How Do You Decorate a Wedding Arch?

Wedding arches form a vital part of any French wedding, providing the all-important backdrop for the wedding ceremony. 

However, when it comes to wedding arches, the question of how to decorate them naturally crops up. Do you go for an extravagant floral display? Or do you opt for something a little more unique such as mementoes that mean something to you, the happy couple? 

With that in mind, let's take a look at your options when it comes to decorating your wedding arch.

Decorating Your Wedding Arch with Flowers

The most traditional method for decorating a wedding arch is with flowers. Wedding arches can play host to some incredible floral decorations, making a stunning backdrop to one of the most important events of your life. 

You have plenty of options when it comes to floral decorations. For instance, do you go for creeping flowers that naturally wrap around your arch structure, or do you go for a few strategic floral locations along your arch so as not to overwhelm the overall structure? What about a floral curtain? 

A growing trend in floral arch designs is the inclusion of dried flowers, such as pampas grass and lavender, offering a rustic and long-lasting option. Dried flowers are a great choice for a sustainable wedding and can add texture and sophistication.  

These are just a few of the choices that you will have to make. You'll also have to consider whether you want to choose real flowers and plants or whether you should go for hardier artificial flowers that can better stand up to the challenges of a strong breeze or rainfall. Note that artificial flowers usual cost a lot less than real flowers although real flowers just can’t be beaten! The look, the smell - gorgeous.

Decorating Your Wedding Arch with Lights 

Another popular decoration for wedding arches is lighting, and more specifically, fairy lights. These wired lights are easily wrapped around the wedding arch structure and can really bring them to life. 

Fairy lights for your wedding structure is an excellent idea if you are having a wedding during twilight or under cover of darkness. Better yet, they are not mutually exclusive from other decoration choices such as flowers. In fact, flowers and fairy lights often work brilliantly in tandem to make your wedding arch really "pop."

If you're looking for something more modern, consider LED strip lights that can be hidden behind drapes or flowers to create a glowing effect. Solar-powered lights are also a cheap choice, especially for outdoor ceremonies. You could also use uplights or spotlights to highlight features on your wedding arch (such as a floral curtain) to make them stand out even more.

Decorating Your Wedding Arch with Drapes

Another popular choice for wedding arch decorations is fabric drapes that sweep around and intertwine around your chosen arch structure. Of course, the most popular choice for these decorations is white, but there's no rule against decorating your wedding arch with drapes of a different, and perhaps more striking, colour. 

For a more modern look, drapes in shades like blush pink, champagne, or even gold are becoming increasingly popular.

Once again, nothing is stopping you from combining drapes with other forms of decorations to make the perfect wedding arch for your ceremony. 

Decorating Your Wedding Arch with Personal Mementoes

An emerging trend in the wedding industry is pinning personal mementoes to your wedding arch to make it more personal to your celebration. They could come in the form of photos of you as a couple, or you might want to include materials and items that mean something to you both. 

Perhaps you could add something symbolic such as the jewellery of a loved one who has passed away to mark their presence at the ceremony. Whatever the remembrance items may be, these personal effects are increasingly appearing on wedding arches in addition to the decorations mentioned above. 

You've Got Plenty of Choices When Decorating Your Wedding Arch

While not exhaustive, the above list should give you plenty of ideas when your time comes to think about how you might want to decorate your wedding arch. 

Please remember that none of these decorations are mutually exclusive, and it's a widespread practice to combine two or three of these techniques to really make the wedding arch into a statement piece for your ceremony.  

It's worth sitting down with your wedding planner and event supplier to get a better idea of your options and costs related to each so you can make informed choices.