Today’s weddings are an industry built unto themselves with spaces that are customized to host the event from beginning to end. Large spacious venues that serve as both an area for guests to first congregate, then be seated for the ceremony, and then be reacquainted back into the venue for food, music, and celebration. These venues are designed as a one-stop-shop to fully service the needs of the Bride and the Groom, their family’s and friends. And of course, many wedding venues are also designed as the destination point following the ceremony at a house of worship.
The goal of soundproofing a wedding venue is to provide clarity to speech, as well as control over unwelcome levels of crowd noise following the ceremony. In both cases, controlling the unwanted echoes in the room will generate more control over the background noise, dropping the decibel level exposure, and delivering back greater clarity to the original sound. A set of decorative sound panels, cut to the size and color that will help the panels blend into the room, can be surface mounted to perimeter wall or ceiling surfaces in the room to generate the acoustic values that the Bride and Groom will be seeking.
Nothing is more frustrating than being seated as a guest during the ceremony but unable to hear due to poor room acoustics. The playback on the videotape of the ceremony can also be compromised if the room holds too much echo. Once the celebration begins, the DJ or live band kicks in, the noise will elevate to unwelcome levels and potentially drive the seniors away from the celebration. As the room begins to dissipate too early, the Bride and Groom are left with that sinking feeling of people leaving before the party is over.
The answer to the needs of premium sound quality in a wedding service lies in the art of the sound panel. Acoustic panels can be cloth wrapped in dozens of colors, including bright white, and can be custom cut to match any cavity size in a perimeter wall or ceiling application. The soundproofing values the venue commands will happen regardless of sound panel placement, so long as appropriate coverage amounts are introduced into the room. Acoustic panels can also be rigged to “float” off the ceiling, rather than flush mounted to wall or ceilings, which would then give the impression that the panels function as “clouds” that hover over the room. Some opt away from this as floated panels expose the backside of the pieces, and can create a dusty shelf.
In today’s sound panel market, there’s also the option to have custom images printed onto the face of a sound panel mural system. By working carefully with a well trained acoustical consultant, a special design to your wedding venue can easily add the extra ingredient that will help separate your venue from the others. In this hyper priced market of wedding hosting, planning, and execution, tailoring the special day for that Bride and Groom should include care and consideration to the sound values in the space.
Sound panels are cloth-wrapped boards. Made of compressed fiberglass, they are stiff and rigid and wrapped in dozens of color options depending on the color scheme of the wedding venue. Mechanical clips are shipped with each order, allowing for ease in self-installation, and dramatic cost savings for not having to hire out an expensive install team. The panels are decorative, durable, class A fire rated, and are designed to capture up to 80% of the unwanted reverberation in the room. Thicker panels will absorb more low bass tones stemming from the music later in the evening, be sure you opt for the 2” thick over the 1” thick panel option.
The bottom line for those who own wedding venues and seek to book weddings and other social events in these custom spaces, pay attention to the sound values you will be offering the Bride and Groom for their special day. By showing them you have invested in their day, by targeting premium sound quality, they will benefit greatly with the decision to choose your venue over others who ignore the need for noise control. For more information on treating your wedding venue, or soundproofing any social hall, multipurpose room, fellowship hall, or banquet facility, contact NetWell Noise Control at 1-800-638-9355 or visit them online at www.controlnoise.com
