You know that you’ll remember your wedding for the rest of your life. You want to be able to look back on your wedding day with wonder and excitement. In your dreams, you picture the magical, fairy-tale weddings you see on TV. But when you check your bank account, it’s easy to feel like the realities of your life don’t support that magical dream. One of the easiest ways to limit your wedding budget is by choosing a budget-friendly venue, but that can put you in the position of throwing your wedding in a location you find ugly. The truth is that any venue, no matter how ugly, can be transformed into a luxurious dream space. This guide will walk you through a five-step process for making an ugly venue look like a fairy Godmother paid it a visit.
#1: Decide on a Theme
Themed weddings are all the rage right now, and it’s no wonder why. Pinterest can turn the least crafty wedding party into DIY experts. Themes are an easy way to keep projects looking cohesive. They’re also fun. Weddings and receptions are social experiences. The more exciting and engaging you can make them for your guests, the less likely they are to notice the scuffs on your venue’s walls.
When choosing a theme for your wedding, you’ll want to keep both your personality and your venue in mind. A space-themed wedding might sound good to a Star Wars-loving couple, but if you’re having your wedding in a barn, it will be hard to make the theme work in the space you have. Instead, that couple might have an easier time drawing on the barn’s rustic interior to pull off a nautical theme—or even a pirate theme if they’re feeling adventurous.
#2: Consider the Walk-Through
When planning your décor, you’ll want to beautify the spaces your guests will be most focused on. Do a walk-through of your venue as if you were a guest. Pay attention to where your eyes fall naturally when you’re first entering the room, when you’re on the dance floor, and when you’re at the bar getting a drink. These are the spaces you’ll want to have your most important decorations displayed. When you do this correctly, the rest of the venue will seem to fade away, and your guests will only care about what you want them to care about.
When you do your walk-through of the venue, you’ll also want to look out for any particular eyesores in the space. If you know what your eyesores are, you can plan the use of your venue accordingly. For example, you might hang a rented curtain in front of an ugly pipe and then put a buffet table in front of it to keep your guests from noticing that space.
#3: The Transforming Power of Fabrics
The right fabric can do amazing things for your space. Everything from your tablecloths to your curtains should be carefully thought out to enhance your theme and make your space look amazing. For example, you could thread some fabric through the backs of chairs to make them look decorative, use shimmer fabric to add an elegant flair to your space, or rent an LED star curtain as a backdrop for the photobooth at your Harry Potter-themed wedding.
#4: Majestic Lighting Ideas
Lighting sets the mood of a space. Hanging star lights, for example, transform a boring ceiling into an illuminated night’s sky, while a large, hanging chandelier can elevate your cheap venue into a luxurious Hollywood set.
Accent lighting sparkles and shimmers off drapery, giving your venue a majestic feel. As you spin and twirl on the dance floor, it will look like fairies are dancing around the edges of your wedding. Carefully placed lighting also draws your guests’ eyes to where you want them to go and distracts from the peeling wallpaper or chipped tiles you’re hoping they don’t notice.
#5: The Little Things Matter
The first steps in this guide paint the edges of your venue in broad strokes, transforming it from an ugly venue to a gorgeous canvas. However, it’s the little things that you contribute that will decorate that canvas and emphasize your personality. Whether you choose to hand-craft your bouquet from pages of your favorite book or incorporate baby pictures of yourself and your spouse in your centerpieces, these nuanced decorating details will be what sets your wedding apart.
Although the little things matter, they’re also where you can be adventurous and personal. Don’t be afraid to have a craft night with the people in your wedding party to assemble centerpieces or come up with an idea for a unique guest book. When you look back on your wedding twenty years from now, the personal touches that you put into it are the things that will stand out to you the most.
Lavan Photography is one of the best wedding photographers in Melbourne. They have shot over 200 weddings in various types of venues. They've seen lots of couples were able to turn budget venues specticular with magical floral or even just simple DIY elements. The one advice they'd like to give the couples is there’s really no such thing as an ugly wedding venue. High-end wedding venues can look cheap, while budget-friendly venues can look luxurious. With care, love, and planning, even the most blasé venue can be transformed into someone’s dream wedding. A hideous paisley wallpaper might look amazing in a retro 70s-themed wedding, while chipping and peeling paint can be covered with drapery or add to the rustic charm of a 20s-themed black-tie event. All it takes is a smidgen of creativity to embrace a space and make it your own.
