From the pews to the church entrance to the pulpit, fresh and easy ways to decorate the church for your wedding ceremony.
When many brides think of decorating the church, they think of the typical tulle, lattice, Roman pillars and artificial flowers. Here are some new ideas to try (check with the venue first to make sure they will allow it).
Decorating the Church Entrance
Decorating the lobby of the church or the entry doors doesn’t have to be too elaborate. You could place an arrangement of tall (2 to 3 feet high) floor candlesticks on either side of the doors. For safety reasons, your church will probably not allow you to use lit candles, so instead use the LED or battery operated ones that look like real candles. It will give the same effect. If the candlesticks are metal or wood, you could also paint them to match your wedding colors.
For a Christmas or winter wedding, use silver sparkle or sequin trees to mark the entrance. Large ball topiaries would also work well or silver branches or rosemary bushes in white urns. These can be reused at the reception venue and later in your home.
Use over-the-door or wreath hangers to hang a framed engagement photo or a tasteful sign announcing your wedding (i.e. The Johnston Wedding) on the church doors.
Decorating the Pews
There are a variety of options you have for decorating the pews. Most people use pew bows, but if you want something different, try hanging mini wreaths made of flowers or raffia (autumn wedding) or wired jewels. You could hang the wreaths that go around the base of candles (called candle rings) and then use them again on the table centerpieces at the reception.
You can hang flowers off the pews in glass tapered bud vases, cones, small wicker wall baskets, wall planters or tin baskets that you could paint to co-ordinate with your wedding colors. You can attach them to the pew with a wide ribbon, a rope tassel or, again, over the door hangers. You just need a small bouquet for each one, so cut flowers, small potted mums or even flowers from your garden will do.
Instead of flowers, you could hang a small framed sign of your monogram or initials (i.e. R&K). If you don’t want this on every pew, you could alternate rows with a floral pew marker on one and a monogram sign on the next.
For a Christmas wedding you could hang on the end of the pews crystal or jeweled snowflake ornaments (or any kind of flat ornament about 4 to 6 inches in diameter), a cluster of acorns tied with a brown ribbon for a fall wedding, a velvet heart sachet for Valentine’s or large sand dollars or star fish for a beach wedding.
Depending on the width of the pew edge (or if you are using chairs) you could clip something decorative on the aisle seat, such silver feather birds.
Remember, you do not have to decorate all the pews – just the first several rows where guests will be seated.
Decorating the Pulpit
Instead of the typical stands of flowers on the pulpit, see whether it is possible to hang cascading floral arrangements from the ceiling instead.
Play with the lighting. See if you could place spot lights at the back of the pulpit that shine up from the ground. For an evening wedding, take a mini mirrored disco ball and shine a light off of it. The reflection on the walls and ceiling will look like a starry sky (the ball can be hidden from the view of your guests).
If you know anyone who embroiders, consider hanging a wedding tapestry on the front of the pulpit stand. Alter the pattern to work with your wedding colors.
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