One of the most perplexing ~ and most common ~ challenges for brides is to make their wedding ceremony and reception memorable, personal, and amazing regardless of the physical limitations of the venue. Whether you're working with an older church whose colors you don't love, or getting married in the quintessential big, boxy hotel ballroom, you want to wow your guests with ambience that transforms the location into a truly special place and transports your guests beyond the four walls.

No one handles the logistics of total space transformations better than Yanni Design Studio. With more than two decades" worth of experience and a portfolio that includes some of the finest venues in the U. S., YDS specializes in total space transformations for large events, and their work is second to none. Whether you are looking for a design studio to hire for your own big day, or searching for proof that your ballroom ceremony and reception can be intimate, stylish, and completely personal, look no further than these examples of Yanni Design Studio"s total room transformations.

Perhaps one of the most stunning hotel ceremony spaces we've ever seen (main photo), this unbelievable setting includes a custom floral structure, curtains, uplighting and decadent tiers of Chandeliers. The combined result is simply stunning and so not your mama"s hotel ballroom.

For brides with generous budgets and a taste for florals, the Wall of Blooms in the 2nd photo combines texture and luxury for a truly one-of-a-kind ceremony space. With every sense inspired, guests would be hard-pressed to forget this marriage ceremony. The two large chandeliers balance the floral structure perfectly while bathing the evening"s main event in soft, romantic light.

In the 3rd photo, low pillars with uplighting and tiers of chandeliers mark the entrance to this gorgeous ceremony space, where the dramatic Mandap plays its starring role in the marriage ceremony. A single large chandelier inside the mandap will further illuminate the couple as they become husband and wife.

When the hotel"s walls are not an asset to the reception"s ambience, draping them in layers of soft fabric (4th photo) is a doable solution that, when paired with LED Color Washes, changes both the feel and the color scheme of the venue. The addition of lines of crystal bead swirl chandeliers fills the air space with cost-effective Decor, maximizing the budget for fresh florals by putting them front and center in the room.

As we often point out, this is the sort of room transformation that makes a pro worth his weight in gold, both because he will bring an experienced team to do the set-up (not to mention the take-down) and because the necessary Decor staples are often available in the designer"s warehouse. Buying those swirl chandeliers for one wedding ~ prohibitively expensive. Choosing a designer with a warehouse that includes staple pieces like those chandeliers? A much better value.

Any design pro will tell you that lighting is among the top items for transforming a room regardless of budget, and in the last photo, this symphony of LED lights proves the point beautifully. Add Crystal Centerpieces, a bead curtain entrance, and projected patterns on the walls drapes, and you have a showstopper of a reception space in what was once a plain hotel ballroom.

Whether you are totally transforming a ho-hum space or accenting the features of a place that you love, hiring a professional is an investment that is well worth the expenditure in stress relief and in results. We would love to see your total space transformations, and extra points if they include ShopWildThings Decor.

All images show original work by Yanni Design Studio and are courtesy of Yanni Design Studio unless otherwise noted. We strive to give photographers proper credit; if you know the photographer for any image on our blog, we would like to add a credit line and a link to the photographer"s portfolio.