Decorating Different Types of Wedding Venue

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 marquee is that I can create different ‘areas’. A cocktail reception, the dining area and then the dancing area and bar.  With 3 or 4 different areas within the marquee, you can create 3 or 4 looks that complement one another.

Nowadays, more and more marquee companies are able to 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 require.

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 trusses and hanging points can be installed so you have the option of hanging décor from the ceiling. This can be lighting, buntings, pom poms or unusual floral displays. I recently discovered laser cut bunting from www.hummingbirdcards.co.uk

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 and décor can be kept to the 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 from www.berryscrumptious.co.uk for guests to pick from as they mingle is a delicious and pretty decoration.

Article by London Based Wedding Co-Ordinator Siobhan Craven-Robins

Images Courtesy of –

Marquee - Sophocles Alexiou

Ceremony Setting – Nikki Holland

Table Display and Outdoor Wedding – Siobhan Craven-Robins

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