uplighting and upgraded chairs-worth it?

I saw neither and I personally hate uplighting I think it looks so cheap

Thank you Kathleen!

I also think uplighting looks cheap, especially colored uplighting. TBH, I do not think I would have noticed how unattractive the chairs are had I not been instructed to evaluate them. I would keep the money and spend it on your honeymoon or on a registry item you wanted but didn't receive since it seems like you are already being a great host.

Thank you pickles

Not sure about uplighting, but I did consider chavari chairs (my venue chairs are red and doesn't mix well with our colors). Well after talking over with FH we decided to just use seat covers instead. The chairs at our venue are comfortable, just red. So maybe chair covers might be another option for you.

It seems like this is pretty evenly split. I am a "notice the chairs" person. Last wedding I went to was folding white chairs and they were so effing annoying, each time I tried to scoot away from the table to get up I felt like it was going to collapse on me because it was stuck in the grass and i had to push back hard. The banquet chairs are usually some gaudy fabric that looks terrible with wedding decor. Uplighting can be nice or it can be bad. I hate the look of pink/purple uploighting and how it casts on skin and displays in photos but that's my opinion.

@mel if I did uplighting it would need to be a gold/amber color. Our colors are red and gold and red uplighting would be creepy!

And I notice chairs now that I am wedding planning. I would notice if they were uncomfortable or annoying like you said before. The banquet chairs are fine comfort wise, just ugly. Before wedding planning I probably wouldn't have noticed what they looked like. But now that I'm a bride I'm all worried about it. Probably me worrying over nothing.

Do you have photos of your venue reception area ? Many don't need uplighting while others could use the help

Honestly it just depends on what's important to you. Aside from food, beverage, and DJ I'd say if chairs and uplighting are important to you, and you're willing to spend the money go for it.

Some things, even unnoticeable to every guests will be very noticeable to you!

@JPCD here is my venue. Well this is the inside part, it opens up to the outside part which I posted a picture of earlier. This wedding had upgraded the chairs. These are not the banquet chairs

This is the outside part

As a vendor that specializes in DJ & Lighting, I can HONESTLY tell you that its amazing when the ballroom opens and guests walk in and see a beautifully lit room. Everyone says "wow.' Depending on the size of the ballroom, lighting design when coupled with DJ costs can be from $400 to $2000 (again depending on your ballroom size and vision). This is the LEAST amount of money you will spend for the biggest wow factor....trust me. Soundwave Entertainment, djsoundwave.net, Orlando

Lighting is the biggest wow for the least amount of money....

I thought about uplighting and then I realized I didn't care about it and would rather spend the money elsewhere. And chairs are chairs, people sit in them.

This is the one thing we splurged on. I got chair covers, up-lighting, and draping for the ceiling with lights. $1350 but it's the only thing we went overboard on. (Up-lighting will not be purple! We choose soft white)

I think uplighting really changes the tone of the room and therefore deem it as important. I really don't care for chairs being special though. You just put your butt on it for a little while.

Neither. Guests won't notice or care about either of those things. I'd put the extra towards my honeymoon, or an upgrade in food/beverage package. Or just straight in to the savings account.

My venue came with the chiavari chairs at no extra cost but if they hadn't been included I would have probably spent money to have them. I feel like they dress up my venue.

Uplighting all the way. Once the lights go down you won't even notice the chairs. However, if you really hate them, a good alternate may be chair covers. You can probably find a good balance and do both lights and chairs then.

Chiming in to say that even though I always notice chairs, and think the chiavari chairs look beautiful (along with the bentwood midcentury style chairs that are becoming trendy) they are SOOO uncomfortable. The basic folding resin chairs a million times more comfortable, and your guests will thank you.