There are many facets to the Wedding Planning Process, and as you know from our last blog, Wedding Milestones: Guiding You Through The Wedding Planning Process, we discuss the basics of wedding planning and take you through the different phases it entails. But the fun doesn’t stop there!
Décor and Design are two major components of the wedding planning process. So much so, that this entire blog will only discuss this facet of the planning process, taking you through the different stages and making sure no décor detail is overlooked.
Ceremony Décor
No matter which kind of ceremony you’re having, and where you’re having it, the décor is a major factor in it. You want to ensure that every part of your wedding encompasses your theme and inspiration that you infused into your special day. This creates continuity and cohesiveness for your guests to really show you and your partners personality throughout your day.
One of the main décor elements during this portion of your wedding day is your altar décor. Creating a space for your ceremony backdrop is something that you can really make unique and special to you. This can include anything from how you incorporate florals, candles, arbors, draping, etc. There is a great article titled Wedding Ceremony: New Ceremony Arch Alternatives by TheKnot, which showcases a few different ways you can really stray from tradition, and incorporate your style into your altar decor.
Next comes your aisle décor and ceremony seating. Think of this as your first entrance into your wedding. There are many different avenues you can take when creating this space for your wedding and guests. Whether you want to be extravagant or go the simple route, there are many different ways you can incorporate your style and theme into this space. The article 50 Beautiful Ways to Decorate Your Wedding Aisle by BRIDES is a great reference to check out regarding some inspiration of how to decorate this space.
It is also important to note here that aisle runners are another key component here. Some ideas for runners, besides your standard burlap, nylon, or different colored canvas runners, you could use vintage carpets, white mirrored reflection runners, flower petals, etc.
Personal flowers and accessories such as Bouquets for bridesmaids and bride, Boutonnieres for groom and groomsmen, as well as the Flower basket for flower girl and Ring pillow for ring bearer are important details to remember. And pet accessories such as wagons or bowties (if your furry friends are included in your special day!)
Other important décor elements in your ceremony spaces are welcome signage, programs, and a card or gift station. Welcome signage is a perfect way to greet your guests and is likely one of the first things they’ll see when arriving to your wedding. There are many different ways you can go about this, the article 26 Wedding Welcome Signs Perfect for Greeting Guests by TheKnot portrays some great examples of the different materials and ways you can creatively greet your guests. Programs are another great way to add to the guest experience. Programs allow important information to be communicated with each and every guest. This can include outline of the ceremony so guests know what to expect, instructions or directions to the reception, wedding QR code or hashtag for photos, etc. This is a great tool to utilize when thinking of guest experience at your wedding. Lastly, a gift station or card box at your ceremony can be a way to alleviate guests from holding onto their gifts throughout the ceremony and waiting until they get to reception, if one immediately proceeds the other or is in the same location.
Cocktail Hour Décor
Now that the ceremony décor is taken care of and guests move into the cocktail hour portion of your wedding, décor is just as important. Continuing your theme and adding elements of design and décor can really make a difference when it comes to guest experience.
One of the places where you can showcase more décor is around the bar area. Bar décor such as signature drink signage can be a great focal piece for your wedding’s design. Add-ons such as custom cocktail napkins and drink stirrers can also be a fun and unique way to incorporate your personality into your wedding.
In addition to these décor items that live on your bar, you can also be creative with the bar itself (varying on whether you’re at a venue or build out, and location of wedding). TheKnot’s article, 15 Ways to Style Your Cocktail Bar, showcases different unique and fun ways to change the bar itself to fit your wedding’s theme.
Aside from bar décor, if you didn’t place your card and gift station in your ceremony, here might be a good time to utilize this space. Another idea is having a memory table, where you are honoring lost love ones and can include photos from your parents and/or grandparents’ weddings.
Cocktail hour is usually where your escort cards or seating chart lives. There are so many options and ways you can customize this element of your wedding. If you’re doing physical escort cards, you can embroider, shape, or color them anyway you please to fit your style. Or, you can create a seating chart on an easel, mirror, glass window panes or doors, etc. The world is your oyster! The blog Write Pretty for Me’s article titled, Seating Chart vs. Escort Cards vs. Place Cards is a great resource to check out regarding the different directions you can go in when creating this element for your wedding.
