Transforming Wedding Reception Rooms: A Step-By-Step Guide

Planning a wedding reception can be a daunting task, but with the right tips and tricks, you can transform any venue into a breathtaking space that reflects your style and vision. Here are some ideas to make over your wedding reception room:

- Consider the venue type: The type of venue you choose will impact your decoration options. Whether it's a rustic barn, elegant ballroom, trendy rooftop, or art gallery, each space has its unique characteristics that you can play up or tone down.

- Draping: Use fabric draping to cover up unsightly walls or features and to create a softer, more romantic atmosphere. Tulle, chiffon, voile, and satin are popular choices for ceiling and wall draping.

- Flowers and backdrops: Flowers, even faux or paper ones, add elegance and whimsy to your venue. Create backdrops with flowers, balloons, greenery, hoops, draping, and arches for photo ops and to hide any eyesores.

- Lighting: Soft, romantic lighting can be achieved through candles and string lights. Consider replacing the venue's lighting with chandeliers for a more glamorous touch.

- Furniture: Bring in additional furniture, like couches and ottomans, to create lounge areas for your guests to relax and mingle. Use draping to create intimate booths or lounges.

- Structures: For a bolder transformation, consider adding large structures like tents, marquees, or arches. Dress them up with flowers, greenery, and string lights.

- Additional features: Enhance the venue with ice sculptures, water features, potted plants, or arches, but keep your budget in mind when adding these extra touches.

- Dance floor and stage: The dance floor and stage are key elements to consider. Allow enough space for guests to dance and ensure good visibility for major events.

- Tables and seating: Choose the shape and size of tables that fit your guest count and the type of food service. Arrange tables symmetrically, forming a U-shape around the dance floor or centering them along a wall. Reserve tables closest to the newlyweds for immediate family.

- Bar and cocktail hour: Plan for one bar with two bartenders per 100 guests. Place the bars away from the entrance and spread them out to avoid congestion. Leave room around the bars for cocktail tables during the cocktail hour.

Use draping to cover unsightly features and create a softer, more elegant and romantic atmosphere

Draping is a great way to cover unsightly features and create a softer, more elegant and romantic atmosphere at your wedding reception.

First, consider the type of fabric you will use. Chiffon, organza, voile, tulle, and satin are all popular choices for wedding drapes. Chiffon is a lightweight, slightly shimmery fabric often made from silk. Organza is also made from silk but is stiffer and adds volume to your draping. Tulle is soft and smooth while still holding its structure well. Satin is a broad term for a type of weave that results in a soft, shiny, durable, and smooth look. Voile is another option for a sheer, gauzy look.

Next, consider the colour of your drapes. All-white fabric is the most common choice for traditional weddings, but neutral colours like ivory or blush create a clean and simple look, metallic colours like gold or silver fit well with edgy themes, and bold colours like red, green, or blue add contrast. You can also use draping to reinforce your wedding colour palette or create a colourful backdrop.

Now, let's discuss how to use draping to cover unsightly features and create a romantic atmosphere:

• Wall Draping: Draping the walls can soften harsh edges and hide imperfections, making a plain or industrial space look more elegant.
• Section Off Large Spaces: Use floor-to-ceiling draping to divide a large, open space into smaller, more intimate areas. This can also help to create "zones" for different parts of the reception, such as the cocktail hour, reception, and after-party.
• Create a Backdrop: Use panels of draping fabric to cover up areas you don't want guests to see and to elevate your wedding décor.
• Ceiling Draping: Drapery on the ceiling can create the illusion of a marquee-style room, especially if you drape the entire interior of the room. This is perfect for hiding features you want to conceal or creating a new setting.
• Entrances and Staircases: Drape fabric over entrances, doorways, and staircases to create a grand entrance and add a touch of glamour.
• Hide Unwanted Features: Use draping to camouflage ordinary windows, dull walls, or corporate signage. You can also use pipe and drape or screens to hide paintings or sconces that don't fit your wedding style.
• Add Lighting: Enhance your draping with clever lighting. String lights or candles glowing next to draped fabric add romance and drama.

Choose a colour scheme and theme for your decor, and use this to guide your flower arrangements and centrepieces

Choosing a colour scheme and theme for your wedding reception decor is a great way to express your personality and style as a couple. It's also a fun way to get creative and make your special day truly yours. Here are some tips and ideas to help you choose a colour scheme and theme, and use them to guide your flower arrangements and centrepieces:

• Consider the venue: The type of venue you've chosen for your wedding reception can help guide your colour scheme and theme. For example, if you're having a rustic barn wedding, you might want to incorporate more natural, earthy tones and elements like wood slices and wildflowers. On the other hand, if you're getting married in a sleek city loft, you might want to go for a more modern and elegant colour scheme with metallic accents.
• Think about your favourite colours: As a couple, discuss your favourite colours and see if there are any overlaps or colours that complement each other well. You can also consider colours that have a special meaning for you or that you find particularly romantic or uplifting.
• Look at the season: The time of year can also influence your colour scheme and floral choices. For example, if you're having a spring wedding, you might want to incorporate pastel colours and blooming flowers like peonies and tulips. In the fall, richer colours like burgundy, orange and gold, and flowers such as sunflowers and dahlias might be more appropriate.
• Create a mood board: Collect images, fabric swatches, and other items that reflect the colours and themes you're considering. This will help you visualise how different elements will work together and narrow down your choices.
• Choose your flowers: Flowers are a great way to bring your colour scheme and theme to life. If you have a favourite flower, you can build your arrangements around that. Otherwise, consider the colours, styles and meanings of different blooms to choose ones that reflect your taste and personality. For example, roses are classic and romantic, while sunflowers are cheerful and vibrant.
• Mix heights and dimensions: When it comes to centrepieces, consider mixing heights and dimensions to create visual interest. Tall centrepieces with flowers or candles can add drama and elegance to the room, while low arrangements or simple bud vases can create a more intimate and relaxed atmosphere.
• Incorporate candles: Candles are a great way to add ambiance and soften the lighting in the room. Choose tapered candles in elegant candlesticks for a formal affair or mix and match colourful votives for a more whimsical look.
• Don't forget the details: Think about other ways to incorporate your colour scheme and theme into the reception space. This could include table linens, chair sashes, place settings, or even a custom dance floor. Small details can make a big difference in tying the whole look together.

Create a focal point with a backdrop, such as a flower wall or a draped pergola

Creating a focal point with a backdrop, such as a flower wall or a draped pergola, is a great way to make a statement at your wedding reception. Here are some tips and ideas to help you create a stunning backdrop:

Flower Wall

Flower walls are a beautiful and romantic way to add a touch of nature to your wedding reception. You can choose from a variety of colours, such as classic white, romantic pink, or even a mix of colours to match your wedding palette. For a more unique look, you can opt for a 3D silk flower wall with different types of flowers and leaves. If you're feeling creative, you can even make your own flower wall using DIY flower panels or paper flowers. This option allows you to customise the colours and types of flowers to your liking. Flower walls can be used as backdrops for the head table, photo booths, or even as a decorative accent for a bare wall.

Draped Pergola

A draped pergola is an elegant way to frame the head table or create a focal point in the room. Sheer fabric, such as tulle or velvet, can be draped over a pergola to create a soft and romantic look. You can also incorporate fairy lights or string lights into the draping for a touch of sparkle. If you're looking for something more unique, consider using a combination of fabrics and floral garlands. This can add texture and interest to your backdrop. Etsy offers a variety of wedding drapery options, including pre-made drapery sets and custom-made drapery services.

When creating a focal point with a backdrop, it's important to consider the overall style and theme of your wedding. A flower wall or draped pergola can be customised to fit a rustic, elegant, or modern wedding. By choosing the right colours, types of flowers or draping, and additional decorations, you can create a backdrop that enhances the atmosphere of your wedding reception.

Play with lighting to create a romantic atmosphere

Lighting is the single most important décor element at a wedding. The bulbs and candles you select will ultimately light up your venue, make your photos pop, and keep the party going after the sun goes down.

Use a mixture of lamps, votives, and bistro lights

Add glamour to your reception decor with a combination of lamps, votives, and bistro lights. The clear tent that covers this patio reflects the market lights' gleam, creating a festive and cosy mood. The gold of the candelabra centrepieces and chairs add even more warmth to this romantic bistro wedding reception lighting idea.

Hang string lights and draped tulle off the venue's beams

For a beautifully illuminated decor, hang string lights and draped tulle off the venue's beams to form an entryway. This is an easy wedding reception lighting idea to implement at any venue with exposed poles, pipes, or beams. Don't limit yourself to a barn; it could be the perfect idea for the raw space of an industrial venue!

Line up electric candles with the pews

If your venue has cool chandeliers, rock your ceremony photography and ambiance by lining up electric candles with the pews. This is an ultra-romantic industrial wedding theme that is very much on-trend.

Hang flame-retardant fairy lights

If you already have a tented space, hanging some flame-retardant fairy lights will turn your evening into a dream come true. Imagine this setting at any outdoor wedding reception. No main centrepieces are needed if you go for an arrangement of candles and votives.

Use string lights, draped fabric, and evergreens

These string lights add happiness and warmth to the space. No need to worry about the heat of the lights against the draped fabric. For a more wintry or foresty feel, mix in some evergreens. This is a wonderful idea to cheer up even the most seriously impressive reception venues.

Hire additional furniture to create a lounge area for guests to relax in

Hiring additional furniture to create a lounge area is a great way to offer your guests a place to relax and socialise during your wedding reception. It can also be a stylish way to extend your wedding décor and break up the space to enhance its flow.

When planning your lounge area, consider the overall style of your wedding. If you're going for a vintage or rustic theme, for example, you could hire furniture with wooden accents, or for a modern wedding, opt for sleek, minimalist designs with clean lines. Think about the colours and textures of your furniture, too—perhaps you want to stick to a neutral colour palette, or add pops of colour to a particular area of the room.

To create a cosy and inviting space, you'll need to hire a variety of furniture. A typical lounge area might include a sofa, two slipper chairs, a coffee table, two end tables, and two to three poufs. If you have the space, you could even create a symmetrical layout with two lounge areas that mirror each other. Don't forget to add some extra touches like side tables, pillows, books, florals, and lighting to make the space feel extra welcoming.

When deciding on the location of your lounge area, consider placing it near the dance floor, so guests can easily join in with the festivities, but not too close that it becomes noisy for conversation. You'll also want to ensure the space is well-lit and that food and drinks are being served there, so your guests have everything they need to relax and recharge.

Frequently asked questions