My very UGLY but FREE venue: Need Deco Help!

What is the dimensions of the blue wall?

What are the "rules" for hanging things?

What is the budget for wall decorations?

You looking for table ideas too?

Ceiling draping?

Ok I was horrified... But the last pic shows there is HOPE for you yet!! It really depends on your budget but I would look to do some alternating between fabric and uplighting. If you hang/drape the fabric in creative (much needed) places and uplight (not necessary, but my total obsession), you will be totally set! And I would cover the wall in fabric... Drape it with maybe black, maybe throw some christmas lights behind it to give it a star-y look... meh, there is a lot that can be done. Personally, I think fabric and lighting make all the potential in the world.

@ Halley We can hang anything we like, but no nail holes, so tacks or tape, etc only. Decor budget = very open

I got my table decor idea below. Crappy camera on a phone, but oh well.

I'm defo thinking about ceiling draping. Might lighten it up some.

@ Sarah Yeh, I think we'll be using much much fabric! IDK about uplighting tho beacuse

BY THE WAY, the first 2 photos actually borrowed my chair covers and table cloths, that's why they look familiar.

Well, if you have a big budget, I would just get piping and draping and cover the blue wall, both walls, or all walls.

The room is "L" shaped? You plan to use that area in front of the blue wall to hold tables? or a dance floor? or the head table?

If you don't think you would drape the dart board wall, maybe make some creative wreaths?

tram's post on how to make the wreaths

https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/gotta-show-you-girls

I see you are into the string balls?

It's almost "L" shaped. What you don't see at the other side of the blue wall is the bar area. We're not even gonna mess with that part.

That's a lotta pipe! wow. But i think it could be done.

Yes, liking the hangy balls. We fit them with LEDs so they glow

No, I was wondering about the floor space in front of the blue wall. Do you need to use that area for your head table? or Will there be seating there? Will there be just a gift table there?

Trying to figure out if you need the space, or if you could built a photo wall.

And if you plan to make the string balls.

Tips from previous brides:

Go to the dollar store and get the punching balloons. They are a VERY nice round shape. Maybe don't knot the ballon, use some kind of clip or something so that you can undo the clip, deflate the ballon, and hopefully use it again?

and actual posts.

https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/string-ballslanterns-done-with-colored-yarn-updated-with-pictures/340d14291f025f93.html

the Best one's I've seen

https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/my-string-chandeliers-help-please/61f2cb5c1a6a79b3.html

@ Haley The blue wall has a bench built it it, so we're going to use it for seating.

Those particular string balls have been used a few times and have been mushed in transport, that's why they are misshapen. I like how they are not all the same size, so i used different sized of balloons. I am planning on using a few of the punch balloon size too.

Pipe and drape is wonderful you can use white sheer throw light on it with any type of gels and BAM have the color you like. Now pipe and drape is not cheap. Ours rent for $250 for a 10' x 10' section and we are lower than most in my area. I would suggest that you get spandex fabric in red and if they have ceiling tile, hook one corner to the ceiling and pull it to the floor. You could do this effect from corner to corner and just let a bit of the blue show. It would make the red POP. You could down small thin pieces or wide bands. two two corners up and one on the floor to make interesting shapes. You can also continue this across the ceiling. Watch the ceiling height because if it is low the place will end up feeling closed.

Attached hide the doors to the kitchen at a country club and all of the golf photos on the wall.

Not all was covered but for all of the many pictures taken of them at their table it was a ton better.

That is a country club? Oy! Best wishes. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.

I saw something similar to what The Designer posted above..there was a curtain across with a solid black curtain, then strands of holiday lights hanging vertically, then a sheer overlay of their accent color. And with those 3M hangers, you can put them on the wall and put a curtain rod/pole across to hang them! Just a thought!! There is hope and always a way to cover up a wall! Good luck!

How about renting a dance floor to go over the carpet? That may fix that problem...

First thing I would think of would be draping. I hear they are pretty expensive though. Have you gotten a estimate? Definitely would not drape it all, I believe you can drape some parts and make it still look great.

Third pictures definitely gives it hope. IMO draping clusters a room and I'm a "less is more" type of person so I would say if you end up draping, then no balloons, no full chair covers(the chairs seem really nice without chair covers and they are black), and definitely no high or huge centerpieces. Draping and lighting would defintely work but like I said it depends on the budget..

Is the blue wall from hell where the door is? If so, you could put a seating chart table there with a bunch of pretty candles or you gift table ect could be there.

For the walls I would drape with fabric if you can afford it. Buy PVC piping hang it with fishing wire and drape it with sheer white fabric. If you can't afford the fabric you could buy art department paper. A lot of schools would sell it or even give it to you. Maybe you can remember it, in kindergarten we used to lay on it and they would trace you? It's very large paper. I would get long sheets and color block the wall with your wedding colors, black and white ect.. so it doesn't look like you just covered it with white paper. It will look like it's on purpose. You could also buy cheap wall paper and double side tape it to the wall or velcro it with a velcro set. You can also put fishing wire across and hang sheer curtains across the wall. You can get cheap sheer white curtains at the dollar store and fishing wire cheap.

I also see you have windows. The wonders a window treatment will do is amazing. Replace the curtains with long beautiful curtains (that you can afford) for the night. Maybe that match your wedding colors. I would do holiday lights across the ceiling and use candle light on the tables to attract away from what you can't drape or hide and away from the school look of the room. You could also do those wedding lanterns on the ceiling.

I would also put mirrors on the dart boards. They sell inexpensive mirrors at the dollar store for about 5-10 bucks You could redo the edges in DIY to fit your wedding. You could add people's names ect. Maybe add some all along the wall to make the room look wider.

As for the TV get a DVD player and play a slide show or find a screen saver of a burning candle or something you like that can repeat play during the wedding.

Whatever your budget it is I'm sure just with some uplighting, backdrops, and nice centerpieces, you will turn in into your dream venue! Just think about all the money your saving on not having to rent a venue! I know I prob sound like a robot, but don't stress.. Any space can be transformed! Look at the show My fair wedding, he transforms any space! I know you will think of something and you will have the perfect wedding you always dreamed about! Please keep us updated on what you decide on!

After A LOT of compiling ideas.. and THANkS SOOOOO much for them, I think I may have a decent vision on what to do. Thanks everyone for the super awesome ideas!!!

So I compiled a lot of what you guys suggested, and went to work with a graphic program. I'm not terribly good at them, BUT i gave it a shot.

I KNOW it's a BAD Horrible graphic job, I'm one of those people who need a visual on things. So I gave it a novice's try.

Tweaks :

1) Add Ceiling Draping with lights

2) Poly-Satin drapings on the wall to cover dart boards.

3) Using some of the white and black sheers to add oomph to the window curtains.

4) White Light Strings, black and white sheer, and this nifty tree thing to cover the ugly blue wall (BTW, it looks quite lovely in my bedroom now.)

5) Keeping the long tables with the Black cloths and chair covers.

6) Adding prototype decor to photo. (Centerpieces and pendants from ceiling)

For the walls... especially if you'd like to change the color... use decorative lighting (sometimes called up-lighting). Let me see if I can show you a before and after picture... This is before...

And this is after...