Decorating a banquet hall: 35 wedding life hacks from Fleurage Decor studio

Many brides are subject to two extremes: some believe that the decor at the wedding is of secondary importance, while others are generally firmly convinced that it does not matter and everything can be done on their own. It is not surprising that the work of wedding decorators is underestimated, because most often the newlyweds see the finished result, but the preparation of structures and installation of decorations remain out of their sight.

But the task of a wedding decorator is not just to fix flowers on the frame of the wedding arch and beautifully arrange napkins on the guest tables, but rather to transform the entire wedding space according to your concept, carefully thinking through every detail that many are not even aware of!

We asked the Fleurage Decor team of wedding decorators to lift the curtain of secrets and professional secrets and learned about the correct design of a banquet hall - from the ceiling and tables to the arrangement of floor compositions. We are sure that 35 life hacks will help you appreciate the scale of the work of decorators and draw your attention to important details for further discussion with specialists.

There are no “random” people in the Fleurage Decor wedding decor studio! All decorators and florists are experienced craftsmen and graduates of modern wedding decor courses at Moscow Flower School, and each wedding project of the company is the result of painstaking work. For all couples, the team comes up with something special and unique, not imitating their colleagues in the shop and not repeating their completed projects, but putting all their inspiration and soul into it!

Entrance to the hall

You need to surprise guests not only with wow decor, hidden away from view until a certain time, but also at the very entrance to the hall, restaurant or other festive space. These can be stands with compositions in flowerpots or large decorative elements visible from afar. A good solution could be a carpet fenced with posts. These receptions will create the impression of the importance of the event, and guests will be pleased that they are greeted as long-awaited and important persons. And, of course, a decorated entrance to the site for your holiday will help guests immediately immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the celebration!

Stages of creating a room with a banquet hall

The original design of a banquet hall in a cafe or restaurant is the dream of all businessmen who want to get a chic place that would attract guests not only with its specific cuisine, but also with the atmosphere around them. In order to create a competent design project for a room with your own corporate style, you should turn to professionals, such as Domoff Interiors, who are engaged in the development of architectural and interior solutions in the field of residential and commercial real estate: from apartments to entire buildings. Due to their experience, graphic designers will not miss a single detail that is so important for a restaurant or bar, providing their client not only with a beautiful 3D drawing, but also implementing a design project using a live example (all photographs from this article show the work of studio masters Domoff Interiors). And now to the very stages of creating a room with a banquet hall.

Analytical - designers collect information regarding the customer’s personal preferences, and also offer their own options in order to determine the general concept.
Technical - the development of technical documents takes place, in which architects, engineers, designers and other specialists participate.
Sketch - designers provide several options for the computerized interior of a banquet hall, and settle on the best solution.
Drawing - estimates are drawn up for builders who will be directly involved in the implementation of the project.
Supervising - the finished interior is checked and accepted, during which the necessary recommendations are given and minor defects are corrected.

Interior of a banquet hall
Look at the project: Banquet hall in Tashkent.

Wedding space size

Don't forget that when all the guests arrive, the banquet hall will seem smaller than it actually is. If the wedding hall is small, do not overload it with unnecessary elements, including giving up bulky decor, as it will create a feeling of cramping and even discomfort. Light colors in the design, drapery with fabrics with vertical lines, as well as an abundance of mirror, glass and transparent details will help to visually expand the space.
If the room is too large, luxurious draperies that create the effect of a cozy tent, voluminous floral arrangements that fill the space, as well as subdued “evening” lighting (lanterns, lamps, garlands of light bulbs) and multi-level decorative structures will help make it more comfortable.

Restaurant

Since a restaurant is a place with a varied menu, which can contain several types of cuisines, the banquet hall must be spacious, because it is often used for any serious events such as weddings, corporate events or holiday meetings. Typically, the room requires the presence of very comfortable seating furniture, represented by armchairs or sofas, contains small partitions separating one area from another for greater comfort and privacy, as well as private VIP rooms: there may even be several of them, each of which contains its own small banquet rooms halls with a design, usually consistent with the general style of the restaurant.

Ceiling

When choosing a wedding venue, you should pay attention not only to the interior itself, but also to the height of the ceilings. For a harmonious wedding picture, high ceilings must be decorated with hanging structures and complemented with high central compositions on the tables, otherwise the hall will not look cohesive and will “get lost.”
This is especially important to consider if your wedding is taking place in a tent: some venues rent out a tent without interior drapery. In this case, all supporting and technical structures of the tent will be visible. It is worth thinking about ordering tent drapery separately or choosing a volumetric multi-level composition such as a chandelier, with a diameter of about 2 meters, as a dome decor.

