Decorating Your Own Wedding: Is It Possible?

Decorating your wedding venue is a great way to put a unique spin on your special day. Whether you're a creative whizz or a self-proclaimed un-crafty person, there are plenty of wedding decoration ideas to choose from that will dazzle your guests, transform your venue and liven up your photographs.

From centrepieces to backdrops, flowers to lighting, there are many ways to decorate your wedding venue. You can hire professionals to help you or, if you're feeling brave, you can even make some of the decorations yourself.

If you're going the DIY route, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to set up and create a step-by-step guide with photos so that your helpers know exactly what to do.

Flowers and floral arrangements

Flowers are a crucial part of your wedding, and there are endless ways to incorporate them into your big day. Here are some ideas for flowers and floral arrangements to decorate your wedding:

Bouquets and Boutonnieres:

Create beautiful bouquets for yourself and your bridal party, and don't forget the boutonnieres for the groomsmen! You can use a mix of flowers and greenery that complement your wedding colours and theme.

Centrepieces and Table Decor:

Flowers can make a stunning centrepiece for your reception tables. Mix and match different vases, bud vases, and glass bottles with single stems or small clusters of flowers. You can also scatter flowers around your tables for a chic, effortless look. If you're looking for something more unique, try a floral chandelier or hanging floral installation above your tables.

Ceremony Backdrops and Arches:

A floral backdrop or arch can add a romantic and elegant touch to your ceremony. You can use flowers, greenery, and even pampas grass to create a whimsical and dreamy look.

Aisle Decor:

Line your aisle with fresh flowers and greenery, or opt for a floral aisle runner for a more dramatic effect. You can also decorate the chairs with flower clusters or garlands.

Wedding Cake and Dessert Table:

Flowers can be used to encircle and decorate your wedding cake, adding a pop of colour and elegance. You can also incorporate flowers into your dessert table, creating a stunning display.

Suspended Installations:

Hanging floral installations, such as floral chandeliers or flower-filled disco balls, can add a unique and whimsical touch to your wedding.

Escort Cards and Place Settings:

Flowers can be used to create a unique escort card display, such as a flower market effect with buckets of flowers and sticks with your guests' names. You can also use flowers or petals as place card holders.

Lounge Areas:

Create a cozy lounge area for your guests by decorating the space with whimsical flower arrangements, pillows, and soft furnishings.

Entrance and Exit Decor:

Make a grand entrance by framing the gateway to your aisle with flowers, greenery, and other decorative elements. You can also create a unique exit toss by filling paper cones, linen sachets, or baskets with petals, leaves, or herbs.

Photo Backdrops:

A flower wall can be a stunning backdrop for your wedding photos. You can also create a garden-inspired backdrop by bedecking a wooden canvas with individual flowers.

Wedding Favours:

Incorporate flowers into your wedding favours by gifting your guests small bouquets, potted plants, or flower-themed gifts.

Wedding signage

Welcome Signs

Welcome signs are a great way to greet your guests and let them know they are in the right place. You can go for a simple ""Welcome" sign, or get creative with illustrations, acrylic, or wooden materials. Consider a circular sign or hanging your sign from a metal structure to make it stand out. If your wedding has a theme, you can convey it through your welcome sign, like a disco-themed sign or a beach-themed sign with tropical flowers.

Unplugged Signs

If you want your guests to put away their phones during the ceremony, an unplugged sign is a cute and polite way to convey your wishes. You can use a chalkboard sign or an acrylic sign, and add some flowers or garlands to make it more visible.

Ceremony Signs

Ceremony signs can include reserved seating signs for VIPs, or signs that prompt guests to participate in a unity ritual. You can also use a sign to display your wedding program instead of using stationery.

Bar and Food Signs

Bar and food signs are both practical and decorative. You can use a variety of materials like linen, wood, or acrylic, and add garlands or flowers for a romantic touch. If you're having a dessert table or food stations, signs can let your guests know what treats are available and communicate any dietary restrictions.

Reception Signs

Reception signs can include a variety of things like a wedding hashtag sign, a guest book sign, a schedule of events, or a seating chart. You can use letterboards or vinyl stickers to create fun and personalized signs.

Quotes and Sentiments

In addition to informational signs, you can use signs to display quotes, sentiments, or your new monogram. This adds a personal touch to your decor and can be a fun way to showcase your personality as a couple.

