(13) Easy Wedding Draping Ideas Every Budget Needs!

The answer

is simple…

we’re built for DIY!

Some draping companies may charge more than you budgeted to set up a sweetheart table backdrop. Our pipe and drape kits are affordable, set up easy, & make you look good doing it.

Just because it is DIY doesn’t mean it has to look cheap. Welcome to the world of do-it-yourself wedding décor rentals. Ship Our Wedding® has gorgeous wedding backdrop rentals & temporary wall kits available online.

these DIY kits help you save more on wedding draping

Rentals should be priced affordably which can be 10-20% of the rental equipment purchase price. Save money instantly by setting it up yourself. If you want to plan a wedding under $10,000 then doing it yourself is the way to go.

We ship you everything you need (2) days before your event. Enjoy a 5-day rental and ship it back 2 days after your party. Our kits are beautiful, simple & affordable. Scan our QR code technology on your phone for fast access to video tutorials.

Besides wedding backdrop rentals, we have ceiling draping available. Do you need a few ideas on how to drape your ballroom? We are going to share all our secrets about the best ways to drape your space to achieve wedding planning savings.

💬 Discover what fabric is used for wedding draping. Read everything below to get the scoop on pricing & what to expect.

Average Read Time: 9 minutes 15 seconds

What is Wedding Drapery

Drapes are not like window drapes. These curtains instead are used on drapery equipment. To create a wall of drapery first lay down (2) base plates, insert (2) uprights, connect (1) adjustable crossbar, hang the drapery swag, pleat it going across, then raise your pipe & drape backdrop.

It is that easy to set up our do-it-yourself kits! We suggest setting up outside drapery packages under a tent. Wind & drapery don’t get along unless it is secured to something.

we cover how to use our drape kits below

Drapery is not only used as table decorations or as chair covers for weddings. Fabric creates photo backdrops, covers areas, funnel guests, reduces sunlight, & makes a wall to color with wireless uplights.

DIY Wall Drapes for Wedding

The first place we are going to start is with our pipe & drape kit. This is a common request. Wedding wall drapery is also used as a temporary wall partition to hide ugly walls.

This is great for a repurposed room that is separated for the ceremony and reception. What we love about straight drapery is that it is our most simple form of draping. Wedding draping prices are cheap and look amazing… this is why it is so commonly used at events.

DIY Wall draping usually involves a section, one wall, or covering your entire ballroom with wall to wall draperies. The fabric we rent goes 10 feet tall. We also have 3 foot extensions available to increase the height to 13 feet. It is charged per foot and we rent it out in 10-foot sections.

How to Setup DIY Draping for Wedding Receptions

1. Insert your baseplates 10ft apart
2. Slide uprights over the baseplate ferrule
3. Connect crossbar between every upright
4. Hang 3-4 fabric pieces on every crossbar
5. Pleat fabric & raise uprights to 10ft tall
6. Finalize the bottom of all fabric

This is our most cost-effective form of draping because it is a blank canvas of fabric. It also can be used as wall drapery and pulled back to be swagged open on a window or doorway.

pull back fabric for doorway openings by using pipe cleaners

Straight wall draping looks great in photos (especially for your ceremony or head table). You can also hang signage from this backdrop if you need more wall draping ideas. White is the most popular color but you can choose other color styles.

If you decide to change your fabric color then there is a slight price increase depending on the color you choose. Keep in mind that white wall draping looks best when used with uplighting kits. Learn more about best uplighting colors.

Single Valance Backdrop Rentals

If you want something more ornate than a standard pipe and drape kit then we recommend single valance. This comes in (2) styles, either hang it from the top or pull it to the side.

The price isn’t much different than our straight drapery. The only difference is an extra piece of fabric per 10-foot section for the single valance kit.

This takes a couple of extra minutes to set up. The main reason why is because you have to pull your single valance to the side after attaching it.

Because of this, our side valance kits are used as DIY wedding backdrops instead of draping all the walls in a room. So you will reserve a package that is usually from 10 feet long to 40 feet long.

Pro Tip: The best way to determine how much draping you need to cover your head table is to take your # of guests in the bridal party, multiple it by 2, and then round up to the nearest 10.

✔️ For example, a 14-person bridal party would be approximately 28′ long, this requires a 30′ backdrop since we round up (photo example).

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Double Backdrops

The signature look behind any wedding party head table is our double backdrop stand. This has twice the amount of draping as our standard pipe & drape kit.

The only difference is that this has an extra layer in the front. This allows it to be pulled back on the front layer. This idea is great since it adds an element of depth to your wedding head table décor.

