Decorating A Church For Your Wedding: What You Need To Know

Decorating a church for a wedding is a great way to make the ceremony feel more personal and unique. While some couples may opt for a simple, understated look, others may prefer more elaborate decorations such as candlelights, swathes of fabric, and other props to create ambiance. Whether you're working with a small budget or have more room to splurge, there are endless options to transform a church into a dreamy wedding venue.

Before planning your church wedding decorations, it's important to finalize a budget and meet with the venue coordinator to discuss any rules and restrictions. Some churches may have specific limitations on decorations based on the religious denomination and time of year. It's also a good idea to ask if they have a lookbook for inspiration from past weddings held at the church.

Once you have a clear understanding of the guidelines and your budget, you can start planning your decorations. Here are some ideas to consider:

- Floral arrangements: Flowers are a popular choice for church wedding decorations. You can use them to create bouquets, cascading displays, pew bows, or simple accents throughout the church.

- Candles: Candles can add a romantic and peaceful atmosphere to the ceremony. Consider pairing them with glass jars or lanterns to reflect the light.

- Aisle decorations: Focus your decor on the aisle to create a grand entrance. You can use flowers, lights, or traditional pew bows to line the aisle and decorate the pews.

- Altar decorations: The altar is a sacred space, so choose subtle arrangements that enhance its beauty. Flowers and candles are a great way to decorate the altar, and you can also drape white fabric or hang a sign with the couple's names.

- Entrance and exterior decor: Greet your guests with eye-catching decor at the entrance, such as custom signage, floral arrangements, and candles. You can also add touches of flowers or greenery to accent the outside architecture.

- Simple and elegant touches: If you're marrying in a classic chapel, let the style of the church speak for itself. A simple arrangement of roses and greenery on the altar can be elegant and timeless.

Flowers and floral arrangements

Flowers are a key part of decorating a church for a wedding, and there are many ways to incorporate them into your special day. From bouquets to floral arches, the possibilities are endless. Here are some ideas for flowers and floral arrangements to inspire your wedding décor.

Choosing Your Flowers

When selecting flowers for your wedding, you can choose to follow the seasons. For a winter wedding, consider foliage-heavy arrangements, while spring might call for bulbs and summer for blousy roses and hydrangeas. Autumn weddings are perfect for dahlias. You can also opt for classic wedding flowers such as roses, sweet peas, hydrangeas, and delphiniums, or go for a more unstructured look with seed pod heads, grasses, and unusual shapes.

Floral Arches and Entrances

Make a statement with a floral arch at the entrance of the church. This creates a beautiful frame for the happy couple and can be enhanced with a variety of flowers and greenery. You can also opt for a more subtle approach with a single strand of floral garland draped across the church door or a wreath made of eucalyptus, boxwood, and larkspur.

Aisle Decorations

Line the aisle with lush greenery, such as ivy or ferns, to create a natural and romantic pathway. For a more dramatic effect, add tall arrangements of greenery or pampas grass. If you're looking for something unique, consider ornate lanterns or gold aisle-lining lanterns. For a simple touch, scatter flower petals down the aisle or tie mini bouquets to the pews.

Altar Arrangements

The altar is the perfect place for statement floral arrangements. Opt for large urns or vases filled with flowers, or choose a floral backdrop with greenery and white blooms. For a romantic touch, fill the altar with candles of varying heights. If you're looking to save money, consider LED candles or fairy lights.

Repurposing Flowers

Don't forget that your wedding flowers don't have to be limited to the church. You can repurpose and relocate your flowers to your wedding reception. For example, aisle end flowers and altar flowers can be moved to decorate behind the top table or the bar.

Wedding aisle runners

A wedding aisle runner is a great way to enhance the decor of your ceremony and create a smooth surface for the wedding party and guests to walk on. It can also help protect the bride's dress, especially if the wedding is outdoors.

When choosing an aisle runner, consider the material. Polyester is a popular choice as it is well-suited to most venues, while burlap is perfect for a rustic or farmhouse-style wedding. You can also find more unique options, like a mirrored aisle runner, which creates the illusion of an ethereal walkway.

You can also customise your aisle runner with monograms, poems, quotes, or photos. Etsy is a great place to find small shops that can help you create a personalised runner.

If you're looking for something simple, a plain white or cream aisle runner is a classic choice and will fit right into a classy wedding setting. For a bolder statement, you can choose from a range of colours, including red, black, pink, and gold.

