One of the first decisions to make after you have decided what sort of wedding you want is to decide on a venue. The type of venue will depend on what sort of wedding theme you have chosen. There is a growing trend in Australia for simple Friday evening wedding celebrations instead of the usual lengthy Saturday affairs. This trend has evolved because many wedding venues are booked up well in advance.

I grew up in the Europe; weddings usually took place in the morning followed by a wedding breakfast. And the bride walked up the aisle with her father the bridesmaids following behind. When I was married in Australia we had an afternoon wedding followed by an evening reception. And my bridesmaids toddled up the aisle before me. I say toddled because I had persuaded them to wear the highest platform shoes we could find. We were so little and the guys so tall it just had to be so in my opinion and it was my wedding after all.

Of course the budget set for the wedding will influence the sort of wedding venue you select. I strongly believe it is important to start married life without debt and recommend staying within budget. A dream wedding can so easily turn into a debt nightmare. Some of the most beautiful weddings I have been to have been simple and unique affairs and have not cost a fortune.

Wedding Inspiration Board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

Due to the fact I am a designer at heart I am very into fine details. I can drive my family and friends crazy. I do so try hard not too but I can’t help it I want everything to be as perfect as possible. When I returned to interior design after some time out of the workforce I was offered and nearly decided to go into a wedding planning business. That’s why I am so interested in weddings. But I returned to interior design instead. A lot of the skills required to be a good wedding planner are similar to the skills needed to be a good designer. This is so much so when setting the scene for the big day.

With regard to the venue; check out your reception venue by walking through the place imagining you are a guest. Stand at the entrance and note anything you want to hide or highlight. First impressions count; what will your guest see as they enter? Sometimes a large floral arrangement can be placed in the line of vision to create a wow factor affect as the guests enter. The best way to disguise unattractive features is to highlight the positive ones this will drive the eye away from the unsightly. A beautiful view from a window or an elegant fireplace can be highlighted with candles, petals, lighting or flowers.

This is where a few design rules come in handy when decorating your venue. Try to keep the space as open as possible. You can create depth by placing taller items at the edges of the room. This is important as a space can appear so much bigger and empty when you view the space without the guests.

Varying the height of table centre pieces will create visual interest. Proportion is another important consideration. In rooms with high ceilings small low table decorations can look odd. Whereas in rooms with low ceilings very tall decorations can make the room appear enclosed and crowded.

Wedding Inspiration Board created by Rosena on SampleBoard.com

Limit what guests have to notice. It is better to have a few beautifully place items than a lot of fuss. Last year I watched a few shows on TV called (I think) ‘Four Weddings’. In one show the bride was so into craft and I am not kidding you the venue decoration at her wedding was over the top. I imagined it would be so over whelming for the guests. I had intended to say a lot more in this blog but I have run out of time. I plan to discuss wedding table decorations in a future blog. Until then have sweet wedding dreams.

Author: Rosena MacFadzean for SampleBoard.com – concept creation online