Wedding Decor Checklist: Ceremony, Cocktail Hour, & More
by Gabrielle Clarke
The beauty of wedding decor lies in the meticulous attention to detail, brought to life through the selection of the perfect decorative elements. The right decor not only enhances your wedding venue and setting but also reflects the personalities and styles of the couple, making the day truly memorable for everyone.
When planning your big day, having a wedding decor checklist is the best way to ensure you don’t forget those small embellishments that will enhance the day even more for your guests.
What Kind of Decorations Are Needed For a Wedding?
Wedding decorations typically include floral arrangements, table centerpieces, soft lighting, drapery, chair sashes, signage, and personalized touches that reflect the couple’s style, creating a cohesive and enchanting atmosphere for their special day. Additionally, thematic elements such as color schemes and unique decor pieces can further enhance the venue, making the celebration even more memorable and photogenic.
A wedding ceremony decor checklist will typically need to be split up into a few different categories:
- Ceremony decor: The ceremony sets the tone for the entire day and plays a crucial role in creating a unique experience.
- Cocktail hour decor: The cocktail hour is the perfect opportunity to welcome your guests, giving them a first impression of their evening before the ceremony starts.
- Reception decor: The reception is where family and friends come together to eat, drink, dance, and celebrate the happy couple!
- Table settings: When it comes to table settings, small details make a big impact. Coordinated table settings can create a cohesive look throughout the reception and tie in with the overall wedding theme.
The Ultimate Wedding Decor Checklist
Ready to plan your big day? Here’s a checklist for every aspect of your big day!
Ceremony Decor
The ceremony sets the tone and creates the ambiance for one of the most significant moments of a couple’s life — their wedding ceremony. Use a wedding items checklist to gather everything you need to guide guests throughout the ceremony and create a sense of expectation. It all culminates when the couple exchanges their vows, rings, and first kiss.
Here’s a quick essentials list of wedding decorations needed for a ceremony:
- Welcome Table: Greet guests with a table featuring programs, guest books, and other small decorations like flowers and candles.
- Wedding arch: These are a focal point for the ceremony, often decorated with flowers, fabric, or other embellishments.
- Aisle runner: This carpet or fabric lines the aisle and will be seen in pictures and videos. This might be something the venue provides or a detail you may want to include in your decor list.
- Floral arrangements: This could include bouquets, boutonnieres, and other floral decorations that complement the event's overall theme and color scheme. Check out our blog on how to use faux flowers at a wedding!
- Aisle markers: These are decorative elements placed along the aisle, like flowers, lanterns, or candles, to guide the procession.
- Seating decor: You might want to include chair covers, sashes, or other embellishments to enhance the look and feel of the seating area for your guests.
- Programs: These printed guides will outline the order of events and include information about the wedding party.
- Altar decor: This includes decorations for the area where the couple will be standing during the ceremony. Altar decor might include additional flowers, candles, or other items to create a romantic vibe.
- Special Lighting: Spotlights or subtle lighting to highlight key areas, such as the altar or aisle.
Cocktail Hour Decor
Cocktail hour is a more relaxed setting, allowing guests to relax, socialize, and enjoy delicious drinks and appetizers in a laid-back atmosphere. This usually occurs after the ceremony so family members and friends can unwind and mingle with each other before the reception starts.
It’s also a time for guests to meet or catch up before the night begins. That’s why your cocktail hour wedding decor checklist should be about creating a comfortable atmosphere. Here are cocktail hour decor elements to put on your wedding decoration list:
- Welcome sign: It might seem obvious to you, but not everyone will know where to go after the ceremony! This is why a welcome sign is important to usher guests into a space that matches the rest of your wedding day aesthetic.
- Food Stations: It’s not a cocktail party without finger foods! Decorate food stations with elegant setups and clear signage for different food types.
- Bar Setup: Decorate the bar area with lights, cute signage, or themed decor. Make sure you have napkins out and ready for minor spills.
