The right gazebo wedding decorations add elegance to a beach wedding or whimsy to a backyard garden reception. In addition to dressing up a simple structure, decorations can help cover imperfections or emphasize a theme.
Three Complete Wedding Gazebo Decorating Ideas
Having an idea of how to decorate a gazebo for a wedding makes shopping for supplies and setting up the decorations easy. Use one of these ideas to help create the ceremony location of your dreams.
Hanging Baskets
Not all decorations require a garland. Instead, cover the inside of the ceiling with fabric. Hang greenery around the edge of the gazebo. Utilize hooks that are all ready in place to hang baskets filled with flowers in your wedding colors. A table draped in the same fabric as the ceiling, along with a lace cover, holds the unity candle and license.
Simple Pillars
The ceremony flower arrangements don't have to be swags or baskets. Instead, rent large pillars to flank each side of the gazebo entrance. Add oversized arrangements, similar to arrangements for church altars, that match your wedding colors and bouquets. If needed, a small table can be covered with fabric and placed in the center of the gazebo.
Florals and Fabric
A large floral arrangement is centered above the entrance to the gazebo in this pretty set up. Two smaller ones are above the corner posts. The posts are covered with fabric that is tied with a small flower circle that matches the larger ones above the door. Connect the posts with additional swagged fabric.
Hang Gazebo Garlands
Garlands offer a simple and cost effective way to decorate a gazebo for a wedding. Multiple strands can be woven around the railings, across the pillars and columns, and swagged from the ceiling and roof. A garland does not have to be a faux ivy vine made of plastic leaves and wire. Use alternatives to the traditional ivy that are budget friendly and enhance the décor theme:
- Grapevine garlands look lovely at a gazebo for a winery or wine themed wedding.
- Velvet ribbon or wide iridescent ribbon in colors that match the bridal party is a cost effective way to decorate a gazebo.
- Balloons are cheap wedding decoration ideas that can also be used in a gazebo garland during a wedding reception.
- Flowers, real or silk, can be wired into a garland and hung on a gazebo.
- Tulle wedding decorations, like garlands, create an ethereal effect at dusk when used on a gazebo and work well paired with flowers.
Affix garlands with clips to avoid damaging the gazebo. Create a unified decorating scheme by using the gazebo garland as an idea on decorating a wedding arch or pavilion.
Select Your Gazebo Lighting
Gazebos usually lack lighting, which can be an issue for couples who get married at dusk or on a cloudy day. Lighting also helps a professional photographer take better pictures of the couple and bridal party members.
Candles
Candles are a romantic choice and can be cost-effective, but some reception locations do not allow open flames. It's best to err on the side of caution and use LED candles for your decorating purposes.
- Attach them with clips around the railing of the gazebo.
- Hang candle lanterns around the gazebo roof.
- Use candelabras at the top of the altar area.
- Place oversized pillar candles in a fire-safe wedding flower arrangement and display on short columns near the steps.
Light Strands
Even if a gazebo does not have lighting itself, several outlets are often spaced around the edifice. White or clear light strands, especially when used with a garland, can help create a glowing scene. For a rainbow wedding, use multi-colored strands. Alternatively, pick a strand in the main wedding color like blue or purple.
Chandeliers and Luminaries
Weddings hosted in the evening may need even more lighting options. Instead of dragging out spotlights or house lamps, rent a large chandelier that can be safely hung above the couple in the altar area and use luminaries to line the wedding aisle.
Consider Thematic Gazebo Wedding Decorations
A gazebo is a quaint outdoor wedding idea for a ceremony or reception. Even climates that are cooler can enclose a gazebo within a larger wedding tent. Small weddings with immediate family may be able to cover an open area with heavyweight plastic and bring in seating to accommodate 10 to 20 people in cold areas. Themed ideas include:
- Garden wedding - Use stepping stones to lead up to the gazebo steps, hang cascading floral arrangements from the roof, and cover the floor in rose petals. Large fabric butterflies are also appropriate.
- Christmas wedding - Hang snowflake or icicle lights around the gazebo, wrap the gazebo in greenery, decorate Christmas trees inside and outside the gazebo, and use large red and gold bows on the gazebo pillars.
- Halloween wedding - Decorations for a gazebo can be large spiders with webs across the gazebo roof, a fog machine in the background of the gazebo altar area, and carved jack-o-lanterns lining the railing.
- Fall wedding - Corn shocks can border the gazebo stairs, pumpkins can be placed almost anywhere, and baskets of apples and pears can sit on the steps of the gazebo itself
Gorgeous Ceremony Gazebo Decorations
Gazebo wedding decorations are limited only by time, budget, and creativity. Tie the décor into the rest of the wedding theme in order to create a picturesque and memorable ceremony location.