Similar to the single valance, our double valance draping is primarily used for the head table at weddings. So how can you accent this backdrop to make it look good in your photos?

You can also add some bling to your wedding draping decorations by using a flexible silver sequin band to dress up your pulled-back fabric. It is the small details that help bring your look together.

Hanging chandeliers create visual eye candy that gives the right amount of lighting to make photos look amazing. The included video above shows how to hang a chandelier on wedding draping.

💡 Besides small décor elements, you may want to hang a chandelier from your backdrop. This easy DIY adds light & improves photos.

DIY Chuppah Rental

Instead of trying to find a wedding chuppah rental, you can do it yourself. You won’t need to know how to make a huppah because we will ship you all the equipment.

Our DIY chuppah looks like a cute little cabana. This is multi-use meaning it can be used for formal wedding ceremonies and modern lounge areas.

How to Build a Chuppah Fast

1. Set up your DIY chuppah frame
2. Hang the fabric
3. Pleat & raise your draping
4. Pull back all openings

This looks amazing and costs a fraction of the price you might find elsewhere. If your fabric is white then it will look lovely with wireless uplighting to match your wedding. Just set your color and aim from the base up your fabric.

💡 Use (4) uplights to make a chuppah the focal point of your event or party. Rent chuppahs for ceremonies, stages, entrances & lounges.

Wedding Entrance Drapes

Any drapery that you place by your entrance will add to the look. What we love about draping a doorway is the expectation it sets for your guests. They have a heightened standard for what to expect.

we cover (3) ideas on how to drape a doorway

Draped Doorway: This is a 10-foot straight section that is swagged back to the left and the right. This is straight drapery but swagged back to bring attention to a certain doorway.

You can work in different fabric colors as well on DIY uplighting. Try flower garland table ideas or use on pedestals for a dramatic look in front.

Infinity Entrance: Creates a draped doorway but it has (3) sections placed in front of each other. This illusion almost makes a tunnel as it gives direction to your guests for the entrance.

Infinity entrances make a bold statement. We recommended using multiple sets of pedestals and flowers for this grand entranceway.

Wedding Tunnel Entrance: A tunnel is a draped doorway with a covered ceiling. These work well in venues with tall ceilings. We don’t recommend tunnels in venues with lower ceilings. The reason why is that it may feel too claustrophobic if you can’t go up to 10 feet tall.

Tunnels can have lighting, chandeliers, and rugs. You don’t have to keep them straight. Tunnels can be placed inside hallways to help hide an area a guest might enter.

Wedding Ceiling Draping Kits

There are many different types of ceiling draping for weddings. You will either drape a tent canopy or cover ceiling with fabric in a banquet hall.

Sometimes this draping can be hard to install. We recommend experienced event professionals do ceiling drapes for wedding receptions & parties. We cover this as venues sometimes request vendors to list their facility as an additional insured.

You may not be able to hang drapery if

  • damage to the venue is unavoidable

  • mounted equipment might fail

  • the setup is way too technical

  • the setup takes too long to setup

  • the ceiling is too high or inaccessible

  • there are no places to safely mount

  • you are unable to ensure guest safety

  • the venue requires proof of insurance

  • the venue won’t allow, they want a pro

  • you can’t do it, you’re afraid of heights

You do not want to damage the venue or worse have any mounted equipment fail and fall at your event. More than likely anytime you hang drapes your banquet hall will require proof of insurance.

our DIY ceiling kits are perfect for common ceiling scenarios

Circular Ceiling Drapes: Now we got the pleasantries out of the way, let’s cover a few ways to do DIY ceiling draping.

Our most popular DIY ceiling draping is a star or bicycle spoke style of draping (1 mounting point from the center and comes out). All fabric will be bundled up and extended on the ground (like bicycle spokes).

Double mount the center portion above a ceiling tile to the steel beam holding up the venue’s roof/ceiling. This is done using carabiners & safety cables. All the legs will come out and have some fullness.

Have the fabric attached with pipe cleaners to the drop ceiling grid. Even attach the fabric to drapery uprights with at least 75lbs of weight on each base plate. Weights help reduce the chance of uprights accidentally knocking over.

Horizontal Ceiling Drapes: A more elaborate idea for fabric ceiling covering ideas are horizontal swags. This requires an aircraft cable running the long way between 2 walls. Use a turnbuckle to tighten the cable. Also, the cable should be supported every 10 feet, a cable going up to the ceiling.

This prevents your main line from sagging from drapery weight. You will run (4) cables like this and it makes a channel for your draping to sit on. The very edges of the fabric will hide behind wall draping, clip to the ceiling or hide behind a wall of fabric.

