When decorating for a Christmas wedding, your only limitation is your imagination. A holiday-inspired theme creates a winter wonderland infused with holiday spirit that your guests will remember for years to come.
Beyond Red and Green
The simplest color scheme for your Christmas wedding is traditional red and green. The church, venue, or reception hall may already have decorations up in these colors, making decorating fuss-free and low-cost. But to really create a holiday fantasy, consider using other color combinations.
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Attractive color combinations for holiday weddings include:
- Blue and silver
- Gold and forest green
- Black, burgundy, and silver or gold
- Champagne and red
Choose one color as the main focal point, using the secondary colors as accents throughout bouquets, ceremony decorations, and reception decorations.
To incorporate an even stronger Christmas theme, you could choose one aspect of the holiday or season to focus on when decorating. Incorporate your chosen theme into ceremony and reception decorations. A Christmas theme could center around one or more of the following holiday wedding decoration ideas:
- Snowmen
- Snowflakes
- Reindeer
- Penguins
- Candy canes or peppermints
- Gingerbread men or houses
- Angels
Decorating for a Christmas Wedding Ceremony
Start your Christmas theme as guests arrive at the ceremony. Make luminaries using candles and plastic jugs or white lunch bags to line the walkway to the entrance. Large wreaths with bows in your wedding colors can be placed on the front doors as guests enter.
Pew décor can be small wreaths or even a white bow with mistletoe in the center. A miniature swag of ivy, evergreen, or metallic garland would work nicely as part of the pew décor. The same swag can be used on a larger scale on altar rails or handrails on altar steps; use it to line a balcony, too.
Other ideas for decorating for a Christmas wedding ceremony include:
- Putting miniature white lights in large Christmas trees at the front of the ceremony venue.
- Lighting candles in the windows of the entire room and having a candlelit service.
- Using an aisle runner with silver or gold flecks; or even one with covered in a poinsettia design.
- Arranging winter wedding flowers at the front of the altar.
Plan to have a large mistletoe arrangement in the exit doorway for guests to enjoy as they leave the ceremony venue and head to the reception.
Christmas Wedding Reception Decorations
Because your guests will be spending the majority of their evening at your reception, you want to be sure that the Christmas theme is incorporated into your reception location. Your head table, room décor, centerpieces, and cake table can all be decorated with a Christmas theme.
Head Table Decorations
To decorate the head table, have a garland of ivy or evergreen sweep across the front of the table. Intertwine some small white Christmas lights into them, and have holly and berries woven into the swag. Hang a large mistletoe decoration above the newlyweds’ chairs. Use red or green pillar candles to light up the table.
Place small Christmas trees both ends of the table. Decorate them with simple glass ornaments; tying bows on the tree in the wedding colors looks lovely as well. Be sure to have the miniature lights strung around the trees.
Room Décor
You can add a lot of holiday pizzazz by really creating a winter wedding scene. Hang large snowflakes from the ceiling at varying heights using fishing line. String icicle lights around the edge of the room.
Candy canes are great Christmas accents.
Create a cozy lounge for guests by renting or purchasing an electric fireplace. Bring in overstuffed chairs, bean bags, a holiday rug, Christmas tree, and stockings to create a homey feeling in one area of your reception. Keep young guests occupied by serving milk and cookies in this area, and make Christmas coloring pages and crayons available to keep kids busy.
A stunning addition to your room décor would be to include an ice sculpture. Get your names and wedding date carved into wedding bells or a heart, or go even more Christmas themed and have a snowman, reindeer, or tree carved.
Get a doorway arch for your main entrance, or make your own using garland, berries, wire, and lights. If you or someone you know does woodworking, have him/her create and paint a candy cane archway, complete with stripes.
Table Centerpieces
Continue with your Christmas decorating theme by having table centerpieces that match the rest of your reception. Use candles in the center of your tables that can double as wedding favors, or cover small boxes in wrapping paper and tie with a ribbon.
Silver wedding bells atop a mirror with a large red, blue, gold, or green bow are simple and festive centerpieces, or small craft trees, bowls of simple ornaments, or gingerbread houses are great options. Small floral arrangements, especially those using poinsettias, are also perfect centerpieces. Consider using silk wedding flowers to save money if your flower of choice is not in season.
Finally, Christmas tree toppers, like angels, snowmen, or Santas make perfect centerpieces and require minimal fuss.
Cake Table Decorations
A perfect Christmas wedding would have a winter themed wedding cake. Make sure the table looks as great as the cake by putting faux snow on the table. Add some small porcelain snowman figurines or holiday village pieces to accent the table. Use plastic icicles to continue the snowy theme, or hang a garland swag around the table.
You may even want to place small and simple ornaments that follow your theme on the table. Be sure to take the hooks off so no one accidentally pricks a finger.
Decorating for a Christmas wedding is only limited to what you can think of in terms of décor. Whether you include simple accents or go all out, the Christmas touches will add a dash of festiveness to your wedding decorations.