Decoration of cafes and restaurants for graduation parties

Decorating halls with balloons for graduation is considered popular. This design has many advantages:

It adds solemnity to the atmosphere of children growing up and saying goodbye to childhood.
The material is easy to attach to any surface.
The airy world of balloons easily fills spacious rooms.

Talented decorators are able to create not only arches, columns, fountains, garlands, but also fill the walls with compositions that cause indescribable delight among children, parents, and guests of the celebration.

Floor

A shabby floor or bright carpeting that does not match the style of the design can negate even the most thoughtful work of the decorator. The only correct solution would be to cover an imperfect floor with a decorative covering of a neutral shade. For example, recently glossy polystyrene has become very popular. Its color palette allows you to choose a color to suit any design style. In addition, you can apply a decorative print on such material - highlight the path to the podium, apply a monogram of the newlyweds, or fill the entire space of the floor with a print.

We often use floor coverings as protection in banquet areas where the floor may be damaged by guests' shoes. An example of this is a wedding in a private mansion. We covered the entire area of the hall (more than 100 sq. m.) with a beige glossy coating, protecting the mosaic parquet flooring made from expensive types of wood from damage during installation and during the celebration itself.

A more budget-friendly option for changing the color of the floor may be carpeting or white banner fabric.
In addition, with the help of flooring you can highlight the dance floor, the place of the bride and groom, or create an imitation of stone, tile, chessboard by applying any printed pattern to the decorative coating

If it is not possible to cover the floor, then you need to place the main emphasis on the decor of the tables and the bride and groom area in order to divert attention from the floor. In this case, a good solution would be to use colored or even bright banquet textiles (skirts and tablecloths for the table), as well as a suspended luminous structure above the table of the bride and groom or above the dance floor.

The best DIY wedding decoration ideas

The homemade decor is amazing. Such decoration for a wedding will cost less. Common DIY design methods include:

Decoration with balls, combined with the shade of textiles (curtains, covers, tablecloths). They are used to create figures of newlyweds, hearts, rings, arches, animals, birds, garlands, stars.
The most popular are red balls, which decorate the dance floor, entrance, and the table of the newlyweds.
They use vases and flowers from isolon on the walls.
Design with light transparent fabrics (chiffon, mesh, tulle, guipure). They decorate the walls, ceiling, covers.
Decorating a cafe with flowers is a win-win option. The design of flowers made from isolon is not inferior to fresh flowers.
The autumn decoration of the hall from orange, yellow, crimson leaves and twigs looks fantastic.

Color palette

In wedding decorations, you need to be very careful when using white, as it can be distorted into dirty shades, reflecting other colors. Therefore, if you want to create an ideal white space in a banquet hall, you should take care of the decor of all surfaces, from draping the ceiling with a white veil, decorating the walls with white glossy and mirror structures or fabric, white flooring, the color of textiles on the tables and even composition, since not all white flowers are really white. Orchids mainly have a pure white shade.

A warm and pastel palette, for example, a delicate shade of ivory, looks very elegant in photographs of a wedding space.

Don’t forget that all the shades in the wedding decor should be harmoniously combined with each other, and guests can simply get tired of the abundance of catchy and too flashy tones in a few hours. Determine the places where you want to make a bright accent. For example, let only floral arrangements be bright, and let the textiles and “backdrop” in the bride and groom area be in calm pastel shades, or vice versa.

You should be careful when using shades such as lilac, violet, fuchsia, turquoise and bright blue. They need to be correctly combined with each other and with decorative elements.
If the banquet hall is decorated in shades different from the palette of your celebration, then you can try incorporating these shades into the wedding decor in the form of accents such as napkins, table runners or bonbonniere boxes for guests. But it’s still worth choosing a banquet venue that suits the style and color palette of your celebration, and not adapting the design solution to the banquet venue.

Tips for decorating a wedding hall

Wedding celebrants want their celebration to be unforgettable. Therefore, in matters of wedding decoration, many couples want to distinguish themselves and decorate the room in their own special style.

However, only a few know how to harmoniously and effectively decorate a wedding hall, and therefore they cannot do without annoying mistakes.

Mistakes to Avoid

When decorating a banquet room, many people make mistakes that they later greatly regret.

You should not put off decorating your wedding hall until the last day. There will be very little time on the wedding day, every minute will be scheduled. And if decorating the room falls on the shoulders of the newlyweds themselves, the hall should be decorated in advance. It’s impossible to decorate a room beautifully in a hurry.
It is better to decorate small banquet halls in a light style rather than in dark colors. Light decor will visually make the room more spacious. But dark or variegated shades and clutter in an already small room will make the room feel cramped.
The decoration of the wedding hall should be in the same style . A variety of styles or colors is bad taste. Soft toys, fresh flowers and paper garlands do not go well together.

Where to start decorating a room

You shouldn’t delay decorating the banquet room. You need to decide on the decor theme and style. Professional designers recommend starting preparation for design by drawing up a plan.

