It is common at wedding receptions that the cocktail hour will be held in a different room than the dinner and dancing. What this means is another chance to decorate! There are some fun ways that you can dress up your cocktail area to make it fabulous.
Naturally when you are planning your wedding design, you will want a cohesive look that carries throughout everything. Certainly when you decorate for your cocktail area, you will want to create a room that ties in with the rest of your wedding. But at the same time, it could also be fun to spice it up, and make it a fabulous space in and of itself, one that has its own distinct personality.
One of the biggest trends in weddings is the after hours lounge. Very often, the bride will change out of her wedding gown and classic bridal jewelry into a slinkier dress and bridal jewelry that is sexier. not every couple has the budget or the inclination to do this, but you can think of your cocktail hour as a chance to create that sought-after stylish nightclub feeling.
Lighting will go a long way towards creating a mood, so for a lounge feel, dim the overhead lights, and decorate with lots and lots of glowing votive candles. if your wedding is modern an elegant, simple ivory votives in beautiful clear glass holders can do the trick, especially if they are grouped into clusters or placed at different heights. if your wedding is more romantic in flavor, then look for gorgeous beaded candle holders for a little something extra.
The tables and seating that you use will be very important. often in cocktail areas, you will find tables that are tall, but small in dimension. These can be perfect as a place to set down light munchies and drinks. because they are designed to be stood at, rather than used as a place to sit and park, the tall cocktail tables also encourage guests to mingle and socialize.
Tall tables can be dressed to be very elegant with opulent iridescent taffeta linens that fall to the floor. put a smaller version of your centerpieces on each one, or you can come up with something a little more offbeat. if your style is modern and streamlined, try topping each table with a mirror cut to fit it. a cluster of candles in the middle will help to finish the look off to perfection.
Of course, not all of your guests will be able to stand for an hour (nor may they want to, depending on how high their heels are!). For these guests, be sure to offer some seating. if you are into the hip lounge, rent low sleek sofas and simple square tables to hold drinks and appetizers. For more traditional seating, a few regular height tables and chairs decorated to match the taller ones will work very well.
When you are planning your cocktail area, don't forget to set up a spot for the musicians. often for cocktails, couples want just pleasant background music, so you are not going to need a full orchestra. Look into alternatives like a harpist, violinist, solo singer, or three piece combo for a perfect fit.
Your cocktail hour is the first impression that your guests will have of your reception, so naturally, you will want to make sure that it is a good one. take some time to decorate the area, and don't treat it as an afterthought. with a little effort, you can be sure that your cocktail area will look as fantastic as the rest of your reception.
Decorating Your Reception Cocktail Area
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I think the dress is lovely. My wedding gown also has a colored accent- a brown sash- and I love it!
Also, ignore anyone who tries to tell you that you have to wear white because it symbolizes innocence and purity. The whole white wedding gown is nothing more than a really (really!) long-lasting trend started by Queen Victoria. She wore a white gown and suddenly every bride had to have one, too. Most girls today wind up in ivory, anyway, because the color is more flattering to most skin tones.