53 Gorgeous Wedding Arch Ideas That'll Make Your Photos Standout
While wedding arches are having a moment in the spotlight, their popularity is nothing new. From ever-popular flower-clad altar arches to ones creatively used in receptions as backdrops, there's a wedding arch idea for every nuptial need and every wedding style. To help you sort through the boundless possibilities, we tapped a few of our favorite industry experts to share their best advice to ensure your wedding arch perfectly complements the whole wedding.
Deciding early on whether you'll want an arch as a focal point of your wedding ceremony decorations is important because it'll influence what wedding vendors you need to tap for help. While your floral designer would take the lead with a botanical arch, many specialty rental companies have wood arches you can rent, should you choose to do so. Our best advice is to connect with your wedding planner or event designer and share with them images you've saved from this story as inspiration and get rolling on an arch that'll wow all your guests as a wedding backdrop.
In this article:
- Where to Buy Wedding Arches
- Wedding Arch Tips
- Rustic Wedding Arch Ideas
- Beach Wedding Arch Ideas
- Modern Wedding Arch Ideas
- Simple Wedding Arch Ideas
- Boho Wedding Arch Ideas
Where to Buy Wedding Arches
Unsure where to start your wedding arch search? Try shopping at one of these stores to find the perfect structure for your celebration.
- Amazon: There are thousands of retailers on Amazon that sell every type of wedding arch. From hexagon wedding arches to golden circle balloon arches with floral accents, we have a feeling any DIY couple could find what they need. Since there are so many options to choose from, always read the reviews for the product. The most important questions you should ask yourself are: Do the reviewer's photos of the item match the seller's? Are returns allowed? How beginner friendly are the building instructions?
- Etsy: If you want a wooden triangle wedding arch engraved with your wedding monogram, for example, Etsy is the place for you. Etsy is one of the best online stores for finding vendors that make personalized crafts. Whether you want to buy only the structure or the decorations for the arch, you'll discover unique items for your big day.
- Michaels: While researching where to find wedding arches, we noticed everyone on TikTok was raving about how Michaels has numerous wedding arches available for great prices. Michaels often has discounts and plenty of supplies to decorate your arch however you see fit, so don't hesitate to see what options are online or in-store.
Wedding Arch Tips
Some wedding arches might look simple, but there are things you need to consider before purchasing the first one you like. Write down this advice from wedding industry experts for future reference.
Get creative.
Arches don't have to be a standard inverted U shape. From triangles to hexagons and complete circles, the shape of your wedding arch can change based on the theme and style of your celebration. As of late, many couples have played around with creating detached arches and even arches that lay flat on the ground. "I love a ground installation to mark the altar space in cases where a ceremony has a beautiful view you don't want to distract from. When a backdrop is more classic or simple, like in front of lush greenery already, a larger arbor filled with bold flowers in their color palette creates a real wow moment," says Sarah Lema of Mavinhouse Events, who has years of experience as a lead designer in the events and hospitality business.
Consider multiple uses.
"The best strategy is to create a ceremony arch that can be repurposed for your reception. Say you have a garland piece that can be detached from your arch and used for your cake or sweetheart table. If it's an arch with wheels, we can move it to your reception for a photo booth backdrop, cake backdrop or sweetheart table backdrop," says Lizzy Liz Chan, a wedding planner with 20 years of experience and founder of Lizzy Liz Weddings & Events.
Keep seasonality in mind.
"As clients look more and more at Pinterest, they are going to find lots of beautiful ideas, but some sadly just won't work in the real world. When florists design for editorials, we get to flex our creative muscle, which doesn't always mean that it's viable for a wedding day. The season can also play a large part in whether or not a flower survives," says Kimberly Sisti, the luxury wedding florist, planner and designer of Sisti & Co.
"Summer temperatures might be okay for some blooms but not others. Think about it—winter and spring flowers naturally can withstand colder temperatures because that is when they're growing. Flowers naturally prevalent in the summer and fall can withstand warmer temperatures. With this in mind, finding flowers meant to be in your season tend to hold up better against Mother Nature. Roses, hydrangeas, carnations, snapdragons and mums are hardy enough to last wherever and are larger flowers. More delicate blooms like astilbe, cosmos, lilac and sweet peas just aren't feasible to cover large amounts of space. They are smaller flowers, and the sheer volume needed to cover an area will cost dearly." Also, if you're hosting a destination wedding, think about how the weather and seasonality of your location may differ from home.
Think about durability.
Similarly, durability is a factor that goes hand-in-hand with seasonality and needs to be front of mind. Not all blooms, even if used in your centerpieces, are ideal for wedding arches. It's a good idea to base your floral design on "any flowers that do well out of water and can survive the weather. Cymbidium orchids, chrysanthemums, anthurium and king protea are great for the heat. Flowers like hydrangeas, peonies, and astilbe are daintier blooms that may not last very long in the sun," advises Chan.
Focus on cohesive event design.
Sisti stresses the importance of cohesion when creating your ceremony backdrop and overall event design. "I love arches that fit their environment. In an era where being eco-conscious is gaining momentum, I see nothing better than incorporating that mindset into the structure's design. Nothing looks more out of place than a huge structure on the beach decorated with roses and hydrangea. While beautiful, it wouldn't occur naturally in that setting. Let's work with Mother Nature to provide something beautiful that fits together. Grasses and wildflowers are more likely to fit in a coastal setting. If couples want their arch to feel unique, incorporating their environment is key. Most of the time, a venue is selected because it resonates with the couple. Use it to your advantage," Sisti says.
Rustic Wedding Arch Ideas
A rustic outdoor ceremony lends itself well to designing a backdrop that matches the wedding venue's feel. Consider layering in eucalyptus or pampas grass to enhance the floral design of your wedding arbor.
Stone Wedding Arch With Rustic Chandeliers
If your venue already has a great wedding ceremony arch you can use, ask the staff if you can personalize it with your own decorations. This couple got creative by decking their outdoor stone arch with romantic chandeliers and roses.
Untamed Foliage Wedding Ceremony Arch
A loose greenery arch for the wedding with rustic shades of green and brown complements this oceanfront locale beautifully. We love how this structure highlights the surroundings.
Rustic Outdoor Wedding Arch
Inspired by the movie, "Steel Magnolias," the bride wanted her ceremony to be full of flowers and greenery. We think she achieved the film's wedding scene and more with wild foliage that fits the mountain setting of this South Carolina wedding.
Wood Log Wedding Arch With Drapery
Since the logs used in this arch were so skinny, draping added fullness to this wedding arbor idea. The bloom accents seem to flow effortlessly with the ones in the background.
Lakefront Wedding Ceremony Arch
Romantic and lush blooms creatively juxtaposed the rustic logs at this lakefront ceremony. We love how the flowers and greenery extend past the bottom of the arch and make it look like it's naturally growing from the platform.
Rustic Greenery Wedding Arch
While decorating an arch for a wedding, you don't have to buy all your supplies. This outdoor wedding arch had roses, leaves and dried grasses from the area adorning its structure.
Garden-Inspired Wedding Ceremony Arch
Garden-themed weddings are all the rage right now––think organic and lush. We adore this rose-clad wedding arch idea dripping in romance.
Circle Wedding Arch in Rustic Barn
This green circle arch is a great pop of color thanks to the barn wedding venue's all-white backdrop. If you like this rustic wedding arch idea but want more color, consider adding garlands on the aisle chairs.
Beach Wedding Arch Ideas
We love the idea of sticking your toes in the sand while saying your vows. Check out these wedding arches, perfect for warm destinations.
Triangle Arch for Beach Destination Wedding
A triangle arch at this beachfront ceremony visually mirrored the beach umbrellas scattered along the sand. We like how the couple had bouquets lining the aisle that match the accents on the arch.
White Flowers and Greenery Wedding Arch
While beige chairs matched this beach setting, the dark green arch contrasted dramatically, creating a powerful visual effect. Floating candles lined the aisle and the bottom of this beach wedding arch idea for a romantic vibe.
Wooden Wedding Arch With White Flowers
This wood arch works in harmony with the aisle runner constructed to ensure no one trips in the sand. The parasols are also a nice touch to help guests protect themselves from the sun.
