Lit by a spectacular chandelier, the grand and impressive space features marble floors and a soaring ceiling. Candlelit mosaic and dozens of flower displays create an exclusive ambiance, perfectly blends with the glamour and allure of the historic palace, rich and luxurious in every detail.
No matter which venue you choose for your wedding, the key factor in making it look and feel special is to set the ambiance for the venue. It’s all about creating an ambiance by using creative touches that can add so much depth of feeling to any space. No matter what size your venue is, so think of up lights, fairy lights, and hanging tea lights, each of which will bring a different look and feel to the room without you having to go all out on a specific theme.
Candles are one of the simplest ways and there are plenty of ways to use them creatively. But don’t forget additions like draping, which can completely transform the look of a room in an instant. Here are some ideas to get the creative juices going. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me directly if you wish to chat about any aspect of your wedding planning and décor.
To help create the perfect wedding day ambiance for yourself, family, and friends, you need to give some thought to what it is you want the day to accomplish. Of course, number one is marrying the love of your life. But weddings also serve as life celebrations and get together for extended families and groups of friends, get together that may only happen once a decade. A wedding reflects your personality, so take some time to think about what it is that would make your wedding truly unique and special for you, and then create the perfect environment for you.
When you’re planning a wedding, creating the perfect atmosphere is all about the details. Here are some tips for working with your event center to arrange lighting, tables, dance space, and other essential details that set the stage for your big day.
Most wedding venues have an events coordinator who manages the ins and outs of every wedding at the location. They’re familiar with space and the common challenges it brings, so they can be a great resource for getting started. Ask about details that affect the overall atmosphere of your wedding. Where are the lights located? Can you rearrange the furniture? Where are the best spots for flower arrangements? How will the food be handled? What kind of equipment is available for music? Where are the scenic overlooks and great spots for photos?
Find and Settle on the Layout
If you want a day to remember, look for your dream location, and then go for it. Take a look at the background there and just imagine you, your special someone, and your families and friends under the shade of magnificent redwoods and listening to a sound of a creek running by. There are special locations out there that you can find with a little bit of digging. Once you strike gold, get that reservation in as soon as you can.
There’s nothing like a wedding right on the family farm or at your own home. Whether you are planning a giant celebration or a small affair, you can scale up or scale down a celebration depending on your desire and your location’s size. By having your wedding in a familiar place, and one you can go back to and visit occasionally, you create a more intimate connection with the day for both you and guests.
Rather than deal with the hustle and bustle of planning your own event, why not just put your feet up at a resort? You can let the buffet do the catering, and use the beautiful beach as a backdrop for the ceremony. Even better, you don’t need to worry about decorating, as the resort will already have everything done up. It depends on your preference of course, but a resort is a great way to go for people who want a relaxing wedding. Take some time to look inside and see what kind of wedding you want, and you’ll find that with just a little bit of research, you can create your perfect wedding.
Very early on in the process, you’ll need to decide on a general layout at the venue – where the ceremony will happen, where the reception will take place, where photos will be shot, and so forth. It’s important to settle on this and not make too many adjustments later.
In fact, many experts say you shouldn’t place an order with a single vendor until you’ve settled on your venue and overall plan. Your vendors will rely on it for dimensions, crowd flow, capacity, and other things that affect your price quotes.
Arrange Flexible Lighting
When the overall layout is in place, take the time to envision the proper lighting for your wedding. To set a magical tone, arrange gentle lighting that comes from many directions. Consider tiny “fairy lights” on strings across the reception area or twinkling curtains of lights around the dance floor.
Most venues can only offer basic lights as a part of your rental – usually from ceiling fixtures and possibly wall sconces. Talk to your venue coordinator to determine whether additional lighting is allowed, and how cords and outlets will be handled.
Have you considered uplighting? It’s a trendy and budget-friendly way to add ambiance. Rent or purchase floor lights and place them around the perimeter or near important areas to be highlighted. It looks great in photos! Again, make sure your venue is okay with this plan.
Up-Lighting and Gobo
Up-lighters will give you a really stunning effect for your wedding venue. They can bathe your room in a host of beautiful colors, from purples to pinks, to lilac, corals, blues, and more. Gobo is another really useful and eye-catching lighting option, where you can have anything from the couple’s initials to the wedding date projected onto the wall of the venue.
Candles, Tea lights, and Lanterns
If you don’t want to go down the route of uplighters and gobo, then one of the simplest ways to achieve a real sense of romantic ambiance is with candles. There are so many ways to use candles; don’t just think of using one size or type. Think tea lights dotted along with entrances, a mix of lanterns on the floor or on tables. Elegant candelabras, pillar candles of different sizes. Have fun and don’t feel you have to stick with one over the other. Also hanging tea lights make for the dreamiest effect when the sun goes down and can be hung from a range of locations.
Fairylights
When you think of a romantic wedding ambiance you think of fairy lights. They are the ultimate classic look for wedding receptions and just because something is a classic, that doesn’t mean it’s not still stunning, on-trend, and relevant. Fairylights can be used in a variety of ways, from backdrops, to over balconies, vertically on windows, and much more.
Draping
Another really simple touch is soft draping. It can be used in a variety of ways from the ceilings, to balconies, to entrances, on backdrops and even on your reception chairs. Used in conjunction with lighting options such as candles and lighters, it’s amazing how much draping can completely soften and transform the look of any size of the venue.
Cue the Music
From your ceremony to the very last dance, wedding music sets the mood. Hire a DJ, put a friend on music duty, or just bust out a playlist on your device. But no matter what you do, make sure the venue is crystal-clear about how music will be handled. The last thing you want is a bad audio setup or PA system announcements that interfere with your event.
The latest trend is to pick songs that are totally free of cliche, and that is meaningful to you, your spouse, and your family. So ditch the Chicken Dance a zoom and other wedding hits everyone has heard a million times. Create a custom playlist
Sprinkle in Details
When all the other primary event details are arranged, take a bit of time to create added ambiance with special details that are totally unique to your wedding. These can be found all over Pinterest and wedding websites, but here are a few of our favorites:
Walk to nostalgia. As you walk down the aisle to the ceremony altar, play a tune that was meaningful while you were dating – even if it’s a fast or silly song.
Display family heritage. Honor your family or cultural traditions by including them in your wedding space. Use family photos, clothing, decor, and anything else that is important to you.
Create a custom drink. Set up a drink bar that serves all your favorites, whether it’s diet sodas or fancy cocktails. Send everyone home with cards that have the ingredients for a custom wedding-themed drink.
Play games. Create an area for your favorite games. Ball sports aren’t usually good for weddings – because people are in dressy clothes – but it’s easy to play cornhole, horseshoes, croquet, and other low-impact games. And it’s great for energetic kids!
Invite a food truck. Instead of doing a sit-down dinner or catered buffet, join the food truck trend. They can provide entire meals or just desserts. Your guests can walk right up for food without waiting. Plus, food trucks are fun!
