If you’re planning any kind of outdoor event at home or away, do what wedding professionals do: “dress the set. “  Specifically challenging can be gates and fences. Whether the barrier you’re facing is industrial chain link, cement blocks, charming wooden posts or white-painted pickets, we’ve got some fresh ideas pulled from the best weddings for putting your look together. Create the back drop of your dreams!

Starting with the tough stuff first, what are the newest DIY ways to dress a chain link fence? You may be having a backyard ceremony, reception or any kind of outdoor home-style blow-out. Perhaps you’ve chosen a fenced location that needs a little dressing up. There are two ways you can approach the subject: one way is to try and hide or disguise the chain link (or any other less-than-pleasing background) or you can embrace the look and thereby enhance it.

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It’s a well known fact that the eye stops on whatever is closest in sight, so hanging draperies in any kind of fabric is going to improve your view. Remember, your fabric additions don’t have to cover the entire breadth and width of a venue… just the parts you’ll be working in and around. Hanging drapes behind the wedding party dais, for instance, can create a delightful sense of intimacy in a large space, adding color and drama in the process.

Another technique, the opposite of hiding the fence, is to use it to your advantage. Chain link and other types of fencing are ideal for hanging all kinds of things including banners and photographs. There’s a real charm about including pictures as your background and it’s a hot DIY trend in the wedding and party planning arena… this works well for birthdays and anniversaries, too. Virtually any situation in which you’d like your guests of honor to actually be honored calls for a photographic display and fences or gates are a perfect place to do it. For a seamless look, try to pull in other elements of a similar nature, like big galvanized buckets that work really well as ice chests for drinks, and smaller ones for candy.

Did you know that paper lanterns are like balloons for grown-ups? You can use paper lanterns by grouping them in bunches (odd numbers make the best look) and attaching them to your fence railing. Paper lanterns are super great: affordable and even romantic when you want them to be. They come in lots of cool festive colors… and are a little classier than balloons. Unlike balloons, they won’t melt in the heat. It’s really sad when balloons are sagging before the party’s over! Not an issue with paper lanterns.

Maybe you don’t have a “problem” background that needs dressing up, instead you just want to bring some color and pizzazz to the setting. Try this tip: mason jars, simply but carefully wired to fence posts, filled with water and flowers and tied with pretty ribbons that blow in the breeze. For extra fun, add a few drops of food coloring to the water (do a test first so the color doesn’t color your flowers!).

The next time you’re planning an outdoor wedding or any outdoor event, think about the party perimeter and try some of these fun suggestions to “dress your set.” With very little trouble and expense, you’ll add an entirely new dimension to your event… and you’ll be glad you did!

Susanna Miles, from (kisswedding.com) and real wedding blog (kisswedding.com/blog) is a place for brides to go for simple wedding ideas that make planning a wedding on a budget a heck of a lot easier.  The Guide, the Workbook and now the eCourse however help brides de-stress by de-mystifying the wedding industry, simplifying planning, and uncovering alot of the myths surrounding inexpensive wedding ideas.

All of the elements of the K.i.s.s. brand are based on keeping it simple & special – the very things that kept me sane while planning my own wedding and thousands since

For more outdoor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Every 15.4 seconds a burglar breaks into a home in the United States. That’s straight from the FBI. Families need every edge they can get to keep from becoming part of that statistic. Take these 6 home security tips to heart and you will be much safer in your home.

Image via: Houzz

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1. Fortify the burglar’s easiest entry points.

Your back door, front door and garage door are most common ways for burglars to get into a home. Usually the garage door is the weakest and easiest target, followed by the back door. Burglars can often work on back doors and garage doors without being noticed by neighbors. They also know that if they get into a garage, many families will leave extra keys in parked cars.

Make sure your locks on all these entrances are strong. Install deadbolts on all doors that are outside or between the house and the garage. You can have a locksmith come through and get rock solid locks on all these doors. Also make sure your lock strike plates are rugged. When you have a door near a window, consider a “double cylinder” lock. It can be locked from the inside with a second key so an intruder can’t just break a window, reach around and turn the door knob.