Tropical Wedding Ceremony Arch
Since tropical leaves like palms and monstera leaves are so hardy, they make great additions to greenery-centric wedding arch ideas. The vibrant pink blooms make the arch pop.
Lush Square Wedding Arch
To ensure the whole ceremony space looked cohesive, aisle arrangements with tropical leaves mirrored those used in the outdoor wedding ceremony arch. Find more creative wedding ceremony aisle decor ideas in this story.
Driftwood Wedding Arch
Since the happy couple was having a Florida wedding, the bride found inspiration from other Florida Keys weddings for the driftwood arch. Minimal decorations were added to the arch because they wanted the arch and ocean to "speak for themselves."
Palm-Covered Wedding Ceremony Arch
At this rooftop wedding, the bride and groom wanted beach-inspired colors and textures for their ceremony decor. According to the newlywed, the monstera leaves helped create their "very own little green oasis" while being minimal and modern.
Asymmetrical Wedding Arch With Chandelier
This wedding arch idea is made of a brass frame that the couple's wedding planner found. Greenery was draped asymmetrically with a vintage chandelier to add a unique effect.
Modern Wedding Arch Ideas
Hosting a cosmopolitan wedding with a reception filled with chandeliers, acrylic chairs or a minimal color palette? Kick off the big day with a whimsical, modern arch as the focal point of your wedding ceremony.
Gold Hexagon Sweetheart Wedding Arch
The couple tied the knot in front of this gold hexagon design. It was later repurposed as a sweetheart table backdrop for their ballroom wedding reception.
Circle Wedding Arch With Dyed Blue Flowers
To add more personality to their circle arch, this couple's floral designer dyed some of the blooms a vibrant shade of blue. We like how the arch frames the couple in this image like an infinite circle of love.
Rose Outdoor Wedding Arch
An imperfect arch is definitely on trend. A break in this red rose arch creatively lets wedding guests see the red brick structure behind the couple's floral structure.
Deconstructed Ombré Wedding Arch
The wood frame of this arch is continuous. The interruption in the ombré floral design gave the backdrop a fresh and unexpected vibe.
Gold Mirrored Square Wedding Arch
This couple filled the inside of their mirrored gold arch with greenery for an effect that felt like a modern flower wall. We like how there is still space left to see the beautiful ocean view.
Hot Pink Wedding Arch
You don't have to always blend your wedding arch into the natural surroundings. This floral fixture used hot pink blooms to dramatically juxtapose the locale's greenery.
Clear Acrylic Wedding Arch With White Blooms
Use clear acrylic as a building material for your arch. This ensures the architecture of your wedding venue takes center stage.
Gold Hexagon Wedding Arch
This backyard minimony had tropical flowers included on the arch and just about every aspect of the decor. The gold hexagon complemented the gold chairs apart of this couple's tropical wedding ceremony design.
Deconstructed Wedding Arch
The top of this arch may be nonexistent, but it still gives the illusion of height because of the tall windows in the background. The bold colors of the arch help pack a punch too.
Standout Wedding Ceremony Arch
The couple wanted a modern, industrial wedding with hints of pastels. This all-white New York wedding venue provided a great blank slate for a vibrant greenery-clad altar arch.
Ombré Rainbow Wedding Arch
If you can't settle on one color for your wedding arch, don't worry. This ombré-inspired rainbow arch is for you.
Urban Wooden Wedding Arch
Let your arch speak for itself. This triangle fixture on an open-air terrace nicely framed this ceremony's urban views.
Christmas-Inspired Wedding Arch
For to-be-weds planning a Christmas affair, consider having a Christmas tree-inspired arch. Evergreen foliage is a durable addition to wintry event designs.
Concentric Circle Wedding Arches
This is our favorite wedding arch idea, hands down. Instead of placing their floral circle arches at the altar, this couple created an arch tunnel for their recessional.
Elegant Pink and White Wedding Ceremony Arch
Flowers were integrated into every part of this ceremony. From the arch and aisle arrangements to flower petals scattered down the aisle, it's a flower fantasy to remember.
Simple Wedding Arch Ideas
A simple wedding arch is a great addition to any couple's wedding theme because you don't have to try hard for it to blend in with your overall event design. If you're worried a simple arch will get lost visually, look at these examples below for ways you can make it extraordinary.