Round Pipe & Drape Rentals

Our last pipe & drape kit has (3) rentals that are circular in design. Round draping makes a statement. The reason why is because it is not as common for weddings.

Not a lot of companies stock this style. Because the awkward shape of the crossbars affects shipping, the draping has a substantially higher rental price.

Let’s cover (3) popular circular draping ideas

Bishop Column: These look like champagne wine glasses. They billow from the sides and create interest in a room. We call this breaking up your space.

Use them near a head table, in a row, or on the four corners of your dance floor. These must be set on a level surface and can not be raised too high. Rent wireless uplights and work it inside to make these glow!

Round Canopy Drapery: A step above a DIY chuppa is our round design. This draped structure looks amazing when set up on a stage. You can use this for both your ceremony and reception.

This works well if you are in the same room for both events. Our DIY rentals offer great ways to decorate with thrift shop themes that include silk floral arrangements.

We do not recommend setting this up outside, only use it indoors

Pillar Draping: Do you have some beams that you want to be covered? Well, we can’t remove them but I am confident to say we can hide them with draping. Now you can hide columns at weddings and events with our pole cover kit.

All you do is set it, drape it, and raise it. Choose your color and place wireless uplighting at the bottom to light up your fabric. You know what they say out of sight out of mind!

Ceremony Aisleway Draping

Draping a ceremony aisleway can add a touch of elegance and create a stunning visual impact for a wedding or any special event. To start, you’ll need lightweight fabric such as chiffon or tulle in the color of your choice.

Begin by attaching one end of the fabric to a fixed point, such as a chair or pew, and then gently drape it along the aisle, securing the other end at regular intervals. You can use decorative elements like flowers or ribbons to add a personalized touch. Consider creating swags or twists in the fabric for a more dynamic look.

One of the key benefits of draping a ceremony aisleway is the instant transformation it brings to the space. The soft, flowing fabric can turn a simple aisle into a romantic and enchanting pathway.

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It serves as a visually appealing backdrop for the couple exchanging vows, creating a picturesque setting for photographs. Additionally, the draped aisleway can enhance the overall theme or color scheme of the event, tying together different elements of the decor for a cohesive and polished look.

It serves as a visually appealing backdrop for the couple exchanging vows, creating a picturesque setting for photographs. Additionally, the draped aisleway can enhance the overall theme or color scheme of the event, tying together different elements of the decor for a cohesive and polished look.

The fabric serves as a subtle barrier, guiding the attention of the guests

Draping can help define the ceremony space, making it feel more intimate and focused. The fabric serves as a subtle barrier, guiding the attention of the guests toward the center of the aisle where the couple stands. This not only adds to the aesthetics but also contributes to the overall ambiance and emotional impact of the ceremony.

Lastly, draping can be a versatile design element, allowing for creativity and customization. Couples can choose fabrics that match their style, and the draping can be adapted to suit different venues and themes, making it a flexible and impactful decor choice.

Tent Pole Draping

Draping tent poles is a fantastic way to elevate the atmosphere of an outdoor event, providing both functional and aesthetic benefits. To start, choose a lightweight and breathable fabric that complements the overall theme and color scheme of the event

Begin by wrapping the fabric around the tent poles, securing it with clips or ties. You can experiment with different draping styles, such as creating cascading folds or elegant swags, to achieve the desired look.

One of the primary benefits of draping tent poles is the enhancement of the overall visual appeal of the event space. The fabric adds a touch of sophistication and softness to the often utilitarian appearance of tent poles.

This can be especially impactful for weddings, receptions, or other special occasions where creating a warm and inviting atmosphere is key. The draping serves as a versatile canvas for incorporating additional decor elements, such as flowers, lights, or hanging ornaments, to further customize the space.

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Additionally, draping tent poles can help to define different areas within the tent. By strategically placing fabric around specific poles, you can create designated spaces for dining, dancing, or lounging.

This not only adds structure to the layout but also contributes to the overall flow and functionality of the event. The fabric can act as a visual guide, directing guests’ attention to focal points or specific areas of interest.

draping tent poles can serve a practical purpose by providing shade and shelter

Depending on the fabric chosen, it can offer relief from the sun, create a cozy atmosphere, or protect against light rain. This dual functionality makes draping tent poles a versatile and worthwhile investment for outdoor events, ensuring both style and comfort for attendees.

Lastly, draping can be a versatile design element, allowing for creativity and customization. Couples can choose fabrics that match their style, and the draping can be adapted to suit different venues and themes, making it a flexible and impactful decor choice.

