Let’s face it, with a reduced guest count and tighter budgets, couples are now being forced to get creative with their wedding venues and event spaces.

Multi-venue weddings have become more of a luxury than a priority. While some couples still choose to hold a ceremony at a place of worship or alternate location before heading to a second space for the reception, others opt for the convenience of a single-venue space.

If your venue is a bit smaller than you envisioned, this won’t necessarily cramp your style. Some brides relish the idea of having their ceremony and reception at the same location. The venue, however, might not be large enough to host the ceremony and reception in separate areas.

There’s no reason to furrow those brows! There are ways to maximise every square inch of a space. One such is by completely transforming the room at different stages of the event. For example: changing it from a wedding ceremony to a dinner reception. This in eventspeak is referred to as flipping the space.

Flips require proper planning and teamwork to ensure seamless execution. Here’s how it’s done: The venue will be set up for the wedding ceremony; when the ceremony is over, guests will be ushered to a designated area. Consider this the pre-function space or an outdoor area. Whilst this is happening the wedding planner, decorator or venue team will reconfigure the area.

Flips can take up to an hour so do ensure your guests are treated to hors d’oeuvres and cocktails during this time.

There are other creative ways to create the illusion that your event has more room than it actually does:

1. Less is more. Keep the décor minimalist, focusing on clean lines. Clean lines prevent breaking your guests’ line of sight, making the space feel bigger and less cluttered.

2. Use low centrepieces. Tall centrepieces draw guests’ attention upward, making the room feel smaller. Short centrepieces draw guests inward.

3. Use the right tables for the space. Round tables allow for more seating per square foot than rectangular tables. However, rectangle tables fit spaces that are narrower better.

4. The soft shadows from candlelight create dimension. Enjoy the ambience of low lighting with plenty of candles.

5. Remember that dinner and dancing don’t have to take place in the same room. If your venue has two separate rooms available, use the larger area for dinner and then the smaller space to party.

6. Use lighting, drapery, and décor changes to make guests feel they are entering an entirely new venue.

Whether you’ve always dreamed of having a small wedding or were forced into planning a small one as a result of budget constraints, remember that a small wedding is equally significant and allows for lots of creativity.