How to Decorate a Multipurpose Building for a Wedding

Enhance reception tables with elegant items.

If you've rented a wedding ceremony and reception space in a multipurpose building, such as an arena, community center or other large venue, give it a personalized touch with decorations and lighting elements. Use the wedding colors and reception theme as inspiration when decorating the celebration area. While many multipurpose buildings feature sterile-looking spaces, you'll be able to make the reception location feel warm and inviting with a mixture of both handmade and store-bought decor items.

Things You'll Need

• Chairs
• Chair covers
• Red carpet
• Rose petals
• Water fountains or statues
• Guest book table
• Table linens
• Silverware
• Napkin rings
• Vases
• Flowers
• Lighting elements such as candles and paper lanterns

Instructions

1. Enhance the wedding ceremony space, if different from the reception space, with elegant touches. Arrange the guests' seats into two groups of rows and create an aisle down the center. Lay a long red carpet down the aisle and scatter rose petals on each side for a romantic look. Decorate the chairs with seat covers featuring fabric that matches the wedding color.

2. Decorate the entrance of the reception space to set it apart from the other areas in the multipurpose building. Place small indoor water fountains or statues featuring cupid designs on each side of the entrance. Set up a guest book table immediately inside the door.

3. Cover the wedding reception tables with elegant linens. Create a classic look with crisp, white linens or choose tablecloths featuring one of the wedding colors, such as deep red. Enhance neutral-hued tablecloths with vibrantly hued runners to add pops of color. Roll silverware in cloth napkins, and secure them with themed rings. Choose seashell-inspired rings for a beach-themed wedding, for instance, gluing small seashells onto plain gold or silver rings as a creative, budget-friendly option.

4. Dress up the reception tables with eye-catching centerpieces and place-setting decor that can double as guest favors. Create sweet-scented floral centerpieces using one of the wedding flowers, such as calla lilies or pink peonies, in the arrangements. Place the flower bouquets in vintage milk glass or crystal vases and set them in the centers of the tables. Set one bud vase filled with a single flower stem next to each place setting and have guests take them home.

5. Give the reception space a warm ambiance with decorative lighting elements. Fill small candle holders with glowing tea lights and place them at random locations across the reception tables for an enchanting look. Hang white paper lanterns over the reception tables using adhesive hooks and translucent fishing line. Wrap strings of white mini lights around doorways and windows for an ethereal touch.