Other Tips

When creating your wedding signage, consider the guest experience and think through the flow of the day from their perspective. Have fun with colour and texture, but keep legibility in mind. Start creating your signage about a month before the wedding, and don't be afraid to delegate the task to your wedding party or a professional stylist or planner.

Table decorations

Centrepieces

Centrepieces are a great way to add a unique touch to your wedding tables. You can use flowers, candles, lanterns, or other decorative items as centrepieces. If you're looking for something simple, try using a single flower or a small sprig in a vase. For a more rustic look, consider using a Large Galvanized Bucket filled with flowers or lanterns. You can also use Large Square Glass Vases or Large Cylinder Glass Vases for a modern and sleek appearance.

Table Runners

Table runners can add a pop of colour or texture to your tables. Try using a fabric runner in a colour that complements your wedding theme. For a more natural look, consider using a greenery runner made from eucalyptus, ivy vines, or other types of foliage.

Place Settings

Place settings are a great way to add a personal touch to your tables. You can use place cards, menus, or favours to decorate each setting. For a unique touch, consider using a Large Tabletop Chalkboard as a place card or menu display. You can also use Heart-Shaped Mirrors or Round Table Mirrors to add a romantic touch to each setting, reflecting the light from candles or tea lights.

Table Numbers

Table numbers are a functional part of your table decorations, but they can also add to your decor. Try using creative displays such as hanging installations or unique stands to display your table numbers. You can also use numbered candles or place card holders as part of your table number display.

Other Decorative Items

• Flowers or greenery: Add flowers or greenery to your tables to bring the beauty of nature into your decor.
• Candles: Use candles of various sizes, colours, and shapes to create a romantic and elegant atmosphere.
• Lights: Hang festoon lights or string lights above the tables to create a whimsical and magical ambiance.
• Signage: Use creative signage to direct guests to their tables or display fun messages or quotes.
• Personalised items: Add a unique touch with personalised name cards, favours, or other customised details.

Remember to consider the overall theme and colour palette of your wedding when choosing your table decorations, and don't be afraid to get creative and mix and match different elements to create a truly unique and memorable setting for your special day!

Venue draping

Wall Draping for Weddings

By using draping fabric on the walls of your wedding venue, you can soften harsh edges, hide unsightly imperfections, and make a plain or industrial space look more elegant. You can also use floor-to-ceiling draping to divide a large, open space into smaller, more intimate sections.

Fabric Draping for Wedding Structures

Draping is a great way to upgrade wedding structures such as arches, canopies, tents, and gazebos. For example, you can use draping fabric to construct a canopy or gazebo, or to decorate a wedding arch with flowers, ribbons, crystals, and lights.

Ceiling Draping for Weddings

Ceiling draping can be used to create a faux ceiling, with or without a structure, allowing sunshine and starlight to pour through the fabric. You can also interlace ceiling drapes to create a modern, elegant look, or hang them in a maypole-style arrangement for a whimsical, bohemian feel.

Other Fabric Draping Ideas for Wedding Venues

Don't forget about entrances, doorways, and staircases! These areas can be decorated with draping fabric to create a grand entrance for your guests. You can also hang draped cloth signs, incorporate fresh florals and greenery, or set up a photo wall with a fabric backdrop.

Choosing the Right Fabric

Draping fabric comes in a variety of types and colours, so you can find one that matches your wedding theme. Popular fabric choices include chiffon, organza, tulle, and satin, and colours can range from traditional white or ivory to bold colours like red, green, or blue. You can also mix and match fabrics and colours to create visual interest and texture.

