I guess it is the event planner in me, but I love to have my dining room table decorated at all times and any excuse to go all out for a holiday, I love even more. Of course, I only like to decorate on a budget, while still keeping it classy and elegant.

Here are a couple of tips when it comes to decorating a beautiful table on a budget.

• Invest in basic plain plates and glassware. I have yet to use my entire wedding china set (it’s been 7 years) but I always use 4 out of the 12 of my plates year-round. You can find beautiful classic pieces at an antique store if you are on a tight budget.
• A beautiful napkin set goes a long way, I love to drape it under the smaller plate.
• I usually spend a little more on one big item for the table. For example: at Christmas, I will spend around $30-50 on fresh garland from a florist, and add candles and pinecones.
• Candles go a long way
• Don’t over clutter your table, you still want to be able to eat on it
• Chargers can add a texture element to your table, or pop of color. Dollar General usually has colored ones, and Hobby Lobby has some great ones too.
• Have a pop of something on top of your plates, it can be an item like a pumpkin, or even just a smaller salad/dessert plate with a themed design.
• My favorite thing to do for kids’ birthdays, is to buy brown wrapping paper and wrap the table, and write on it. I will add all the gifts on the table, cake, and decorate all around it for when they wake up.

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