For a truly unique touch, consider The Original Runner Company, which creates non-slip fabric runners that are safe to walk on, even for stiletto heels! They also offer custom designs, so you can have your unique monogram or logo featured on the runner.

Stairway and aisle lining

Stairways and aisles are key areas to focus on when decorating a church for a wedding. They are often the first thing guests see and they frame the couple as they walk down the aisle.

Stairway Lining Ideas:

• Wrap the stairway railings with greenery such as magnolia leaves or ivy and seasonal flowers.
• Add candles, loving signs, and flowers that match your colour scheme to the stairway decorations.
• If the church has a front entrance with potted plants or flower areas, decorate them with branches, vines, and wedding flowers.
• Hang wreaths made from flowers or eucalyptus over the front doors with ribbons that match your colour scheme.
• For a simple look, drape soft fabric and fairy lights around the stairway.

Aisle Lining Ideas:

• Line the aisle with tall potted plants or large lanterns.
• Create a romantic pathway with candles or flower petals.
• Hang a floral arch or garland at the start of the aisle.
• For a natural look, line the aisle with elegant vines of greenery, flowers, and bows in your colour scheme.
• For a bold statement, add a pop of colour with dried flowers or pampas grass.
• Attach small vases or buckets with flowers to the ends of each pew.
• For a rustic look, tie swatches of white tulle and thick satin ribbons to the pews.
• For a simple, clean design, forgo flowers and use hand-picked bundles of greenery and dried branches.
• For a whimsical woodland theme, decorate the end of each pew with wildflowers.
• For a modern look, use clear ghost chairs along the aisle.
• For a unique touch, tie herbs or small bundles of greenery to the chairs.
• For a colourful touch, choose translucent gold chairs for your outdoor ceremony.
• For a traditional look, use red carpet down the aisle.
• For a rustic, elegant look, wrap burlap around the pews with lace and twine bows.
• For a vintage look, hang paper strip hearts on the pews.

Natural or electric candles

Candles are a beautiful addition to any wedding, offering a peaceful and serene atmosphere. They are also super cheap and can be ordered in bulk.

Natural candles have a more traditional and authentic feel, but they may be restricted due to fire safety. If you are set on using natural candles, pair them with glass jars or glass to help reflect the light and provide a more romantic mood.

If natural candles aren't an option, LED candles are a safe and attractive alternative. Modern LED candles can flicker just like the real thing, creating a hopelessly romantic setting. These can be gold-coated to add a touch of elegance to the ceremony.

Whether you opt for natural or electric candles, they can be placed on windowsills, altar steps, or along the pews. For a bolder statement, fill the altar with candles of varying heights for a spectacular show.

Church pew decorations

Flowers

Flowers are a classic choice for church pew decorations. You can opt for fresh flowers like roses, lilies, and hydrangeas, or choose artificial flowers if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option. Consider mini buckets of hydrangeas, or small bouquets of seeded eucalyptus and white roses tied to the ends of the pews. For a rustic touch, you can use mason jars filled with flowers as part of your pew decorations. If you're feeling creative, you can even make your own flower arrangements from your garden or with fake flowers.

Fabric and Ribbons

Fabric and ribbons can add a touch of elegance to your church pews. Tulle, satin, and organza ribbons in colours that match your wedding theme can be draped or tied around the pews. For a more luxurious feel, consider adding plush cushions to the pews, adorned with custom-made bows or brooches.

Lights and Lanterns

If you're looking for a unique twist on traditional floral decorations, lanterns or fairy lights can be a beautiful choice. For a rustic or countryside vibe, ornate lanterns can be placed along the aisle or hung from the railings. For a more modern look, hanging floral installations with creative lighting fixtures can create a stunning visual impact.

Personalised Touches

Custom signs, monogrammed bows, and personalised cushions are a great way to infuse uniqueness into your church pew decorations. Reserved signs for specific pews or rows can also be a thoughtful touch, especially for larger weddings.

Wreaths

Wreaths are a charming way to decorate church doors and pews. You can opt for simple wreaths made of eucalyptus, boxwood, and larkspur, or add pops of colour with peonies and ranunculus.

Bows

Large wedding pew bows made of tulle or satin ribbons can be a beautiful and elegant addition to your church pew decorations. These bows can be customised with pearl details, brooches, or long tails for a dramatic effect.

Remember to keep the decorations within the church's guidelines and work within any constraints to ensure your ceremony is memorable for both you and your guests.

Frequently asked questions