Hang Wedding Curtains

Incorporating hanging pieces of curtains into a themed party can add a touch of magic and spontaneity to the celebration. First and foremost, curtains provide an excellent opportunity to reinforce the theme and set the tone for the event.

Choose from popular themes like vintage affair, a tropical paradise, or a glamorous Hollywood night. The choice of curtain fabric, color, and design can instantly transport guests into the desired atmosphere.

creating an immersive and visually captivating experience…

The use of themed curtains can also serve as a clever way to create distinct zones within the party space. By strategically hanging curtains, you can delineate different areas for activities, such as a dance floor, a photo booth, or a lounge area.

This not only adds a sense of structure to the event but also contributes to the overall thematic coherence. This helps make it easier for guests to navigate and engage in the various elements of the party.

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Furthermore, the creative arrangement of curtains offers an opportunity for unique and personalized decor. Whether you opt for bold patterns, custom prints, or thematic embellishments.

curtains can be a versatile canvas for expressing the theme in a way that suits your style. This attention to detail enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of the party, leaving a lasting impression on attendees and making the event more memorable.

Lastly, the use of curtains can enhance the element of surprise in a themed party. By strategically concealing certain areas or decorations behind curtains, you can create a sense of anticipation.

Unveil surprises throughout the event. This adds an element of spontaneity and excitement, keeping guests engaged and curious about what the themed party has in store for them.

Uplight Your Draping

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Aiming uplighting onto white event draping can create a stunning and versatile visual impact that enhances the overall atmosphere of the space. Firstly, white draping serves as an excellent canvas for uplighting, allowing for a clean and sophisticated backdrop.

When bathed in soft, warm uplighting, white draping can transform into a radiant and ethereal element, lending an air of elegance and timelessness to any event. This classic combination is particularly well-suited for weddings, formal dinners, and upscale celebrations, where a timeless and refined aesthetic is desired.

Furthermore, uplighting on white event draping provides a neutral base that allows for endless color customization. The ability to adjust the color of the uplighting enables you to match the lighting to the specific theme or color scheme of the event.

This adaptability adds a layer of creativity and personalization, allowing you to create different moods and atmospheres throughout the course of the event. Whether it’s a soft and romantic ambiance during a ceremony or a vibrant and energetic atmosphere during a lively reception.

the combination of uplighting and white draping offers a versatile and visually striking solution.

the strategic use of uplighting on white draping can accentuate key focal points within the venue. By highlighting specific areas such as the altar, stage, or architectural features, you can create a sense of dimension.

Draw attention to important elements of the event. This not only adds a sense of sophistication and structure to the space but also contributes to the overall spatial awareness for guests, ensuring that the event’s design is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally effective.

Mix Flower Walls & Draping

Combining fake flowers with pipe & drape into your backdrop serves (3) benefits. So let’s dive into the different benefits and figure explore why you may want to create a background using mixed decor elements.

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First of all it cuts down the price. A full flower wall will cost less than a wall that is made of half drapes & half flowers. The reason why is because flower walls cost more to purchase & are in higher demand.

A lot of designer & rental companies will try to rent you either option. It may be up to you to request a combination design to save on your budget. This style does more than save money. Keep reading to discover more benefits!

to pull off a mixture of draping & floral you have 2 options.

A backdrop made from multiple elements looks more customized. This gives a high end look. Just imagine how your photos will look with this as your backdrop behind your head table.

You can either do a full 8×8 flower wall and then frame the wall with drapery and continue it as a 30ft backdrop. You can also opt to do a 4ft wide wall and fill the empty spaces with fabric. This is ideal for a sweet heart table or small stage.

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Rent DIY Draping

There are many packages available for backdrop curtains, party drapes & wedding ceremony drapery. You can either hire one of the many event rental companies or opt to do it yourself and save more.

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Send us a message incase you still have questions about wedding wall drapes

As you can see above we have given you all info you need to know exactly how much it costs to drape a wedding. To see our lowest pricing for each draping kit, click any of the links above.

Now you know where to find cheap drape rentals! If you ever need more pipe and drape ideas please let us know. Our team is available via chat and phone to discuss your do-it-yourself event.

🎉 We hope our article gives great ideas on how to drape your party on a budget. If you have any questions give us a call or message us on chat.

Founders Robert + Nicole Reno

With a combined (4) decades in the industry; we’ve trained hundreds, booked thousands, & partied with millions. Our first-hand experience allows us to empower others to succeed & be great… (read full bio)

Founders Robert + Nicole Reno

With a combined (4) decades in the industry; we’ve trained hundreds, booked thousands, & partied with millions. Our first-hand experience allows us to empower others to succeed & be great… (read full bio)

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