Within the first few weeks of being engaged, you probably saw more wedding styles than you thought possible on Pinterest. Choosing colors, style, theme and design is overwhelming, and bringing your vision to life may seem daunting and even impossible (which is why I highly recommend a wedding planner!). Within this guidebook, there are tons of amazing style tips for your wedding day, yet we couldn’t come close to covering it all! In this article, I’ll be sharing general ideas about what makes a reception space look really beautiful, regardless of any specific vision or theme.

Let’s start with what we have: you venue space. It may be a big, white tent. Maybe it’s a historic mansion with a large ballroom. It could be indoor, outdoor, city-chic, rustic, modern, historic, industrial – the list goes on. Before you even begin to plan the decor, you must consider what would and would not fit with the style of your venue space. It sounds obvious, but it’s a surprisingly overlooked detail. Making a visit to see the space right before deciding on a more specific theme or style for your wedding is a great idea to get inspired – and be sure to bring your wedding planner along, too!

After you’ve established the style and mood of your wedding venue, you can narrow down the style of your decor, too. This is a great time to start envisioning a color palette. It doesn’t need to be anything too specific – just a few general colors you love and that would look gorgeous in the space. Personally, I’m a huge fan of a lot of neutrals & greens with small pops of color. Take a week or two to continue considering your color palette, and when you’ve finally decided on it, don’t stray from it. Too many different colors or styles will clash and confuse your guests. Choose your theme, style & vision for color, and stick with it.

Next, my very favorite detail at any wedding: floral design. Flowers can dramatically transform a space from plain or drab to stunningly beautiful. Communicate with your florist about your vision early on and ask his/her opinion about how to dress up your reception. Flowers don’t end at bouquets and centerpieces, and the possibilities for reception florals are endless. My favorite floral additions to a reception space? Hanging installations & lush table garlands. If a beautiful reception space is important to you, don’t skimp on the flowers!

Like any creative endeavor, the little details are often what make a wedding stand out, making it unique and special. Personal touches of your favorite things included in desserts, wedding favors, your guest book, or centerpieces give your wedding distinction and unique beauty. I love when couples include menus, escort cards, seating charts, table numbers, and other small details because the wedding feels so much more personal. Get creative and include elements that are meaningful to you as a couple and as individuals. Again, these are general concepts, not specific ideas. I highly recommend working with a planner to bring your style to life, particularly if you have a vision for style but are overwhelmed with how to bring it to life!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a handful of details that should be avoided. Lighting should be carefully considered, and colored uplighting should almost always be avoided (they photograph terribly!). I also recommend avoiding cheesy signage. Most of those phrases are cliche and can be borderline tacky – totally not unique or personal! If you DIY anything, do a test run before investing in the project as a whole. DIY can easily look DIY, and it can often be just as expensive as hiring a professional. Before you invest in a DIY project, make sure it looks amazing.

Reception decor is a lot to think about. Maybe you’ve helped a friend with her wedding or have been to lots and lots of weddings before your own and have a really clear idea of what you want your wedding to look like. However, most of us don’t! If you want a truly breathtaking reception and are concerned about pulling it off, a wedding planner is definitely the way to go!

I’m also always on call to give advice or input on any or all of your wedding style concerns and encourage all my couples to share their ideas with me!