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There are lots of good reasons to book a venue for your wedding reception. Hopefully, one of the reasons is because you think it is beautiful, but sometimes other considerations have to take priority. If you choose your venue for its size, price, or proximity to the church more than its beauty, fear not. These tips will help you to turn your diamond in the rough into a beautiful gem of a reception site.
The first step when trying to beautify a reception site is to prioritize your concerns. Is it architecturally too bland? Or perhaps the walls are painted in a color you dislike, the flooring is outdated, or the lighting is too harsh. All of these concerns can be addressed, it is simply a matter of first deciding on which issues you should spend your money. It also helps to remember that any room will look prettier when filled with floral centerpieces, not to mention all of your festively attired guests.
Bad lighting can be a big problem. There are far too many reception halls out there with that hideous fluorescent overhead lighting. The problem with fluorescent lighting is two-fold: first of all, it is unattractive in its own right, and secondly, it casts a harsh and unflattering glow onto everything in the room (including the bride!). If your venue has this type of lighting, getting around it should be your number one priority. In fact, if you can make the lighting in the reception hall more flattering, everything else will look so much better that you might find you have no other pressing decor issues to tackle. Use the extra funds to buy really special bridesmaid gifts or to serve a better class of wine.
The chances are that you will not be replacing the overhead lighting in your venue, but there are several things that can be done to lessen its effect. Find out if it is possible to turn off half of the lights to reduce the glare of the fluorescent panels. To make sure the room does not end up too dim, bring in your own attractive lighting. A small bistro style glass lamp with a silk shade in the center of each table would be very chic and would cast a romantic glow onto your guests at dinner. Choose shades in a flattering color like rose or apricot. A small wreath of flowers around the base of each lamp will complete the effect. Another idea is to rent chandeliers to hang over the tables. Finally, do not overlook the wonderful ambiance which you can create using masses of candles.
Another common issue at reception venues is walls in unattractive colors. They may be painted in a bright and obnoxious shade, or perhaps the color is not inherently hideous, just one that you happen to dislike. Either way, something must be done. A good place to start is with visual distraction. Use lighting and flowers to draw attention to the center of the room, away from the eyesore walls. Especially if the room is fairly dim, that may be all you need to do. Keep in mind that it is best to spend your money on the parts of the wedding that really matter like the music, the food, bridesmaid gifts, and an open bar. The less you have to spend remaking the reception venue, the more you will have to put into the aspects which directly impact how much people enjoy your wedding.
When distraction is not enough to hide an ugly wall or another unattractive feature like a pipe, it is time to turn to camouflage. Fabric can be one of the best ways to beautify a reception site. Shirred fabric panels stretched on gold painted wooden frames make excellent standing screens to hide pipes or other utilitarian features in a room. If you have anyone handy in your family, the screens can be homemade using inexpensive lumber and fabric remnants to cut costs. You can also use colorful uplighting to transform the color of walls, as well as tall potted plants to distract from them. When it comes to improving the look of a wedding reception venue, you will find that with a little ingenuity and creativity, big changes can be made on a small budget.
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Source by Guy Antonelli