2. Never give away the fact that you’re gone.

Most of us know to stop the delivery of newspapers and mail. Also, set up lights on timers around the house—including the outside—and keep a car in the driveway if possible. If you’re prone to bragging about your great vacation spots, be careful. Don’t boast in public about the fact that you’ll be “basking on a tropical beach for two straight weeks starting Monday!”

If you have a lawn, mow it just before you leave if you’ll be gone long enough for it to start looking a little shaggy. I don’t know how many people still use answering machines, but if that’s you, turn it down so it doesn’t blare every time the phone rings.

Image via: Houzz

3. Put locks on windows and sliding glass doors.

Those little thumb locks on windows are not very secure. Invest in window locks. Also, if you have a sliding glass patio door, it needs two shots of extra security. You need to prevent it from sliding with either a lock or a length of wood. Also, these can be easily lifted up and out of their tracks. You need a device to prevent this. A good locksmith can help you get your sliding glass door properly secured.

4. Fix your doorbell.

Here’s the job description for many burglars: Pretend to be a salesman. Ring the doorbell. If someone answers talk for a minute or two then leave and go to the next house. If no one answers, bingo, go around to the back and break in. If your doorbell is broken you could easily have an unwelcome intruder in your midst someday soon. Fix a broken doorbell and test yours regularly.

5. Use a home alarm system.

Homes that are equipped with alarm systems are far less frequently burglarized. Use it all the time, even when you’re home. It’s bad enough to come home and find that you’ve been robbed. It’s far worse to come downstairs and find out that you’re in the process of being robbed. Also, put the decals of the company monitoring your system on windows in the front and back. Burglars generally prefer breaking in through rear entrances. Also, don’t forget to turn it on when you leave. One professional burglar reports that 90 percent of the homes he victimized had alarms that were not turned on.

Image via: Houzz

6. Change all the locks when you move.

If you’re moving into a new home, switch out all the locks on day one. This is the perfect time to call in a locksmith, get a top-to-bottom inspection along with some sound advice, and have all your locks switched out. If you’re an avid DIYer, spend some time at your nearest home improvement center and invest in all the locks and deadbolts you need to safely secure all your doors and windows. Don’t forget patio doors and garage doors. If you are renting, be certain your landlord has changed the locks to your new apartment or house.

Follow these 6 home security tips and there’s every reason to believe that the bad guys are going to pass by your home and go find a much easier target.

About the author: These home security tips were provided by fc-locksmith-ottawa.com, a locksmith company serving the Ottawa area.

For more home security tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Your home is one of the most expensive investments you will make in your lifetime and your family is even dearer to you. Safety is essential at home but so is convenience. There are a few ways to make your home safe through home automation, landscaping, and outdoor home ideas to assist in in-climate weather to get in your home quicker and without you weathering the elements! Here are few tips to keep your home and family safe.

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Keep your outdoor home safe:

Keeping the outside of your home free from overgrown landscaping and obstructions from windows and doors is your first line of defense against intruders. Install outdoor lighting for night time safety and security. Consider installing gate automation kits if you have a gated driveway so you can operate the entrance of your home easily and securely inside your car. Once your outdoor home looks and feel secure, you can focus on your interiors.

Automate your home:

Whether you have children that come home after school while you’re at work, or you want to turn on your lights before you get in, home automation has revolutionized how we live. You can control your heating and cooling, security system, lights, and even have video cameras installed that can all be controlled from a smart phone/tablet or desktop computer. The days of hoping your family and home is safe while you are away traveling are gone. Simplicity and convenience help you feel better and your family feels safer.

Image via: Zimbio

From keeping your outdoor home safe with landscaping tips to automating your home, you can feel comfortable in leaving your unoccupied home. On vacation, at work, or when your children come home use these tips to conveniently keep your home safe and secure.

For more home safety tips on Stagetecture, click here.