Like ceremony, you can also alter the seating as well as tables in your cocktail hour to fit your vibe. This can mean either including high-top tables or a lounge area for your guests. You can combine the two, or include standard tables as well. Mixing and matching and choosing the types of seating to best fit your space can improve guest experience during the cocktail hour portion of your wedding.
Reception Décor
You’ve made it to the reception, where most people think the bulk of the décor is. As we’ve now seen, it’s important to incorporate your design and décor throughout the entirety of your event – and the reception is no different (obviously!).
If you’re having an outdoor wedding that requires a tent, there are a few options you can do to create a space that aligns with your theme. Starting with the tent itself, there are multiple options for the type of tent you can get. To see the types of tents and get inspiration for which tent fits your wedding style, check out Intimate Weddings’ blog post titled 10 Wedding Tent Styles, where they show you all of the possibilities. After choosing the type of tent you want for your space, incorporating design elements and florals into the décor of your tent can set the tone and vibe for your space. This can mean lighting, draping, dance floor, and hanging decor like chandeliers.
During your reception, your wedding cake and table that it's displayed on is another great way to incorporate your theme and style. Elements such as wedding cake topper and dessert signage can be a fun way to personalize your wedding.
Lounge areas during your reception can also be a great way to not only incorporate design and decor elements, but also to add to guest experience. The blog 25 Creative Lounge Areas by Bridal Guide showcases a lot of different ways you can incorporate a lounge area space in your wedding to fit your vibe.
Table Décor
As part of your reception décor, and arguably the most important part, is the table décor. It’s where your guests spend a large chunk of their time at and it can set the tone for you wedding. Firstly, determining table linens and chairs are the foundation to your reception setup. Whether you are choosing full covered table cloths or runners, determining the material and color of your linens will help be the backdrop to your centerpieces.
Determining the type of chair is also an important foundation piece to your reception décor. The article 18 Types of Wedding Chairs to Add to Your Event Rental List by Wedding Wire is a great tool to utilize when determine which chair fits your style. Also, Chair décor for sweetheart table, for the marries couple is another way you can incorporate your personality and design into your wedding.
Now that your décor foundation is set, we can build on the décor items on top of the table. This include Napkins, Flatware and Drinkware is the next step. The article Your Simple Guide to Tableware and Flatwareby Well Dressed Table goes in-depth about the different tableware and flatware styles you can incorporate on your wedding.
Stationary, like during the other parts of your wedding, is an important décor item that you can use to infuse your theme and style. This can mean Dinner menus and Place cards. No detail is too small. Even though they may seem like a smaller detail, they can make a big difference aesthetically when they’re on the table with the rest of your table décor elements. The article The 17 Best Wedding Place Cards to Wow Your Guestsby BRIDES is a great blog that goes in depth, discussing the unique ways you can incorporate these details and make them stand out to you guests.
Last, but certainly not least, incorporating your design into your Centerpieces and Table numbers is a major décor component in your wedding. Centerpieces are the main focal point of your table décor. This is where you incorporate your entire style into, and really showcase the theme of your wedding. No matter what your wedding theme or style is, your centerpiece is where it all ties in. The article 48 Centerpiece Ideas for Any Wedding Style by BRIDES goes into detail about the different kinds of centerpieces you can pull inspiration from to fit your wedding.
Table numbers make a huge impact on the table décor and are also very important in terms of guest experience. You may think you cannot change much about a table number, but to that we say you’re wrong (respectfully, of course). The article 31 Non-Traditional Wedding Table Numbers to Fall in Love With by the WeddingWire shows just that. They go into detail and showcase the different fun and unique ways you can alter your table numbers at your wedding.
Final Thoughts
Décor and details are such an intricate part of any wedding. It is where you can really make the wedding your own, and showcase exactly who you are to your guests. It can affect your tone, aesthetic, mood, style, and even guest experience of your wedding. And, it is something that is important to incorporate at all points throughout your wedding. If we had to give our final remarks on the topic of wedding décor, it would be – make it unique, make it you, have fun with it, and enjoy the process! This is where you get to be creative and create the wedding you’ve always dreamed of!