The plan can reflect the approximate budget for decoration, decide on the style and color scheme. You need to decide what the decor of the room will be. Most likely, it won’t be possible without buying or renting jewelry.

Before you finally decide on the color scheme and wedding decor, you should visit the banquet hall and carefully examine the room. When choosing a color scheme, you need to look at what colors and style the room itself is decorated in.

The main thing is not to overdo it with decor . If the hall itself is decorated solemnly and beautifully, the wedding decor should only complement and emphasize the natural beauty of the room.

Fabrics and textiles

A very good technique in decorating a banquet space is the use of colored or textured tablecloths. When entering the hall, a feeling of fullness of the space will be created. This technique is often used when the decor budget is small. Colored tablecloths immediately attract attention, and it seems that the room is completely decorated.

If your budget allows, order the production of tablecloths or tabletops with a print specifically for your celebration, in the desired shades, with a personally created ornament, print or ombre effect.

Read also: Wedding in turquoise colors - a colorful extravaganza of style (67 photos + video)

Carefully choose the material for tablecloths, especially bright colors. Some fabrics have a characteristic sheen that makes them look cheap, especially in photographs. The use of shiny tablecloths made of sequins or with a certain texture, with additional veil drapery, in our opinion, is appropriate mainly on the newlyweds’ table, if the concept of your celebration does not include placing shiny tablecloths on all tables.

For example, to decorate the New Year's party, we used sequin tablecloths on all tables precisely because this was provided for by the concept of “the kingdom of snow and ice.” We also used bright accents in floristry and table setting, having previously coordinated the color scheme of the lighting of the entire space with the lighting directors, so that at the most inopportune moment our icy kingdom with fiery red compositions would not be illuminated with warm yellow or green light.

It is worth remembering that fabrics and draperies are not the main design element, but only a background and decoration, so for ceiling and wall draperies you should choose plain, flowing fabrics without a pattern.

Interior style of a restaurant banquet hall with examples of our design projects

The style of the hall for custom events can be anything: Asian, corresponding, for example, to the Japanese cuisine of the restaurant itself, classical to match the standard European menu, as well as modern, designed in a loft or, as is more often the case, mixed. The most extraordinary interiors of banquet halls are presented in the photo below. They were implemented by our design and architecture studio Domoff Interiors (a brief description of the styles is attached to the projects).

Ethnic

This style is suitable for many restaurants with national cuisine, because it incorporates elements focused on the characteristics of a particular ethnic group. Traditional furniture and paraphernalia are used here, which most often smack of originality. What could be more cozy than something ancient and from the very beginnings?

Banquet hall design in ethnic style

Chalet

A style straight from the Alps, which is suitable for restaurants in a ski resort, far from the bustle of the city. The chalet is extremely noble and responsive, it is replete with natural wood, stone, brick and other natural materials. The atmosphere itself, which comes straight from the heart of sophisticated France, gives it a special romanticism.

Design of a banquet hall in chalet style

Table decoration

For the beautiful design of guest tables, their correct arrangement is extremely important. Check that it is convenient for guests to approach their seats, and that there is enough space around the table - at least 50 cm to set aside a chair, and at least 50 cm to pass to the next table. If the tables are located too far from each other, you will lose a special cozy atmosphere, and the room, despite the abundance of “connecting” decor, will seem empty.
For a small number of guests (up to 30 people), we recommend using seating at one long table - it allows guests to feel comfortable and will also help optimize the budget for decor. If there are more than 70 guests, use round tables with a diameter of 180 cm or “mixed seating” - round and rectangular.

Remember that guests may not feel comfortable sitting with their backs to the stage or to the newlyweds. In such cases, the “cabaret” seating helps out - placing not 10-11 people at a 180 cm table, but 8-9 people, in which the part of the table facing the center of the hall remains empty.
Special programs for designers and architects will help you plan the placement of tables in the space correctly and in advance.

For our clients, we always make a room plan with different arrangements of tables indicating all sizes. This approach helps to think in advance about how many and what kind of tables will be needed, how best to place them and how many guests should be seated at each table so that everyone can clearly see the entertainment program of the event.

If columns and supporting structures in the hall block guests' view of the stage or the bride and groom's table, place plasma screens around the perimeter of the hall, which will provide a video broadcast of what is happening on stage.
Under no circumstances should you skip decorating your guest tables. Your guests should feel like they are on a holiday, and not just at a dinner in a restaurant! The classic decor model is one large (high or low) composition in the center of the table and miniature decorations for serving guest places.

When choosing flower arrangements on tables, think not only about beauty, but also about the convenience of the guests. The compositions should not interfere with the view of the hall or communication, and therefore should be higher or lower than the view of the person sitting at the table.

