Setting the Stage To Say “I Do” With Our Wedding Venue Decorating Guide
Your love story is entering its most exciting chapter — you’re getting married! Now begins the journey of bringing your wedding dreams into reality.
You want your wedding decor to be a true reflection of who you are as a couple, but the excitement of planning the decor for your wedding day may feel completely overwhelming. This is a normal part of the planning process, and with patience, support, and guidance, you can create beautiful wedding memories that will last a lifetime.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a deeper grasp of how to decorate a wedding venue. We offer valuable insights on key factors such as time, cost, preparation, and planning. Whether you are decorating your venue yourself or working with a professional decorator, you’ll have the confidence you need to create a beautiful wedding venue.
Table of Contents
10 Points To Ponder When Learning How To Decorate a Wedding Venue
#1: Consider the Location of the Venue
A well-chosen venue becomes the foundation for expressing your style and decorative vision. The location will naturally influence the feel of your decor and how it will fall beautifully into place.
Common venue types and ideas to help you decorate them beautifully include:
Church – This venue leans more towards traditional elegance.
Drapery and ribbons
Floral arches or large arrangements on pedestals
Lace or burlap aisle runners
Antique mirrors
Ballrooms and banquet halls – These locations have more opportunities for customization.
Floral framed entry sign
Chandelier
Crystal accents
Luxury flatware and utensils
Velvet or satin linens
Barns and farms – Often chosen for their cozy and rustic feel, these options are nature-inspired and can feel casual, but elegant.
Wooden signs
String lights
Flower-filled mason jars for centerpieces
Throw rugs and cozy blankets
Rustic furniture
Gardens and forests – This wedding backdrop can be naturally magical and romantic, and may even feel a bit whimsical.
Lush flower arrangements
Climbing vines or greenery on arches and pergolas
White or wooden chairs
Chalkboard signs
Wildlife accents such as feathers, antlers, or stones
Historic venues – A timeless type of location may lean towards a more classic or vintage tone.
Vintage books or maps
Antique frames
Classic silver or gold accents
Timeless flower
Sheer or soft draping
Dreaming of a setting that offers both elegance and an organic, outdoor feel? Look no further than Twenty Mile House. Our historic, pristine, 200-acre venue offers a variety of spaces, with picturesque spots that can be used to fit your style and preference. We’ll even create a custom eco-package specifically for you.
Give us a call or fill out our online form to schedule a virtual or in-person tour. You can download our brochure to gather more details.
#2: Know Your Budget
While weddings are beautiful celebrations, they can often come with substantial expenses. Decorations can take up a large portion of your budget, so be sure to include them in your financial planning to avoid any unexpected costs leading up to your wedding.
According to the wedding planning resource, Zola, the average cost of a wedding in 2024 was $33,000, and decor is just one factor.
A few higher-priced decor pieces couples might use are:
Large floral arrangements such as arches, table runners, or aisle lining pieces
Custom structures like canopies, pergolas, or draped tents
Hand-made or custom-designed signs and stationery displays
Helpful ideas for working within a tight budget include:
Incorporate borrowed items for a sentimental and charming atmosphere.
Keep your decor minimal and meaningful.
Get creative and add a personal flair with do-it-yourself decorations.
Identify the high-cost items that are essential, and decide which items you can find cheaper options for.
#3: Decide on Your Theme
Decor selections are often guided by your chosen style and theme, and can influence how your guests experience the day. Finalizing your overall preferred look will make choosing your decor a lot simpler.
Popular wedding themes include:
Classic
Rustic
Bohemian
Vintage
Modern
Woodland
Fairytale
#4: Think About the Season and Time of Day
Utilizing the season your wedding falls in can inspire your decor and guide you in choosing a color palette, florals, and even menu — creating a celebration that feels perfectly in tune with the time of year.
Winter weddings can be cozy and intimate or luxe and elegant. You may love the look of a gorgeous burgundy and gold color palette, or decide that rustic greens and cranberry red are more your style. You can set the tone with candlelight or fireplaces surrounded by white roses or evergreen branches.
Spring is full of vibrancy and joy. Your wedding can be full of bright colors or have a soft and airy feel. Incorporate spring blossoms and hanging greenery to bring in the fresh, awakened, natural beauty.
Summer is lively and full of warmth. Imagine a sunset wedding highlighting those warm and dreamy colors. You may have string lights with a few citronella candles sprinkled around your reception area. Seasonal flowers such as sunflowers, hydrangeas, or peonies are placed in woven baskets to decorate your tables.
Fall is a popular and picturesque time of year for a wedding. Autumn foliage creates a breathtaking backdrop of rich colors. Shades of amber and crimson surround your venue, and complementary colors are decorated throughout the details. Consider a harvest theme and scatter pumpkins, gourds, and wooden crates for the full autumn feel.
