With Palm trees, a macrame archway, and bohemian bride and groom style, it’s hard to believe this elopement inspiration took place at Ripley Castle in the UK and not in California! Natalie Pluck Photography had one goal in mind: to show couples that you can recreate a cool, California vibe anywhere in the world with a natural color palette, organic textiles, boho-inspired attire, and flawless styling. This greenhouse space was transformed into a cozy elopement hideaway with florals designed by Manor Garden, a beautiful marble cake baked by Gabriella Grace Cakes, and, of course, the macrame archway of our dreams from Larks Head Design. We can’t get enough of the bride’s two boho-inspired dresses from Shikoba Bride, her eclectic jewelry and hair crowns, and the casual, folksy vibes Dandy Threads channeled into the groom’s outfits.
There’s something uniquely cool about a wedding in a restaurant, and Cara and Max’s intimate wedding at Barbuzzo is proof why! After a morning spent relaxing, eating brunch, and getting ready with their family, the couple wandered through the streets of downtown Philly with Brittney Raine Photography following behind, capturing every candid, sweet moment on their way to the restaurant. There, they tied the knot surround by 50 of their nearest and dearest, then enjoyed a cozy, dinner-party style meal in the industrial chic venue. The designers at RAM Floral added a hint of fresh greenery to bring the space to life and created a simple, spring-inspired bouquet to add a pop of color to Cara’s bridal look. We love how every detail, from the couple’s classic attire to having no wedding party, made this wedding feel casual while also being exceptionally elegant.
The most important aspect of planning our wedding was making sure that we stayed true to what we both wanted. Cara was leaning more towards a City Hall wedding and Max was leaning more towards a big party to celebrate with all our family and friends. We met in the middle with a 50-person wedding that felt absolutely true to the two of us. We were surrounded by the people who mean the most to us and got to soak in every part of the night.
From the bride: Because we had an evening wedding and didn’t have bridal parties, we were able to get a slow start to the day. It was the first nice weekend of the Spring and we had an early brunch outside, just the two of us, and were really able to take a quiet moment to be so excited for what was about to come.
From the groom: The entire two hours leading up to the wedding was an amazing build-up to saying our vows. Getting ready with our families, seeing each other for the first time, walking hand-in-hand through Philly to the restaurant – all made the entire night more special.
Once we decided to have a small wedding, we knew we wanted a cozy vibe and delicious food, so a restaurant made the most sense. Barbuzzo was the first restaurant we came across that felt small enough to be intimate while also being big enough to dance and mingle with everyone. The incredible food also made it a no-brainer!
Ballroom weddings continue to be a favorite option for couples no matter their guest list size or style. While ballrooms might not seem as flexible as other venues, they do offer an elegance and comfort that can make styling a wedding reception a breeze! Real couples have proven time and time again that with a little creativity and a keen sense of design, you can transform a ballroom to fit virtually any wedding style. Whether you want a modern and minimalist vibe or a more casual and rustic feel, these general and style-specific tips will help you create the ballroom wedding of your dreams!
The beauty (and the challenge) of a ballroom wedding is that you have so much space to work with. Rather than set out tables around the perimeter and place a dance floor in the middle, create a warm and welcoming feeling by dividing up the room into specific zones. Think lounge areas, cocktail area, dance floor, dining area, photo booth, and so on. By creating smaller vignettes, you add visual interest to the entire room, encourage guests to move throughout the space, and can create specific vibes for each area that keep the energy up for the duration of your reception.
Play with Vertical Space
When it comes to décor, it can be hard to make a grand ballroom feel full unless you take up vertical space. Topiaries, candelabras, and tall vases with flowers are great items to use in your table centerpieces to add height to your décor. You could also take up vertical space with floral, light, or greenery installations that hang from the ceiling. If you decide to use tall centerpieces, keep in mind that you don’t need to put them on every table. Alternating between tall and table-level centerpieces adds even more visual interest and keeps the rooms from feeling too crowded.
