Wedding receptions are all about friends and family gathering around newlyweds to celebrate their commitment to one another. The party also serves as a place where two families come together as one. Since attendees are going to dine, drink, dance, and mingle with each other—often for the first time as one big group—it's important that you offer them a place to sit and conversate during your party. That's why setting up a wedding lounge is an important part of any reception. These intimate stations often encourage attendees to get to know each other as they take a break from the merriment.
No matter your wedding's style or location, a lounge area is also a great way to customize your space. When designing your setup, nod to your big-day aesthetic with thematic décor and details. Take this lounge by Greenwood Events, for example. The pros spoke to this romantic, bohemian celebration with round gold coffee tables, velvet pink stools, and orange tulle curtains. White dahlia and blush-and-tangerine marigold arrangements enhanced the feminine look of the space. In addition to your theme, a lounge can also reference your wedding date. Complement your winter event with a holiday-inspired station that features green furniture and red-and-white accents. Or, celebrate your summer soirée on the beach by placing Adirondack chairs around a fire pit.
Not totally convinced that a wedding lounge area is right for your event? Just think about the benefits as you explore the images ahead: They're gorgeous, they're inviting, and they're the perfect option for guests who aren't as comfortable busting a move—or who would simply rather sit back and savor the celebrations from afar.
Boho Texture
Add texture to your bohemian reception space with rattan lounge décor, like Simply Santa Barbara Events and Elan Event Rentals did here.
Shady Seats
Give guests a shady place to mingle by placing umbrellas over lounge chairs. Rose and Willow created this beachy setup.
Romantic Station
Make like To La Lune and design a romantic lounge by placing a red velvet couch in front of a greenery backdrop decorated with roses (these arrangements are by Bloom Babes) and candles. The pros topped the seating with white-and-tan pillows, which matched the light-grained wood coffee table.
Contrast
Go for a unique color contrast when creating your outdoor lounge. Pop the Cork Designs added orange chairs to this setup; they were prettily juxtaposed against a verdant greenery wall.
Earthy Western
Speak to your Western wedding aesthetic by adding leather seats and poufs, a wooden couch, and hide rugs to your lounge area. Rock & Stone Weddings finished off this station with rusty arrangements by Brier & Ivy.
Traditional Victorian
Lend a vintage feel to an industrial venue with a Victorian-inspired wood-and-velvet sofa and chairs. We love how Thistle & Thicket enhanced this lounge with an antique chest coffee table.
Circular Couch
Modernize your reception space by adding a circular couch to the center of your lounge. Anne Claire Allen Planning & Design created this setup, which Silks A Bloom finished off with a colorful hydrangea-centric arrangement.
Classic Pergola
Transform any classic pergola into an outdoor wedding lounge with refined seating. Note how Beauty In the Making used antique chairs, a sofa, and a table in polished white, tan, blue, and gold hues to create this refined, cohesive look.
Pastel Color Palette
Turn to seasonal flora for thematic décor inspiration that'll speak to your big day's date. Soil & Stem's springy blush blooms influenced this The Gatherist lounge's pastel palette. The colorways were brought to life with a rattan rug, light-grained coffee table, an ivory couch, and woven seats.
Dynamic Print
As you can see by DFW Events' blue-and-white lounge, designing a space with different patterns can create a dynamic look—just make sure each print features similar colors for a cohesive look.
Vacation Vibes
Create a relaxed, beachy lounge by placing white Adirondack chairs and cushions in a circle around a fire pit in the sand. Tiki torches were a thematic and functional finishing touch: In addition to providing light and keeping bugs at bay, they also enhanced the display's vacation-inspired aesthetic.
Autumnal Look
Looking to design the perfect autumnal lounge? Emulate this Shannon Wellington Weddings station's blue-and-orange color scheme. The pros nodded to the wedding's seasonality with a faux fireplace, wood and copper tables, and yellow, white, and green arrangements by Fresh Designs Florist.
