Spicing Up My Ballroom

One of the downsides to having a ginormous wedding is the limited venue choices.  I've talked about it previously, but as my countdown nears the 100 day mark, I get a little bit sad face when I think about my venue.

You see, if I were positive my wedding would have fewer than 250, I would have been able to be in the other hotel ballroom.  The one with actual windows.  And a view of the slightly brown and silty gorgeous lake.

image via Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa

Instead, I have the ballroom with no windows.  And big fire doors.  There are no dramatic vaulted ceilings nor eye catching chandeliers.  I'd show you a picture, but I have none of my own and it would be rude to post someone's wedding photo under this circumstance.  Not to mention creepy.

Instead of dwelling on what could have been, I have been focusing my time and resources to what can be.  No, I can't make the wedding look like a casual outdoor garden party, but I can make it like a whimsical, indoor tripping on hallucinogens garden party.

And how am I going to do it?  Well, I have a 3 point plan of attack.  I call it The Biscuit Offensive: Light it, Hang it, Distract it, and I need the hive's suggestions to make it happen.  I will now unfurl the elaborate plan for you:

Step 1.) Light it-I think lighting makes or breaks a room.  I'd like to some purple lighting throughout the room to give it a nice, ambient glow.  My only problem with this is that my room is BIG.  So I'd need a ton of uplights to get a full room glow.   I'm assuming I'd need at least ten-fifteen to hit one wall. 

Image via Absolute Best DJ Services - Wilmington, NC

This causes another problem though: I'd like my guests to appreciate the centerpieces.  Should I get tiny white LEDs to stick in my vases to give the center of the table a little spot light?  If you have any ideas, please, I'm all ears!

Step 2.) Hang it-To draw the eyes away from the ceiling space, I'm going to hang quite a few Chinese paper lanterns in various colors (pinks, purples, greens, and creams) and sizes.  I think the lanterns will look pretty and will be colorful enough to draw the eye away from the fire doors and straight to the fun colors.  I'm currently on the hunt for no assembly required paper lanterns.  I'm not sure they exist, though.  Super cheap ones will suffice, because I'm sure I'll need at least 50.

Image via Mrs. Seashell/Winfield Little Photography

Step 3.) Distract it-I am hoping that all of my different touches on the tables here, here, and here will, again, draw the eye away from the perimeter.  At least for an hour or so.  Besides, once the party really gets started, who looks at the details? 

How did you decorate your venue?  Anyone have cool ideas for inexpensive/easy ways to garden party up a ballroom?