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Decor Checklist
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Remembering to DIY, hire or buy every little item for your celebration can be become a little overwhelming. That’s why you need our wedding decor checklist!
Those of you putting together a wedding within a blank space venue, we applaud you! Because you’ve got countless things to remember. At least when booking a traditional wedding, or event venue, their team would usually have a lot of the details you require already in place. However, blank space venues do offer the opportunity to really express your creativity. Whichever style of wedding venue you choose, there are many elements that need to come together to create a wedding. And the best way to not overlook any part of the celebration is to have a solid wedding decor checklist.
There will be, of course, major items on your big day shopping list it would be hard to forget. Things like the ceremony arch, and linens for the reception tables. But it doesn’t hurt to have everything in checklist form, just so you know what pieces of wedding decor you’ve sorted, and which you haven’t.
Wedding Decor Checklist
Ready to get serious about your wedding decor? You’ll find our comprehensive checklist below, broken up into each stage of the big day. From the wedding ceremony, to cocktail hour, and then finally, the wedding reception. Some items may not fit into your wedding decor style, so it’s up to you to pick and choose which elements should be on your checklist.
Wedding Ceremony Decor Checklist
For us, the wedding ceremony is the most important part of the day – it’s what everyone is there for, right!? But oh-so often, couples neglect to thoughtfully consider the decor present at their wedding ceremony. Choosing instead to put more passion into the reception design, and even cocktail hour.
To create a cohesive wedding day look, it’s essential to consider each part of your celebration, and ensure that visually, they each relate to one another.
Here are the major wedding ceremony decor items most couples need on their checklist:
- Ceremony programs/order of service
- Ceremony seating
- Ceremony table
- Ceremony backdrop
- Ring pillow for ring bearer
- Bouquets for bridesmaids and bride
- Aisle decor (flowers on aisle seats, petals scattered on aisle, lanterns etc)
- Altar decor
- Flower basket for flower girl
- An aisle runner
- Signage (welcome sign, unplugged sign, directions etc)
- A card and gift station
Cocktail Hour Decor Checklist
Post-ceremomy, pre-reception, is honestly our favorite part of the big day experience. Everyone is fresh, and excited about the rest of the celebration. And loving the opportunity to catch up over a glass of something delicious.
As cocktail hour does come so early in the day, and has a lot more of a chilled vibe, it’s wise to throw some thought at what your decor will be like. As the eyes of your guests are more likely to appreciate your effort at this time, rather than later in the evening.
Here are some wedding cocktail hour decor items you should consider adding to your checklist:
- A dedicated guest book table
- Bar accessories & cocktail details
- Games area
- A card and gift station
- Bar decor
- Cocktail napkins
- High tables
- Lounge area
- Signage (menu, directions, timetable for the day)
Wedding Reception Decor Checklist
The savvy wedding planner reuses elements from their ceremony, and cocktail hour to decorate the reception. Flowers, furniture and items of decor can all be given a new lease of life by simply placing them within a different context. Guests will rarely notice, and even if they do, they’ll probably applaud your ingenuity!
If there are a large number of guests attending your wedding, then it’s wise to add decor items to your checklist that’ll make the space feel more intimate. Concentrate not on pleasing every guest with individual table design, and instead think about the vibe as a whole. Thoughtful lighting is the easiest, and often cheapest way to do this.
Candles, for example, effortlessly create a romantic evening ambiance. As does carefully placed low lighting from lampshades or a good venue light system. By using lighting, and plenty of florals together, you can quickly transform a blank space into something more luxurious. Without busting your budget on countless items of decor.
Statement pieces of decor dotted around a reception space also add to the wow factor, in a way lots of little things simply cannot. Guests are, unfortunately, unlikely to notice all the tiny boxes, vintage milk jugs and thrifted glassware you’ve spent so long sourcing. But will certainly appreciate a fun neon sign, or floor to ceiling flower wall. This is not to say, don’t decorate or have fun with accessories. More that it’s important to be realistic about the guest experience, and exactly what will actually be valued.
Ready to start planning your reception? Here are some wedding decor items that you should have on your dinner checklist:
- Head table or sweetheart table backdrop
- Cake and/or dessert table decor
- Bar decor
- Cake topper
- Getaway car decoration
- Signage (welcome sign, directions, wedding hashtag)
- Dance floor
- Draping
- A tent for outdoor weddings
- Lounge area
- Flowers and floral arrangements
- Lighting
- Phone charger area
- Escort cards or place names
- Menus
- Seat chart
- Silverware
- Plates
- Glassware
- Chair back decor
- Candles
- Place mats
- Bathroom basket
- Centerpieces
- Gift and guestbook table
- Card box and table
- Menus
- Tables
- Chairs
Explore additional pertinent subjects that are interconnected with the checklist
The online Wedding Planning Assistant features an extensive suite of professional tools and checklists meticulously curated to help you organize your celebration.
We offer an international wedding planner service, open to all. Soon we hope to make our software available in all languages, so far, we have created versions for these languages: