4 STEPS TO PLANNING YOUR WEDDING DECOR
One of the first questions many couples ask when planning their wedding is: “What should our theme be?” With endless inspiration online, it can feel overwhelming knowing where to start.
Planning your wedding décor is one of the best parts of wedding planning…
It’s where you can really start to hone in on the vibes of your day. It’s all about the details that tie the day together and where you as a couple let your personalities really shine through.
Got a festival theme going on? Time to hunt for the best outdoor props.
Halloween theme? Google search history: Fake pumpkins.
Rocking a Moroccan style? Let’s find allllll the gorgeous lanterns.
As someone in the wedding game who’s seen hundreds of weddings, my top tip is to go for a theme and/or vibe that truly fits you as a couple.
1. GATHERING THE INSPO
Getting Pinterest inspo is great (we all do it, right?), but don’t worry too much about copying or fitting what you see on Pinterest; remember what you see is either a styled shoot for a non-existent couple, or something that a real life couple has chosen for them!
The best place to find inspiration is from YOU! Ask yourselves:
- How does your home look?
- What’s your style of dress?
- What’s your music taste?
- Where do you like to travel to?
Using elements in your life for your wedding will create décor that is truly, uniquely and wonderfully you! It also means you have an opportunity to use what you already own, making it truly personal.
Think about how you want your wedding day to feel. Ask yourselves:
- Romantic and old-school?
- Wild and fun?
- Relaxed and informal?
- Colourful and chill?
- Dark and luxurious?
Write down all the keywords that feel right.
If you’re completely stuck and have no clue what vibe you want to go for, you can start by figuring out what you definitely don’t want. See something on Pinterest and think “that’s deffo not us, hard no” – then that’s a great start! From there, you can slowly figure out what your vibe will be.
2. LET YOUR VENUE LEAD THE WAY
Every venue already has its own character, architecture, and colour palette… Using that as a basis for how your wedding day décor will look is a great start.
Consider:
- The building style (Rustic barn? Festival tipi? Back garden wedding?)
- Existing décor and furnishings (Lights, flowers, furniture, props)
- Indoor and outdoor spaces
- The season and surrounding landscape
You might also find it helpful to look at past weddings at the venue to see if it sparks any inspiration.
3. GETTING TO THE SPECIFICS
Based on the vibe you’ve started to build and keywords that you’ve noted down, start hunting for specifics.
Wedding party dresses or outfits that suit the style, buttonholes & bouquets that match, table décor like candles or vases. The colours and shades you’re looking at should start tying together, creating the beginning of a colour pallet or theme.
If you have more than 3 colours in your dream pallet, don’t stress! It’s a myth that you need to stick to 3 colours. Go wild! 🌈
4. TRY A MOCK-UP
Once you reach the stage of gathering décor, try a little mock-up at home.
Grab your items and arrange them on a table, then vibe check it!:
- Does something look off?
- Does every item fit the overall vision?
- Does it need one more, or one less, colour?
Taking a photo of your mock-up will be helpful for when you’re shopping for items, too. You’ll easily be able to check the vibe.
Choosing a wedding theme and décor doesn’t have to mean picking a single trend or colour and building everything around it…
Start with the atmosphere you want to create, take inspiration from your venue, gather ideas, and allow your wedding style to develop naturally! The result will be a wedding that feels authentic, personal, and perfectly suited to you as a couple.
If you’re looking for help from some very talented suppliers, you can check out Alt Wedding Fair’s directory 🖤:
