am no artist either but making a sketch will help you work out what exactly you want and how your ideas will need to fill up the space.
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Here are a few elements you may have. Fabric, lights, flowers, balloons, letters or numbers. I will get into details of how to incorporate them later. Next lets think setup. There are two ways to set up a backdrop. Hanging or standing. -Hanging. Take a look at the space you will be putting the backdrop. How high are the ceilings? Could you hang a pole? If you can hang a pole from the ceiling this is the easiest option. You can use a 1.5 inch pvc pipe or any other pole that will not bow under the weight of your backdrop. -Standing. Creating a standing back drop is a little more labor and cost intensive. The easiest option is to rent backdrop pipes and bases. Many rental companies will rent you the pipes and bases at a low price if you pick them up. Or you can create one using pvc, wood or other building materials. The number one issue I see with homemade backdrops is problems with getting it to stand. My best advice is sandbags. |
Ok now that we got through the technical stuff lets talk decorating! You can hang just about anything that isn’t too heavy on your backdrop. Check out some of my designs 😊
The 3 main parts to a backdrop are 1. The backdrop/ the first layer that serves as a base for everything. 2. Lights 3. Accents.
1. The main element to a backdrop is the actual backdrop. This is the background that everything will be on.. Most backdrops are fabric. I used to use polyester tablecloths for this. They are long and sturdy. Any fabric that isn’t see through from your local craft store will work. Be sure to measure how tall and wide your back drop is. My rule of thumb is you need at least 1.5-2x the backdrop length in fabric. So if your backdrop is 6ft you will need your fabric to be 9ft-12ft wide. If your fabric isn’t wide enough your backdrop will look stretched and sparse and may not cover the poles. If you go for sheer fabric you will need 2-3x the fabric for the length. Whatever you do DO NOT BUY TULLE. Just trust me please.
2. Lighting your backdrop is what adds that professional look. Even if your event is outdoors lights add texture and color to your backdrop. Depending on your style you may use colored can lights, string lights or a light curtain. Can lights that change colors can be rented from a rental company. String lights and light curtains are available at craft stores or Amazon. Depending on your lights you can use them in front of or behind your backdrop material.
3. Now you can finish off your backdrop with decorative accents. You can add another layer of fabric that drapes, crisscrosses or creates some design. You can add flowers, branches or leaves for a wedding or baby shower. You should bunch or design the flowers first and then add your design to the backdrop. You can add crystal curtains, diamonds or rhinestones using safety pins. Create tie backs with material or ribbon. You can add numbers, names or words with custom monograms, balloons, or pre-cut numbers. You can also add paper flowers, pictures or anything you like to create your look.
Have fun and remember your only limit is the strength of your backdrop structure ;)
1. The main element to a backdrop is the actual backdrop. This is the background that everything will be on.. Most backdrops are fabric. I used to use polyester tablecloths for this. They are long and sturdy. Any fabric that isn’t see through from your local craft store will work. Be sure to measure how tall and wide your back drop is. My rule of thumb is you need at least 1.5-2x the backdrop length in fabric. So if your backdrop is 6ft you will need your fabric to be 9ft-12ft wide. If your fabric isn’t wide enough your backdrop will look stretched and sparse and may not cover the poles. If you go for sheer fabric you will need 2-3x the fabric for the length. Whatever you do DO NOT BUY TULLE. Just trust me please.
2. Lighting your backdrop is what adds that professional look. Even if your event is outdoors lights add texture and color to your backdrop. Depending on your style you may use colored can lights, string lights or a light curtain. Can lights that change colors can be rented from a rental company. String lights and light curtains are available at craft stores or Amazon. Depending on your lights you can use them in front of or behind your backdrop material.
3. Now you can finish off your backdrop with decorative accents. You can add another layer of fabric that drapes, crisscrosses or creates some design. You can add flowers, branches or leaves for a wedding or baby shower. You should bunch or design the flowers first and then add your design to the backdrop. You can add crystal curtains, diamonds or rhinestones using safety pins. Create tie backs with material or ribbon. You can add numbers, names or words with custom monograms, balloons, or pre-cut numbers. You can also add paper flowers, pictures or anything you like to create your look.
Have fun and remember your only limit is the strength of your backdrop structure ;)