Patio Upgrade
Upgrade patio furniture for a formal event on a terrace. Jennifer Rhem of CJ's Off the Square opted for a gray wicker set, which matched this venue's stone flooring. She topped the seating with blue cushions and silver pillows for polish.
Residential Elegance
Look to furniture you have in your own home when selecting key pieces for your lounge. This vignette, which looked looked like an outdoor living room, featured a Revivals Rentals' rug, upholstered armchairs, and a wooden coffee table—and nodded to the couple's personal aesthetic.
Christmas-Inspired
Draw inspiration from Lauryn Prattes Styling and Events' Christmas-inspired lounge for a design that nods to the holiday season. A green velvet couch covered in faux fur pillows and gold tables and chairs brought a festive vibe to this space.
Back-to-Back Mingling
Place back-to-back lounge seating in the center of your reception to encourage guests to mingle (and allow them to take a break!) while still being a part of the celebration. Events in Bloom worked in various chandeliers and wooden bistro tables to merge the setup with the rest of the event's décor.
Private Pergola
A bench with a built-in pergola that's covered in bougainvillea can offer guests a private place to sit and chat, as evidenced by this Your Event Florist lounge.
Cozy Fireplace
If your venue features a fireplace, place a cozy lounge around it so guests can keep warm during your outdoor soirée. Bravo Weddings & Events and Erika Kobziak used a slate coffee table to match this stone chimney, creating a welcoming space.
Vacation Hammock
Encourage friends and family to kick back at your seaside wedding by adding a hammock to your lounge. Sea of Dreams used the swing to enhance this celebration's beachy vibe and make attendees feel like they were on vacation.
Round Ottomans
Complement round reception table seats with a lounge (Lovelyfest Events designed this one) that features circular ottomans and curved couches.
Rustic Meets Modern
Pair wooden farm tables with emerald sofas for a rustic-meets-modern lounge. Meagan Warren Weddings used both distressed finishes (note the coffee table's rusty base) and lux velvet fabrics to tie the two aesthetics together.
Classic Beachy
As evidenced by this Fresa Weddings' setup, cushioned couches can give your beach lounge a classic, polished look. The space was enhanced with a wooden coffee table and blue-and-tan pillows and poufs for a refined feel.
Feminine Flair
Lend feminine flair to your outdoor reception area with a lounge that features pink velvet seats and a matching Persian rug. Coastside Couture brought this station to life.
Modern Masculine
Gray couches and chairs can lend a masculine feel to your lounge. As A Savvy Event proved here, pairing your rentals with square, black coffee tables can enhance the space's edgy vibe in a modern way.
Airy Tent
Complement your airy white wedding tent with an ivory-hued lounge. Le Festin Events used a glass coffee table to add dimension to the setup without taking away from the monochromatic look.
At Home on the Beach
Your beach lounge doesn't have to be filled with cabanas. In fact, it can feel like home. Just make like Diana Romo and chose vintage seating, like these chairs and sofa from Archive Rentals, to give your space a living room feel.
Palm Print
Palm print inspired the pillows used to enhance this couple's tropical lounge area. Copy this gorgeous design by Anna Lucia Events to complement the overall ambience of your island destination.
Sentimental Photos
String photos together to make a backdrop for your lounge that speaks to your family's heritage. The Wedding Atelier by Lelian Chew did just that to bring sentimental impact to this space.
Snacking and Sipping
Instead of coordinating a formal, seated dinner, Strawberry Milk Events created a full-scale reception lounge for friends and family to come and go as they snacked, sipped, and danced all evening long. We suggest doing the same so attendees can mingle and celebrate (uninterrupted!) throughout the party.
Intimate Tenting
Geometric light fixtures and modern lounge furniture? Yes please. Recreate this comfortable, tent-covered lounge by Leslie Herring Events—which beautifully complemented this soirée's beachy, contemporary aesthetic—if you're looking to design an intimate place for guests to relax.
Matching Couch
A couch can be used to tie many different aspects of your wedding lounge together. A Savvy Event used a white sofa with gray-and-red pillows to match marble tables, a burgundy loveseat, and slate chairs.