Image by Sophia Veres Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

Regardless of your wedding size, budget, or chosen venue, there are endless decor options that can infuse your big day with personality. Hosting a traditional wedding doesn’t mean you’re bound to strict or boring rules. There are ways to decorate a traditional venue—like a church—in a unique way that still preserves the natural charm.

To help navigate the ins and outs of church wedding decorations, we’ve compiled top-notch decor ideas and tips that’ll transform an ordinary simple space into a dreamy wedding venue. Get ready to take your church ceremony to the next level! 

Before gathering inspiration here are our top three tips for decorating your church wedding: 

• Finalize a wedding budget that’s comfortable for you and your significant other 
• Most churches have venue coordinators on staff. Meet with them to discuss any rules the church has in place for wedding decor
• Ask the church coordinator if they have a lookbook for previous weddings that have taken place there. This is a great way to get starting inspiration 

Church Wedding Decorations For Your Entrance 

You only have one chance to make a lasting first impression soo make it count. No, you can’t structurally alter the church’s external appearance. But with the help of a talented team of wedding vendors, you can transform a bland entryway into a dreamy portal with decor. Greet your guests with eye-catching decor like custom signage, floral arrangements, and candles.

Image by Epic Love Story. See more of this real wedding here.

Utilize Wedding Signage 

Wedding signs are an underrated decor feature that add personal touches to your big day. Since they’re one of the first things guests see when entering your ceremony or reception space, signage plays a key role in the overall wedding experience and can be used for almost anything. 

On top of being a staple decor piece, they also assist with directing guests and displaying information like your reception bar options. 

Recommended reading: Wedding Signs You Definitely Need At Your Wedding

Line The Walkways With Decor

If you’re limited on what you can do inside the church, focus on the venue’s entryway. Whether you’re working with a cement walkway or dozens of steps, you can easily dress up the front of the church with items like rose petals, elaborate floral arrangements, candles, or all three. 

Images by Andrea & Federica. See more of this real wedding here.

Add An Eyecatching Archway  

You can’t go wrong with a wooden, industrial, or flower archway outlining your venue’s entrance. Archways are guaranteed to add a wow factor so incorporating a stunning archway into your entry decor is a great way to tie together your wedding theme in a memorable way. 

On top of making the perfect finishing touch, it also makes for a stunning backdrop that you and your wedding photographer will appreciate. 

Recommended reading: Floral Ceremony Arches for Every Wedding Style

Decorate The Church Aisle

The secret to transforming any church into a polished wedding venue is focusing your decor on the aisle. The grand entrance—one of the most important moments of your wedding ceremony—should be complete with decor that’s just that, grand. 

Here are a few of our favorite ways to spice up the aisle—making it worthy to present you, your love, and your wedding party. 

Dress Up The Church Pews 

When hosting a church wedding, you often don’t have choices when it comes to seating options. Almost always, churches are filled with long wooden benches called pews—it’s up to you to customize them in a way that reflects your own style. Pew Bows, flower arrangements, candles, flower petals, and lanterns are all beautiful options that’ll make for a memorable walk down the aisle.  

Image by Elisabetta Riccio. See more of this real wedding here.

Aisle Runners

Every aspect of your wedding should clearly represent you—from the ceiling to the floor. Yes, we mean the floor. Make a statement by adding aisle runners to cover the length of the aisle—from the last row of pews to the altar. We’ve seen them made of fabric, flower petals, and durable mirrored flooring. 

If you’re looking for an alternative to the traditional aisle runners, try using rugs that match your wedding theme and color palette. 

Framing the Altar 

With you and your wedding party standing here, the altar is the main focal point. This is where most of the ceremony will take place and where many photographs will be taken. 

Decorate The Couple’s Chairs 

Church weddings often require the couple to sit during the duration of the ceremony. If that’s the case for your celebration, decorating these chairs is a must. Drape white fabric over the chairs, opt for simple chair covers, add florals, or hang a sign with your names across the backs—utilize whatever speaks to you. 

Image by Sharon Pye. See more of this real wedding here.

Florals 

An altar is a sacred place in a church so making your decor selection for this area is extremely important. Flowers will be your best friend when decorating both inside and out. Select subtle arrangements that’ll enhance the space while still preserving its beauty. 

Images by Eros D’Angelo. See more of this real wedding here.

Candles 

Small, medium, large—mood lighting from candles are especially great when decorating the altar. A candlelit ceremony is warm, inviting, and something your guests won’t forget. Try mixing different size candles and candle stands to create a truly unique backdrop. 

From an epic church venue to show-stopping decor—nothing is off limits when planning the wedding of your dreams. If you’ve chosen to follow a traditional route there are still ways to set your wedding day apart from the masses. 

After creating a budget that’s comfortable for you and your significant other, it’s time for the fun part—inspiration hunting. With endless inspiration sitting readily available at our fingertips, check out our guide for using wedding inspiration as influence rather than instruction.

Image by Stelios Kalisperis. See more of this real wedding here.