If you’re having a glamorous, elegant, or classic ballroom wedding, chandeliers and sconce lighting might be totally sufficient. However, if you want to add a more romantic mood, create a more casual feel, or simply don’t like the built-in lighting options, you might need to explore other lighting options. Before you book the venue, take a tour during the time of your reception so you can assess the lighting and discuss what options you have to alter it (if any). Candles are an inexpensive yet effective way to add romance, but up-lighting, twinkle lights, or even a color wash are great alternatives for more dramatic lighting. Not sure where to start or what options you should explore? We’ve got everything you need to know in our ultimate guide to wedding lighting!
Work with the Room’s Color Palette
Because ballrooms tend to have distinct colors and décor of their own, it’s important to keep that in mind when choosing your color palette. When you do your initial walk-through, take photos and make notes of all the colors in the room. When it’s time to choose the colors for your wedding, either pull a few colors from the room or make sure they complement the existing colors so that your décor won’t clash.
Drape the Ceiling and/or Walls
If you can’t make the room’s color palette work with your design or you want to create a more dramatic look, ask the venue coordinator if you can add drapery to the ceiling and/or to the walls. When done right, drapery adds an intimate feel and an upscale look to a ballroom. We love when couples add twinkle lights to ceiling drapery so that a hint of light shines through or when they use uplighting to accentuate the walls. As with the lighting, we highly recommend you discuss this idea with the venue coordinator before booking the venue because it does require extra effort and time and might not be something all venues can accommodate.
Just because your wedding will be set inside a ballroom doesn’t mean you can’t give it a casual, rustic feel. Instead of using just regular tables topped with linens, ask your venue coordinator if you can bring in farm tables to either mix in with regular tables or use exclusively. Keep your centerpieces simple with wood accents, votive candles, and lots of greenery, and opt for casual place settings over china and sterling silver utensils. You could even bring in small trees draped in twinkle lights to set around the room to bring elements of the outdoors in.
Modern Ballroom Wedding
Modern, minimalist weddings are all about striking details without too much fuss. So, apply those same principles to styling your modern ballroom wedding. Start by choosing a ballroom with a neutral color palette and minimal wall décor so you can focus on your personalized elements. Crisp white linens, mixed metallic accents, fresh greenery, and minimal place settings are all you need to pull off a modern look. For lighting, you can’t go wrong with clusters of hurricane vases with floating candles, LED spotlights, or a bold color wash.
Bohemian Ballroom Wedding
While most people wouldn’t think a bohemian wedding could fit into an elegant ballroom, we’re here to tell you that it can be done! In fact, the juxtaposition between the grandeur of the room and the soft, earthy elements of your décor is sure to take your bohemian wedding to a whole new level of romantic. Add ceiling and wall drapings to create a more cozy and intimate feeling, fill your vignettes with organic textiles and various textures, and create a floral-forward design that brings a sense of wild, natural beauty to every corner of the room.
Glamorous Ballroom Wedding
Between the chandeliers, the tall ceilings, and the intricate architecture, most ballrooms are tailor-made to host a glamorous wedding. So, when it comes to décor, simply focus on rich colors, glitzy tablescapes, dramatic lighting, and luxurious floral design. Bold contrast will be your best friend in creating a glamorous look, so add pops of black and gold into your color palette wherever you can. Also, you cannot have enough sparkle! Add a glittery runner on top of your table linens, place votive candles on every table, and position metallic table décor near those candles so they catch and reflect that light around the room. For your centerpieces, use as much vertical space as possible with your floral arrangements — the taller and fuller your centerpieces are, the more glamorous your wedding reception will feel.
When planning the floor space of your ballroom wedding, there are two important things to keep in mind: aesthetic and flow. A room full of only round tables or only rectangular tables are perfect for a dinner-party reception, but that might be too uniform for other wedding styles. By using at least two different table shapes, you add depth and dimension to your dining area.
When deciding what size and shape tables to use, keep in mind the flow of the space. You have to allow enough space between chairs for guests to walk and you have to provide enough space on and around the tables for guests to sit, store their personal items, and eat comfortably. Before planning your space, make sure to read our pro tips for creating your reception seating chart and consult the reception seating chart guide below:
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