DIY Outdoor Wedding Decoration Ideas
From a portable wood wedding arch to wedding benches and wooden signs, save some money with these DIY outdoor wedding decoration ideas on a budget.
For a backyard wedding, you’ll also like this DIY backyard shade pergola tutorial and these backyard makeover ideas, plus how to hide backyard eyesores.
DIY Outdoor Wedding Decorating Ideas On a Budget
Wedding expenses can really add up, but you can stay on budget by making your own outdoor wedding decorations instead of buying!
These are some of our favorite DIY outdoor wedding ideas — we’d love to see photos of how you use them at your wedding and reception.
Garden Arbor Wedding Arch
Give your vows a beautiful backdrop with a DIY wedding arch!
Justin first built this wedding arch for his sister, and it has looked wonderful in the yard after the wedding.
This garden arbor wedding arch is built from affordable 2×4 and other construction lumber, and it’s built in sections to make it easy to transport to your outdoor wedding venue.
Daniel B. sent us this photo of the arch he built for his sister’s wedding and it’s stunning!
Get the plans to build this portable wedding arch here.
If a more classic style architecture is a better fit for your wedding, build this Gothic arch arbor instead.
(For better portability, build the arches beforehand and then attach the crosspiece supports on location.)
We used ours in our garden as a trellis to grow vegetables, but you could easily weave flowers, ribbon, or fabric through the trellis for an eye-catching wedding arch.
Or leave it open with an added lower support piece like reader Chris did for this stage prop.
Get the plans to build this gothic arch arbor here.
You can also build a house shaped arbor to welcome guests or, for a small and intimate wedding, this large octagon pergola would be a great backyard setup to tie the knot!
Outdoor Wedding DIY Benches and Seating Ideas
Guests for the ceremony will, of course, need a place to sit. Wooden benches make for a beautiful outdoor wedding seating option, whether you build enough to seat the wedding party up front or
benches to fit your entire guest list.
These solid wood benches are part of the patio table with drink coolers plan — which would be a great small wedding party setup, too!
Build these easy wood benches with angled legs for around $25 each.
See the video tutorial here and get the woodworking plans here.
Or a round of 2-board farmhouse benches will be affordable and chic, too!
A box frame bench is nice and sturdy, and you can swap the detailed herringbone top here for a couple of 2×8 boards to make the building process faster.
A few 2×6 boards come together quickly to form this modern waterfall bench for added guest seating.
An Adirondack chair or 2-seat bench would be great for the happy couple, or for any seating area around the wedding venue.
Tree stumps can also be great easy seating, just add a plank bench top — and make a great side table after the wedding, too!
If you’re creating additional seating areas for small groups during the reception or between events, these DIY block stools or easy DIY bar stools are fast and easy to build as well.
And you can give even bland folding chairs a stylish update with this spray painted farmhouse folding chair tutorial.
DIY Wedding Serving Tables and Decor Displays
For the full ceremony or just for the reception, be ready with DIY serving tables and display shelves for decor.
This double X console table can be built to whatever length you want (just add another X base for additional length!). The X bases easily separate from the shelves for easy portability.
Build a wooden bar cart or simple modern console table to hold drinks, refreshments, or photo frames.
A long console table works wonderfully as a buffet, and the no-nails construction makes it easy to take apart for transporting to and from the venue.
This portable folding work table doesn’t look very fancy, but no one will know once it’s covered with a tablecloth! It’s easy to build and folds up for storage and moving, so you’ll be able to use it for many future events, too.
Add a (faux) live edge table top to some basic IKEA trestle legs for a table for a wedding cake or other food service, or build a small ladder shelf for an easy decor display table.
Outdoor Wedding Signs & Photo Displays
Especially in a large outdoor wedding venue, you’ll want a few signs welcoming your guests and giving directions for seating charts, ceremony location, etc.
Don’t miss our easy custom printable place cards, too!
This DIY wood sign tutorial shows you how to print your own stencils to make a farmhouse style painted sign.
Make a freestanding chalkboard easel sign to direct guests (or replace the chalkboard with a wood panel for a painted sign). Build it in 2 sizes with the woodworking plans here.
A large DIY shiplap sign makes a great seating chart or backdrop for a photo op — or use it to block an unsightly view and add a DIY fresh boxwood wreath!
or string it with large square photos like these and an easy colorful printable bunting banner for a personalized Instagram photo display!
Tip: Have a mini portable photo printer available so guests can print their own photos, too! We have loved ours!
Build your own donut serving board or photo display DIY jumbo pegboard from plywood — you can also add shelves to display items if you’d rather.
Add a rustic wood magnet board to hold seating chart assignments or photos. (A set of modern black magnetic letters will look less preschool-ready 😉 )
You can also make your own felt letterboard or use our personalized family name sign printables to create custom wedding art!
A DIY fretwork wood screen makes a great visual display backdrop for photos — and use it as a room divider in your home later.
A simple angled orchard ladder will make a great photo display — wrap it with a battery-powered string light strand with photo clips for easy decor!
Make a plywood pennant bunting and leave extra space between to clip photos. You can also add fabric or paper to the wood triangles for a different style banner.
Related Reading: 50 creative ways to display photos
Other DIY Outdoor Wedding Decorations and Lighting
For a personalized wedding decoration that the happy new couple will love in their new home together, build a monogram planter!
You can fill it with floral foam and faux or cut flowers for the ceremony to make it easier to move, then add soil and plant flowers once it’s hung in a more permanent location.
Get the plans to build your own monogram planter here.
Want to build a large lighted letter? Check out this tutorial from HerToolbelt.
If your wedding or reception will be in the evening or approaching twilight, there’s nothing more magical than great lighting!
Make your own string of DIY wine bottle lights, or use regular string lights with these easy DIY string lighting stands.
Make an easy rustic outdoor chandelier using battery operated candles to highlight the bridge and groom’s table, or to create a cozy seating area under a tree.
Build a large wood star with lights for ambiance (or go really REALLY large!)
Get more ideas for using string lights outdoors (plus our picks for pretty but affordable string lights).
For marking the entrance to the wedding venue or the aisle, a couple of large planters will be gorgeous!
Build these large pallet wood planters or these tall modern wood slat planters, then add the potted tree or planter at the wedding location for easier moving.
Keep your guests playing with fun outdoor games!
Build your own custom painted cornhole set, a few sets of easy DIY yard dice for Yardzee games, or wooden yard dominoes, and more outdoor game ideas here.
Decorate the tables at your outdoor wedding using our printable paper flower templates in a DIY vase or made into a garland and laid around the other decor.
For table numbers, add a geometric shelf (no backing) with a table number inside. Flowers on top (like shown) or inside, with small vases or candles around are simple and beautiful.
Choose from hexagon, triangle, and house-shaped wood outlines in our plans (or rectangle or square, of course) or buy as pictured from FleurStudioCo on Etsy.
Turn the “shelf” on its side to create a centerpiece flower box, like this one via Oriental Trading.
See more easy DIY wedding decor and centerpiece ideas here.
Congratulations and best wishes for your wedding and many years of happiness beyond!
Lorene has been behind the scenes here at Remodelaholic for more than a decade! She believes that planning projects and actually completing them are two different hobbies, but that doesn't stop her from planning at least a dozen projects at any given time. She spends her free time creating memories with her husband and 5 kids, traveling as far as she can afford, and partaking of books in any form available.
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