Church Wedding Decoration

Where to start

The flowers, the decorations, the colour are details that will slowly give shape to your idea.. Facing thousand possibilities makes the decisions difficult. But starting from an idea you will be able to create the perfect atmosphere and the setting that most reflects what you have always dreamed of.

Whatever the church is, Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant or Jewish, the setting plays an important role because, along with other details, it will be able to tell every detail about your D-day.
Compared to a civil ceremony, the preparation of the church is perhaps a little more challenging, but not impossible. Much depends on the type of church: a small country church or a large cathedral? A large bright church or a small traditional church?

First of all, start with an idea and think about the style you would like. The style must represent you and must be the background, the fil rouge (common thread) that links every element, from the church to the banquet, from the wedding dress to the favours, and so on. The wedding designer will design everything around you!

When we design the set-up, we meet the bride and groom to understand what style represents them, what they want to communicate, what they want and what they don’t. Only after the meeting with the wedding couple and understanding their desires, we are able to create and organize the perfect wedding, personal and unforgettable.

Every church has different rules and needs

Based on the choice of the church and after studying the architectural structure , we prepare some proposals that agree with what the couples want, needs of each liturgy and the limitations given by the celebrant (the priest, the rabbi, the pastor …).

The structure of the church
Depending on whether the church is large or small, in the city or in the countryside, have a churchyard or not, etc., you will have to take this into account.
A tall, imposing and spacious church requires much more decoration than a smaller church. In any case, we need to consider what are the most strategic points, how the light is distributed, both the natural light coming from the windows and the artificial light of chandeliers, candelabras and candles. If you opt for a ceremony in the morning, the light filtered through the windows will be greater than in the afternoon or evening hours and will, therefore, have to be taken into consideration while you plan the decoration.
The strategic points are the classic ones, such as the central nave, the benches, the altar, the balustrades, the apse, the positions for the readings, the area with the bench for the spouses.

The liturgy
Every liturgy has needs that must be respected, but nothing prevents us from creating a magical atmosphere during the celebration.
Before choosing all the decorations and booking the flowers, what we do and what we recommend is to talk to the priest, the pastor if it is a Protestant church, the rabbi if it is a synagogue.
Some celebrants give more restrictions, others more freedom. For example, some priests do not like when the Church is too full of flowers, some do not want candles (sometimes they are afraid that the wax will ruin the floors), others want nothing more than flowers without other objects. The best is to discuss this before making any other decisions so to not waste time and, above all, your money.
It is fundamental for us to talk with the couples and then plan the inspection and talk with the priest of the Church. In this way, even our proposal for wedding design is tailored and respects the wishes of the couple and does not hurt the sensitivity of the priest.

Small church and large church: different arrangements

Each church is different. A church may have more light or less, a single nave or three, be Romanesque or Baroque. In Italy, every church is beautiful. The largest and most famous ones have their historical and artistic charm, the smaller ones have an atmosphere that smells of simplicity and romance.
Let’s see together what features they have and how they can be decorated for your wedding.

The small church and the church in the countryside
Small churches are usually located in rural contexts, surrounded by nature, a forest, a meadow or set in small towns timeless.

The advantage of these small jewels is the fact that they are very simple structures that can be decorated with few but very suggestive elements.

• Simple flower bouquets placed in strategic points, such as the altar, under the lecterns, next to the columns.
• The flowers must be chosen according to the context. If the church is in the middle of a meadow, the flowers must also be of grass, as if they had just been picked. If the church is in an urban area, then it could be more important.
• Instead of flowers, you might prefer to use plants. If the church is very bright, the green leaves can be a beautiful contrast.
• Another very, very suggestive choice are the candles. Positioned in some strategic points, for example, on the floor along the nave, they can create a very romantic and exciting atmosphere.
• You can also opt for some decorations to be added to flowers or plants. For example, if the church is in the countryside, you might think of wicker baskets or elements that bring you back to the rural atmosphere.

The big churches or the cathedrals
In case of a large church or a cathedral, things get a little more complex, because the grandeur in itself, the heights and the presence of chapels, niches, arches and aisles require more demanding installations. But with a few tricks, you can find solutions that give a really nice and rich effect.

• Choose floral decorations that grow upwards to give the effect of filling and completeness.
• Large churches are often dark, so choose light-coloured flowers, such as white and pink, for example.
• If the aisles are very long, you could place floral decorations on the floor next to the desks.
• If you need a rug to cover ruined floors, opt for a white wedding carpet, it will give a lot of light compared to a red carpet.
• If the light allows it, don’t exclude the use of green foliage, called greenery, they make volume and are very scenic. You can alternate greenery with flowers.
• The big flowers fill immediately and give brightness: yes to peonies, hydrangeas, lilies and calla lilies.
• Also decorate the benches, alternating bows or ribbons with small bouquets of flowers or single flowers.

Even the entrance of the church should not be forgotten

If the interior setting is fundamental, the external one will give an extra touch to your wedding. Think about the arrival of the guests who gather outside the church for the arrival of the couple: take care of the outside too and everyone will immediately be immersed in the mood you have chosen.

• The external set-up resumes and accompanies inward. Among them, there must be harmony and continuity: the same flowers and the same style.
• If the entrance allows it, you could think of an arch of flowers in front of the central door.
• At the sides of the door (or next to the side doors if there are), you can place the baskets with the cones for rice or petals or confetti.
• If the style of the ceremony you have chosen foresees it, you could create cards with romantic phrases, a slate, a table or another decorative element such as a small picture with your names and the date of your wedding.
• Don’t forget to get the wedding carpet outside the church, it will accompany your entrance from when you get out of the car.