Not everyone would have a large wedding, and many guests to cater too, and that is perfectly alright. A wedding is a union of two souls, and the celebration there of shouldn’t cease to exist. So what if the wedding is small and in a cozy, nice banquet hall; you still can make it look royal with the right decor installed. Not everyone can have a budget like a prince or a princess to spend and splurge upon, and that is not exactly what the sentiments of a wedding are all about too.

This is why, new-age couples are being very practical about their wedding decor, and are opting for smaller venues with limited number of people on the guestlist too. This means, you have to come up with ideas and ways to decorate the space and make it look large as well. To help you with the same, we bring to you a few tips on how to make a small banquet hall look like a magnificent palace. Here are tips and tricks to make decorations work for the wedding to make the space look large.

1. The ceilings should be draped well

Never underestimate the power of fabrics; they can create an illusion of grandeur around at a small banquet. Fabric when chosen as elegant and formal, especially creams and whites or bright yellows, can make the fun factor come through and provide an illusion of grandeur too. Balance the look around with minimally decorated table tops at the wedding, where you can go light for the reception.

2. Play with textures and patterns

Textures and patterns can also add to the grandeur of the mise-en-scene around and make the ambience look large. For example, if you have sofas spread out to make the guests sit on, you should use patterned pillow cases in royal tones for the grand effect to come through. Throw in pop of shades and colors to add more fun to them, and mix and match as well. The feeling of space would come by.

3. Hanging floral arrangements

Flowers are not just for the table tops or display at weddings; you can have them lush fully spaced out a few feet above the dinner tables for a more intimate and a spacious look to create. Bright flowers bring in more illusion of space, whilst darker flowers make the space look sunk in. You can also use paper flower strung all along the shamiana and the tent if it is an outdoor wedding.

4. Tall table lamps to add more illusion of space

Tall table lamps are great to use at intervals on large buffet tables. They create more height on the tables and can be surrounded with flowers for the company to hide ugly cords. Keep the lights bright and nice, more on the creamy tones for more space illusion to come through.

5. Paper lanterns can help too

Weddings have had paper lanterns as decor pieces, but did you know when you hang tons of them around without making the place look cluttered, you can create an illusion of largeness. Check the dimensions of the venue first, and then double up the need for paper lanterns-it would be a different story altogether.

6. Your wedding theme color

Just like you can trick your senses wearing certain colors to look tall and lean, the same can be done with the wedding theme color to create an illusion of space. Choose lighter colors which make the area seem nice, large, bright and airy. This is because, with lighter colors, the light is multiplied and reflected well. Choice of colors to do the needful would be whites on wooden browns, light grays, light blues, beige and cream, baby pinks and soft lavenders too.

7. Unexpected seating arrangements

You should not be afraid to experiment and break the rules when it comes to making the right seating arrangements. It is not necessary that you need to have sofas at weddings, just because you have seen most Indian weddings have them. Try comfortable armchairs, single couches, throw cushions and bean bags around, and even floor seating arrangements with rugs and pillows-wedding planners know how to work on this best. The unexpected set up would bring in more space and seating arrangements too.

8. The art of lighting right

Not all overhead fixtures at the wedding would create an illusion of space. Sometimes using affordable strings of fairy lights across the whole venue if it is an outdoor wedding would be the right thing to do. There would be more light dispersed and reflected, and more space created, almost. Accent lightings too can help create an illusion of space, but for certain spots only.

9. Use decorative mirrors

To add more oomph to the decor around and to create more visual space or a sense of it in a small banquet wedding, the use of decorative mirrors should be honored and respected. This is a fabulous way to create an illusion of space, and the whole area lights up to look gorgeous and stunning too. Decorative mirrors should be large, and used mostly as backdrops or can be placed on the hall walls of the banquet.

10. Go monochrome if need be

Monochromatic tones can help make the small banquet space look large. Just like you would use monotone fashion to make you look tall and lean, the same way, monotone lighting and colors incorporated at weddings such as whites, golds, silvers or pinks and blues all over can create a limitless illusion of space. When you try placing too many hues and shades in one banquet, it would make the space look cluttered and clumsy, and very small too. So avoid doing that.

Do write in and let us know what you thought about these ten tips on making a small banquet hall look large! If there are ideas and suggestions of your own to share, we would be glad to hear from you. Do write in and also consult a reputed professional wedding planner for the decor idea too.