- Cocktail table centerpieces: You can get crafty and creative with your centerpieces based on your wedding’s theme. Whether it’s chic floral or bold pops of color, make it your own!
- Ambient lighting: Adding string lights, lanterns, and candles creates a warm and inviting atmosphere.
- Signature drink signage: Create a sign showcasing your signature cocktails, including the name and ingredients, to add a personal touch to the bar area and the cocktail experience.
- Unique drink glasses: Spice up everyone’s night with stylish glassware! Who doesn’t love drinking a cocktail out of a sophisticated glass?
- Cocktail napkins: Add a little keepsake for your guests by creating personalized napkins with the couple's initials or wedding date to add a special touch to the bar.
- Photo Spots: Never skip the photo op! Create designated areas with decorative backdrops and props for guests to take photos.
Reception Decor
The wedding reception is the highlight of the day, setting the mood for the rest of the celebration, be it romantic, glamorous, rustic, or whimsical. Reception decor is especially important, as it’s where many big moments occur like the first dance, toasts, and all the dancing!
When it comes to your wedding reception decor checklist, don’t forget these key elements:
- Dinner table centerpieces: Choose eye-catching pieces like floral arrangements, candles, or other decorations to create mesmerizing reception tables.
- Table linens: Choose high-quality tablecloths, napkins, and runners to add color and texture to the seating arrangements.
- Table Settings: We’ll be honest, this one deserves its own list! There are so many various tableware elements you’ll need, which is why we created an entire list dedicated to it below. Scroll down for more!
- Chair decor: Add a little flair with things like chair covers to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
- Decorative backdrop: Choose stunning backdrops for the head table or sweetheart table to make it clear whose big day it is.
- Personalized wedding favors: Make your guests feel extra special with customized thank-you party favors. From personalized tableware to customized bags, your loved ones deserve a unique gift.
- Guest book: Create a setup for your guest book, including pens, a decorative box for cards, and a sign encouraging your guests to write a message.
- Dance Floor Decor: Your guests will be waiting all night to hit the dance floor, so make it worth the wait! Decorate the dance floor with lighting, signage, or props for a night they’ll never forget.
Must-Have Table Setting Decor
Your event space may include table settings, such as plates, utensils, and glassware. If your wedding is at a formal venue, it might already provide dinnerware, printed menus, table numbers, and place cards. That will help simplify the wedding decor list for the rest of the event.
However, if you’re planning a wedding that’s in a more informal setting like a backyard, you will need to plan for everything, including the dinnerware, on your own. If you are taking the DIY approach, you should try to make the dining experience as elevated as possible while providing an easy clean-up. Here’s your table-setting wedding decoration checklist:
- Disposable dinnerware: Everything you need for the ultimate feast, including plates, utensils, and glassware for each guest and serving dishes and utensils for the meal.
- Decorative napkin rings: Level up your napkins by adding a touch of elegance to each place setting.
- Charger plates: Nothing says elegance like charger plates. Pick ones that match your wedding theme to add color and texture to the table.
- Champagne Glasses and Flutes: No table is complete without celebratory stemware to toast the happy couple.
- Place cards: Make sure your guests know where to sit with clearly marked cards.
- Printed menus: Not only do these let your guests know what delicious dishes to expect, they can also bring it home as a souvenir!
- Table numbers: Clearly mark each table with a table number displayed in a stylish holder or frame.
Find All of Your Wedding Decor at eFavormart
Transform your wedding into a magical affair with eFavormart's exquisite collection of wedding decor, like table linens, disposable dinnerware, artificial flowers, and personalized wedding favors. We even have background stands to create a memorable area for photography. Our stunning collection of products can help fulfill your list of decorations for a wedding so you can be worry-free on the big day.
Whether you’re handling the decor, have help from the venue, or are splitting the responsibilities two ways, we have everything you need to confidently design a memorable wedding day that everyone will enjoy. Check out our collection today to complete your wedding decor checklist!