When deciding on the decorations for your wedding venue a lot will depend on the type of wedding venue you have chosen. Here is my guide to decorating different types of wedding venue.
Decorating a Marquee Wedding Venue
A marquee provides you with a great blank space to create whatever you want. The thing that I enjoy about designing a wedding marquee is that I can create different ‘areas’. A cocktail reception, the dining area and then the dancing area and bar. With three or four different areas within the marquee, you can create three or four looks that complement one another.
Nowadays, more and more marquee companies can provide ready built ‘mezzanine’ levels, so you can even have two floors within the marquee. This adds interest and is a good use of space if the site for the marquee is smaller than you need.
Reveals are popular, where the dining and dancing areas are hidden behind curtains and can be dropped or opened at the appropriate time to reveal the next stage of your wedding.
An advantage of marquees is that with trusses and hanging points installed you have the option of hanging décor from the ceiling. This can be lighting, buntings, pom poms or unusual hanging floral displays.
Decorating a Country House Wedding Venue
If you have chosen a country house for your wedding then you probably want to embrace the charm of this setting and enhance it with your décor.
One tends to think of country houses as warm and rustic with pretty gardens. I also think they are generally a more intimate setting. If the room allows, you may want to consider long dining tables, or ‘sprigs’ as they are termed. This type of table layout makes the room feel like a banquet. Décor runs the length of the table and can have varying heights to add interest.
In summer you will hopefully be able to make use of the gardens and have your drinks reception outside. Occasional tables draped in pretty linen with attractive chairs can create a garden party feel to your reception.
Decorating a Modern Hotel Wedding Venue
The advent of the ’boutique’ hotel has provided a chic and stylish location for your wedding reception.
The décor is usually quite bold — large pattern wallpapers, interesting objet d’arts and statement furniture are most commonly found in these hotels. My advice is to not compete with these, but complement them with striking floral designs, big candelabra and stylish linen and glassware.
Coloured linen that blends with the setting adds interest to a room and looks chic.
Decorating an Outdoor Area for a Wedding
An outdoor ceremony and/or reception provide you with an already beautiful setting, so you can keep décor to a minimum.
When designing the décor for an outdoor area, I like to use displays with movement. Hanging displays from trees or purpose-built poles that move in the breeze enhance an atmospheric setting.
Rings of flowers with ribbons draped from them, placement cards hung from trees and tulle wrapped boxwood trees tied with big floppy ribbons are all appropriate to the setting. Your arrangements need to be big or they will be lost in the large setting.
A central display of gorgeous chocolate berries for guests to pick from as they mingle is a delicious and pretty decoration.
Guest post by Siobhan Craven-Robins
Images from…
Marquee: Helen Abraham Photography
Table Display: Siobhan Craven-Robins
Ceremony Setting: Nikki Holland
Hanging Display: Charlie Davies Photography