Do not try to place multi-component compositions (vases, candlesticks, and decorative elements) on tables. The more decor, the more cluttered the table will seem!
Personal serving for each guest is also a very important point that should not be neglected. Fortunately, there are now a lot of companies that provide banquet tableware for rent - placemats and service plates, colored glass glasses, cutlery. By making sure that the place for the guest is decorated with taste, you also express your care and attention to each of them

Do not overload the space of the hall with a decorative area behind the podium - the table of the young. This is especially important to consider if the interior of the venue is self-sufficient (a restaurant with a richly decorated interior). The so-called “backdrop” is only needed when you want to disguise something or the room is very large without any special decorative elements (for example, a tent). You can make the atmosphere more stylish by simply highlighting the newlyweds’ table with floral arrangements and a tablecloth different from those on the guest tables

A pub

It can be either independent or an integral part of a cafe or restaurant. Based on the name itself (pub or bar), the premises should have a varied cocktail menu, which is ready to boast both rare types of wines or beers, and the drinks itself prepared in the kitchen. If the bar is a separate establishment, where most people sit at the counter, then it must be brutal with some classic or modern wooden furniture, dim lighting and thematic music. When the bar is part of a restaurant and has its own adjacent banquet hall, the interior design will look slightly different, because the main task of the bartender will be mostly preparing orders rather than personally serving guests.

Some photos of the banquet hall of the restaurant and bar, made according to sketches by graphic designers from the Domoff Interiors studio:

Design of a restaurant banquet hall in a mixed style

Design of a banquet hall with a bar counter

Lighting

Don't downplay the importance of banquet lighting. Be sure to ask the site administrators to show you what the hall looks like with all the lights on.
A comfortable atmosphere during serving and dining can be created with the help of warm side light: candlesticks, tea lights floating in water, or lamps without colored lighting.

To ensure that the palette of colors planned by the wedding decorator is not distorted, it is advisable to focus on the decor and highlight it with a white fill. Also, so that in the photographs the faces of the guests are not blue, the bride’s dress is crimson, and the decor in which so much effort and money was invested is not “killed” by beams of colored light, be sure to discuss lighting direction with the contractors who will work at your event. It is highly advisable to arrange a general technical meeting of contractors at the site on the eve of the event, so that the decorators know where the technical area will be, so that other contractors are aware of how the site will be decorated and which areas need to be illuminated, etc.

And more details...

Don't forget to maintain a sense of proportion! Remember that all decorative elements must correspond to a single concept. A large number of vases and stands are unlikely to attract the attention of guests, but will rather resemble a museum exhibition.
Use the LED screen not only to broadcast your love story. It can be a wonderful backdrop for performers on stage, and also serve as part of the decor!

For example, at a festive evening at the Piazza Italiana restaurant, we decided to recreate an embankment paved with stone, fenced with a balustrade, for which we used printing on the floor covering and made an exact copy of a real balustrade, built arcades and galleries, like in an Italian villa, planted flower beds of fresh flowers, palms and cypresses. But what is an embankment without the sea? The sea came to us precisely thanks to the LED screen, on which, with the help of lighting contractors, we displayed a video recording of sea waves at sunset. The view was simply amazing!

Read also: Exquisite and beautiful cake in rustic style: cooking master class

If you have opted for a photo wall instead of a volumetric photo zone, think about a place for it in advance, and also keep in mind that it should be 25-30 cm taller than the tallest guest at your wedding. Standard photo wall dimensions are 2.5*3.5 m.

Do not give up a separate table for gifts and flowers, but place it away from the table of the bride and groom so that the bouquets presented to you do not attract the attention of guests and do not spoil the decor of the hall.

And finally, we wish all brides to correctly weigh their strengths and evaluate their possibilities.
After all, it’s unlikely that your wedding morning will bring you joy if you’re worried that the wedding arch will fall apart, and by Day X you’re off your feet, but you’ve managed to memorize the phone numbers of all the flower and decor suppliers! Decor: Anna Burtseva (photo 7), “Between Us” (photo 8), Yulia Shakirova (photo 16), Maria Kamenskaya (photo 18)

Decoration with balloons

Common types of birthday designs include decoration with balloons. They start from the entrance:

Birthday celebrants are greeted with a huge birthday party made of balloons.
Foil balloon numbers framed by a majestic arch.
Congratulatory inscriptions are created with balloons (“Happy Birthday!”, “Congratulations!”, “Happy Anniversary!”).
For women celebrating their anniversaries, the cafe walls are decorated with imitation bouquets made from balloons.
As a gift, a man can be presented with a bronze figure of a rearing horse, bringing success.
The balloons are used to make posters, postcards, panels depicting objects that the birthday boy is interested in (cars, computers).

Decorating a cafe for a holiday