Ideas for Making a Ballroom Your Wedding Venue

Ballrooms have long been a favorite venue option for weddings of all styles and sizes. While other venue options may seem to offer greater flexibility, the elegance, space, and comfort of ballrooms make them the perfect canvases for transforming wedding dreams into realities. Time and time again, couples have proven that with some creativity and the right design ideas, a ballroom can serve as the perfect backdrop for virtually any wedding style. From chic and modern to traditional or a more casual and rustic feel, these style tips and ideas will help you create a sensational ballroom wedding and memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Divide Up the Space

One of the best, and also most challenging, aspects of organizing a ballroom wedding is all of the open space you have to work with. While the first thought is often to create a dancefloor in the center of the room by placing tables around the perimeter, try dividing up the space into specific zones instead to create a warm, welcoming feel. Think dining area, cocktail area, lounge areas, dance floor, photo booth, bar area, and so on. Doing so will add visual interest throughout the room and encourage guest movement and interaction throughout the space.

Think Vertically

Due to the sheer volume of open space in a grand ballroom venue, even with adequate seating, a venue like Russo's On The Bay can feel a bit empty or sparse unless you think vertically with topiaries, tall flower vases, candelabras, and other table items to add height to the room and décor. You can even take things up a notch by draping fabrics or hanging lights, floral arrangements, or greenery installations from the ceiling.

Explore Your Lighting Options

Different wedding styles call for different types of lighting. If you’re having a classic, elegant, or glamorous ballroom wedding, sconce lighting and chandeliers may work just fine. However, if you’re going for a more casual or romantic mood, you might need to explore additional lighting options. Prior to booking the venue, take a tour of the space to assess the lighting and what if any lighting options you may be able to use to alter it. Candles are an effective and inexpensive way to add warmth and romance, but twinkle lights, up-lighting, and color washes are also great lighting alternatives for a more dramatic look.

Selecting the right wedding venue is no easy feat. While beautiful weddings can take place virtually anywhere, a grand ballroom wedding can be virtually anything you can dream it to be. This means that the sky is the limit when it comes to theme, decorations, and how you want to conduct the ceremony.