If you’re having a nighttime wedding, consider brightening your venue with beautiful lights that suit your aesthetic. Options include:
Fairy lights
Candles
Edison bulbs
Fire pits or fireplaces
Chandeliers
Spot lighting
Lanterns
#5: Adopt a Color Palette
Decide on your color palette before you begin choosing your decor pieces to create cohesiveness in your venue and allow the decorations to flow beautifully together.
The founding editor of Martha Stewart's Wedding, Darcy Miller, advises that “choosing items — from decor to flowers to favors — becomes so much easier when looking for things in a particular color or to complement that hue.”
#6: Consider the Wedding Couple’s Attire
The attire of you, your partner, and the wedding party can complement or enhance your decor. Choosing colors, fabrics, and styles that tie into your theme can create a unified, intentional aesthetic. Depending on your wedding theme, clothing may lean towards casual or may require a more classy and elegant look.
#7: Create Natural Beauty With Flowers
Flowers are a defining element of your wedding decor. From the moment your guests arrive, arrangements can create a romantic atmosphere.
Different ways to incorporate flowers into your decor include:
Bouquets
Table decorations
Large centerpieces,
Floral archways
Flowers on the cake
Framed welcome signs
Place settings
Flower wall
Floral crowns
Petals down the aisle or tossed during your exit
#8: Utilize the Cake as Part of the Decor
Your cake is more than just dessert — it’s a statement piece and a work of art. How you decorate the cake and the surrounding table can reflect the style of your wedding.
Ideas to transform your cake into a stunning feature include:
Cake toppers
Fresh or sugar blooms
Hand-painted details
Metallic accents
Elevated cake stand
Textured icing
#9: Create a Plan
Whether you want to know how to decorate a large wedding venue or a smaller location, planning is essential. A well-thought-out vision and plan will help your decor flow naturally and keep it from looking thrown together or mismatched.
Planning tools for organization include:
Mission or mood boards
Color palette generator
Sketches
Inventory check-lists
Layout and floor plans
Set-up guide
#10: Let the Venue Take Charge of the Decorations
Though it’s tempting to manage every detail yourself, adding decorations to your already long to-do list may be more than you can, or should, handle alone. Choosing a venue that offers decorating services can be a welcome relief and allow you to enjoy wedding planning with less pressure.
At Twenty Mile House, we offer all-inclusive packages that can be decorated and tailored to your style for a gorgeous event. With years of experience in event styling, we’ll craft a wedding aesthetic that is unique, authentic, and meaningful for you. Our trusted vendors collaborate seamlessly to provide you with the wedding of your dreams — without the stress.
The various beautiful locations we offer on our property include:
The historic main house
The riverbank
The pine tree forest
The garden and meadow
Decorating Your Wedding Venue Yourself? Take Advantage of These Tips
If you’re taking on the task of decorating your wedding yourself, we have a few tips to guide you through the process:
Consider the different areas that need to be decorated.
Test your setup to ensure your decorations are cohesive.
Add lighting where you can to create a beautiful ambience.
Use functional or multipurpose decor and reuse pieces throughout the day.
Do-it-yourself, whenever possible, if you have a budget to stick to.
Renting is an option to lower the cost of big-ticket items.
Buy or borrow secondhand decor to add character and lower costs.
Have a backup plan for outdoor weddings in case of unexpected weather.
Rethink using flowers as centerpieces — consider using photos, greenery, or floating candles in water.
How Long Does It Take To Decorate a Wedding Venue?
The time it takes to decorate for your wedding greatly depends on the size of your wedding, with hours ranging from as little as 1.5 hours to 8 hours or more.
Other factors that may determine how long it takes to decorate a wedding venue include:
The number of hands you will have during setup
The complexity of your decor
Whether you have professional help or if it’s all DIY
The number of event spaces you’ll be utilizing
How Much Does It Cost To Decorate a Wedding Venue?
According to a survey, 67% of newlyweds say they took on debt to pay for their wedding.
According to Zola, the cost of wedding decorations usually falls between $2,000 and $10,000. The cost of weddings can be quite substantial, but if you want to avoid the high-end price tag, there are ways to help you stick to or lower your budget.
Typical purchases or rentals included in this cost are:
Table linens
Floral arrangements
Vases
Candles and candle holders
Lighting
Centerpieces
Hanging decor
Backdrops or drapes
Arches or frames
Tables and chairs
Signage
Cake toppers
Glassware
Tents and canopies
Choose Twenty Mile House and Our Pristine and Picturesque Surroundings for Your Special Day
Let our team of professional wedding experts take care of creating a beautiful space for your special day.
Twenty Mile House not only provides a picturesque venue, but our packages also include design and decor — combined with our extensive experience in bringing it all to life. We thoughtfully take care of every detail of your decor setup.
Reach out to our team to coordinate a tour, or to answer any questions you have about our unique wedding venue or all-inclusive, eco-friendly wedding packages.