Elopement Decor Ideas: Decorating A Wedding Ceremony
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An elopement ceremony usually takes less time, effort, and money to plan and execute. Most couples who decide to elope often hold micro weddings that take only a few weeks to prepare. Some simply hire a wedding planner who takes care of everything for them. Then, they just show up at the venue the day of to tie the knot.
In many ways, holding a small wedding ceremony is more tempting than having a traditional wedding. For one, it's a lot cheaper--like tens of thousands of dollars less expensive than your typical wedding. Moreover, it's easy and quick. In as little as a month, you can achieve your dream wedding without going through the rigorous process of traditional wedding planning.
More and more couples are jumping on the micro wedding trend, even those that aren't exactly "eloping". If you and your future spouse are one of these couples, we will help you plan the perfect wedding day in the easiest way possible.
To start off, we will talk about how to decorate a small wedding ceremony and the best ideas for elopement ceremony decor. We will also explain the easiest way to plan an elopement ceremony, so be sure to read until the end!
Decorating a small wedding ceremony can be just as challenging as decorating a traditional wedding if you don’t go about it the right way. So, we've come up with an easy guide to help you decorate your ceremony space in the most efficient way possible:
First things first, how much do you want to spend on decor? Take a look at the budget for the entire wedding and determine how much of it you want to spend on the ceremony decor.
There are countless wedding themes to choose from, so it's best that you pick one as early as possible. You can go for the more traditional themes like "rustic", "minimalist", or "garden". Or you can go for out-of-the-box themes like Elvis, Old Hollywood, or even Zombie Apocalypse. But if you want a simple wedding day, you can always go for the trusty classic theme and get married in an elopement chapel.
A motif is a recurring pattern or decorative design. When it comes to wedding decor, a motif can be a type of flower, a particular pattern, a color palette, or perhaps a certain texture. For example, if you're planning a classic wedding, the typical motifs include soft colors, satin textures, and simple flora.
How big is your venue? And how much are you allowed to decorate? Most places have restrictions on decor, but as long as you don't do anything outlandish, you will probably get to bring all of your decor ideas to life.
The size of your venue dictates how much decor you need and what kind of decor matches the space. For example, if you're holding the ceremony at a local restaurant that has a Bohemian theme, choose decor that blends well with the rest of the space. Otherwise, the contrast between the venue and the decor won't be aesthetically pleasing.
If you want an adventure-style wedding, you also have to consider the logistics along with proper decor placement. A desert elopement, for example, calls for neutral colors and decorative pieces that won't fly away in the wind. At the same time, you will have to coordinate with your vendors on where they can park (the logistics for a desert elopement can be tricky), what time they should start decorating, and how you plan to clean up after the ceremony.
Now that you have your budget, theme, motifs, and venue considerations in mind, it's time to create a vision board. Pinterest has a lot of wedding decor ideas that you can use for inspiration.
Once you have specific decor ideas in mind, start shopping around for vendors that can turn them into reality. The goal is to find a vendor that can take care of everything from florals to table settings. This way, you won't have to worry about coordinating with several vendors during planning. And with only one vendor, there's a better chance of saving money.
As an alternative to working with a vendor, you can buy or create your own wedding decor. Although this path can take a lot of work, you'll have exactly the kind of decor that you want. Just reach out to the few friends or family members you’re inviting and ask for help!
If you're going the DIY route for your wedding day, finding the perfect decor ideas might be harder than you think. That said, here are some of our best elopement decor recommendations. These are affordable and don't require a ton of expertise.
Dried flowers are inexpensive alternatives to fresh flowers. Decorate each reception table with a beautiful dried flower arrangement for a unique, rustic theme. If one spouse will hold a bouquet during the ceremony, buy a dried flower bouquet or create your own.
Dried flowers work best for a desert elopement, a rustic-themed wedding, or a minimalist forest wedding.
Decorating a wedding venue with fresh plants can be pretty expensive--and wasteful. Instead of using traditional wedding greenery and flowers, consider decorating with potted indoor plants instead. The plants can be repurposed after the wedding. And, you won't have to spend a ton of money on fresh plants that will only get thrown out after the ceremony.
Speaking of inexpensive greenery, another good decor idea is foraging for aisle runners. Search the forest (or your own garden) for fresh greenery and create beautiful, lush arrangements.
A wedding is not complete without a ceremony arch. There is a wide range of arches you can choose from, all with varying shapes, sizes, colors, materials, and design elements. All you have to do is find (or design) one that matches your overall theme.
If you're booking a desert elopement package, for example, a wooden arch with soft white fabrics and decorated with local flora can give you that authentic, desert aesthetic.
A backdrop can be used behind a ceremonial arch or as a spot where guests can take photos to commemorate the day. Since you likely won't be using it after the wedding, it's better to rent one than to buy one.
Wedding backdrops typically have flowers, fabrics, lights, and sometimes lettering. Most vendors allow you to create your own design, which they will then assemble for you.
During most traditional weddings, guests don't eat the entire wedding cake. Large, decorative wedding cakes typically have false layers with the actual cake underneath or on top. But since you only have a few guests during a small ceremony, why not let everyone enjoy the cake? Assemble a cake table with small cake slices that guests can choose from.
Old wine bottles can be upcycled to create candle holders, flower vases, centerpieces, and so much more.
Buy or create decor that doubles as wedding favors. Not only does this tip help you save money, but you're also making cleanup a lot easier. Candleholders, small flower vases, and potted succulents are just some of the best examples.
Wedding decor in itself can take up a good chunk of wedding planning. To keep things easy and affordable, here are some tips that you should keep in mind when decorating a small wedding:
One of the best things about having an elopement ceremony is that things tend to be simple. From rounding up the guests to decorating your venue, everything is far less complicated compared to a traditional wedding. So, keep that simplicity going when it comes to decor. Choose decor ideas that you can realistically pull off given the amount of time you have left before the wedding day. More importantly, stick to your budget.
If you want to make things simpler, consider having an elopement in Las Vegas; the easiest place to get married. Check out our article on how to plan a Vegas wedding to learn how you can have your dream wedding in the Sin City
Whether it's with your spouse or your wedding planner, always be communicative about what you want. You and your spouse have to agree on the wedding decor before you start shopping around. If you have a wedding planner, they have to know exactly what you want in order to meet your expectations.
The same goes with your vendors. For example, if you want a desert elopement, you're going to have to be clear about what you expect from them. Remember, a desert elopement--or any other type of outdoor wedding, for that matter--is challenging to pull off, especially when it comes to logistics.
The goal of a wedding is not to impress your guests, so don't dwell too much about what they will think. A small wedding won't have a lot of guests in the first place. Hence, there is no pressure on you to pull out all the stops. Just stick with what you want.
Even with a small wedding, all the planning, logistics, and shopping can be daunting. Don't let the stress of wedding planning put a damper on your special day. Let Elope in Las Vegas do everything for you. By booking one of our wedding packages, all you have to do is show up, and you won't have to worry about burning a hole through your pocket to achieve your dream wedding. Save that money for the slot machines!
Check out our elopement packages where we offer dry lake bed weddings, downtown Las Vegas weddings, Mount Charleston weddings, and more. If you're not familiar with Vegas weddings, here's what you need to know about how to elope in Vegas.
Don't hold off on that wedding any longer, talk to us today and let us help you get the dream wedding you want.