Industrial Repurposed Wedding Arch
Following their Jewish wedding ceremony, this couple repurposed their ceremony chuppah. The industrial copper arch framed the sweetheart table and the couple's neon sign initials.
White Square Outdoor Wedding Arch
Like a postcard or Polaroid, this white ceremony backdrop perfectly surrounds the Texas countryside in the background. This shows how you can be chic while being simplistic.
Elegant Garden Wedding Arch
A floral arch doesn't have to be over the top. A few expertly placed blooms wowed on this pared-down ceremony backdrop.
Wooden Wedding Arch With Scenic View
Keeping the wood frame simple with minimal decorations ensured the sweeping ocean views weren't obstructed at this California wedding. Like we've said before, if you've booked a picturesque venue, don't overdo the decorations.
Lounge Area Wedding Arch
Bright flowers in this arch standout against the brick wall. Plus, the arch is a unique touch to the bride and groom's lounge seating area.
DIY Triangle Wooden Wedding Arch
A simple wood triangle fits the down-to-earth character of this backyard DIY wedding. And you have to appreciate how the white Baby's breath accents the natural environment and the wedding dress.
White Blooms With Greenery Wedding Arch
You don't need color to make a strong visual impact. This ceremony design, in addition to these all-white wedding ideas, proves that white weddings are classic, timeless and stunning.
Pastel-Hued Wedding Ceremony Arch
The reason deconstructed arches are so successful is that they make use of negative space. Here, your eye follows the curve of the pastel floral design even though there's a break at the top.
Circle Wedding Arch With Foliage
You can never go wrong with simple and romantic. That's the vibe this couple chose for their white-and-green floral circle arch.
Minimal Floral Wedding Arch
Your wedding arch idea doesn't need to include a rigid structure. Free-flowing foliage and white flowers were braided together, and added softness to this concrete-centric wedding venue.
Indoor Loose Greenery Wedding Arch
This Seattle couple went with a less-is-more approach for their wedding altar. Later, a black backdrop with the couple's neon wedding sign was moved behind the arch to add drama to the sweetheart table area.
Tent Entrance Wedding Arch
If you want your guests to enter your wedding tent a certain way, create a main entrance. For example, guests were ushered into this tented reception through a lattice panel greenery arch.
Romantic Floral Wedding Arch
Some wedding venues can be obstructed with an arch, but this tree grove at this California venue is not one of them. The location was the perfect setting to frame a hydrangea-filled arch.
Boho Wedding Arch Ideas
Bohemian is one of the most popular wedding themes. Get ready for lots of pampas grass, and laid-back vibes.
Minimal Copper Wedding Ceremony Arch
What a picture-perfect wedding arch. The three concentric copper squares give this structure a frame-like resemblance and are elevated with orange and pink roses, pampas grass and dark green leaves.
Wooden Wedding Arch With Boho Accents
Pampas grass is having a major moment, and it's easy to see why. Its beige color helps it pop against everything around it and can extend itself in ways blooms can't.
Open Top Floral Wedding Arch
Trailing pieces of greenery stretch across the opening in this deconstructed arch. Visually it looks like two hands reaching out for each other and connecting the whole installation.
Asymmetrical Wedding Arch
We love how fluffy and visually commanding Pampas grass is. The decision to use it sparingly here was wise because, in the end, the pared-down look is more eye-catching.
Dahlia and Lunaria Wedding Arch
Dried Lunaria adds a boho feel to this floral design. Plus, the hardy botanical made the installation durable.
Stone and Metal Wedding Arch
Want to soften a wedding arch made of metal or concrete? Use purple wisteria like this couple did to give it an ethereal vibe.
DIY Indoor Triangle Wedding Arch
Arches aren't only for outdoor or large weddings. This indoor wooden arch is a great example of how you can level up your elopement decor.
Pampas Grass Wedding Ceremony Arch
Pampas grass and earth-tone flowers were used along the aisle at this outdoor ceremony. Then again, as part of the wood triangle wedding arch.
Repurposed Wedding Arch for Lounge Area
Reuse (times two) and recycle. This chuppah was later repurposed as an arch to encompass the lounge seating area at this wedding reception.