Wedding favours

• Mini vases with your guests' initials on them. These can act as place settings and your guests can add a floral touch to their homes.
• Happy tears handkerchiefs. These are especially fitting if you're having a small wedding or a bigger budget. You can choose from 19 different embroidery colours, from Barbie pink to olive green.
• Customised matches. Elevate the gift of matches with vibrant, personalised boxes. If you're having candles on the tables, you could even ask your guests to light them.
• Mini rose quartz hearts. Planning a celestial wedding or are you and your partner spiritual? These rose quartz hearts are said to be the ultimate crystal of love, making them a magical choice.
• Bespoke macarons. You can't go wrong with a sweet treat, and these can be personalised with pretty pink and rose gold finishes. Choose two flavours from pistachio, salted caramel, vanilla, lemon, rose, raspberry, chocolate, hazelnut and chocolate orange.
• Antique teaspoons. These would look great on the tables of a garden tea-party reception, and they make a sweet gift for guests to treasure forever.
• Personalised photo-printed sweets. Your guests will be beaming from ear to ear with these thoughtful treats. Use portrait photos for the best results.
• Personalised chopsticks. These engraved chopsticks are crafted from high-quality bamboo and can be used time and time again.
• Botanical copper frame floral wedding favours. If you're having dried flower décor at your wedding, keep the theme with these delicate copper frames. They'll look lovely on the tables and hanging up in your guests' homes.
• Fortune cookies. Fortune cookies are a highly affordable option and a great way to break the ice when your wedding guests sit down. It’s a favour, table game and table decoration all in one!
• Mini bottles of olive oil. Every guest will appreciate these fine Greek olive oil favours, which are homegrown and bottled in the Peloponnese, Greece. The company has a huge number of fresh herbs and flavours to infuse the oil with, from rosemary and oregano to chilli, lemon, garlic or sweet peppers.
• Mini dried flower bouquet magnets. For an elegant garden wedding that’s filled with pretty foliage and rustic details, these mini dried-flower bouquet magnets are the perfect pairing for your tables.
• Mini shoppers filled with chocolate truffles. Sometimes the classics are classic for a reason, and chocolate is always a winner. Elevate your sweet offering with these mini shoppers from Fortnum & Mason filled with the brand’s signature Grey Tea Caramel chocolate truffles.
• Custom portrait temporary tattoos. Your guests will absolutely adore you for these fun wedding favours.
• Popcorn boxes. Give your guests little boxes of this much-loved treat for them to take away. If you're planning to have vintage décor, these personalised popcorn boxes would fit right in.
• Sunglasses. Fun colourful sunglasses make for great photos and are a fun favour idea.
• Hangover kits. If you're anticipating a few sore heads the next day, create your own hangover kits with these cute bags. Fill them with things like chocolate, paracetamol, mints and an eye mask.
• Lottery tickets. Feeling lucky? Share your luck with your guests by giving them a lottery ticket. This is a fun and low-cost unusual wedding favour idea that could lead to some big wins!
• Personalised succulents. For a unique keepsake of your wedding day, choose one of these exotic succulents. They’re simple enough for even the least green-fingered to grow and come in cute terracotta pots with weatherproof labels personalised with your names and the date of the big day.
• Wedding sparklers. For amazing wedding photos, leave sparklers on the tables (away from little hands) for your guests to enjoy. These sparkler covers can be personalised with your names and wedding date.
• Personalised chocolate. Offer your wedding guests a sweet treat with these chocolate initial wedding favours. The milk chocolate sets can feature up to three initials or characters and are utterly delicious.
• Pick 'n' mix bags. If one of you has a seriously sweet tooth, fill jars with your favourite treats, and let your guests go wild packing cute foiled paper bags with a sugary assortment.
• Wedding luggage tag favours. If you're having a destination or travel-themed wedding, these white, embossed, leather-look luggage tags are ideal. They'll come printed with each of your guests' names inside so you can use them as place cards, too.
• Grow-your-own chilli kits. If you’ve got something on your menu that has a bit of a fiery kick to it, why not give out chilli-growing kits as wedding favours? They're small in size so will nestle into your table decorations perfectly, and the hessian bag will add a rustic touch.
• Personalised Christmas crackers. If you’re getting married in winter, hand out Christmas crackers as wedding favours. These crackers come with your guests' names written on wooden tags. The mistletoe design is ideal for a winter wedding.
• Personalised lollipops. These vegan and halal-friendly lollipops can be personalised to include your initials. There’s over 40 varieties to choose from, including edible rose petals, lace, confetti and sparkles.
• Jam pots with personalised guest name tags. Whether it's homemade or shop-bought, jam is a perfect favour idea for a quintessentially English-style wedding. We adore these little fabric-covered jam pots. You can pick from Tiptree marmalade, strawberry or blackcurrant jam, or salted caramel spread.
• Personalised tea packet favours. Everyone loves a good brew. We adore these ‘Love is Brewing’ personalised teabags that you can fill with loose-leaf tea or a luxury tea bag. You could mix things up a bit by putting in unusual flavours, such as English rose tea or toffee apple.

Frequently asked questions