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Updated Oct 14, 202435 Ideas That Are a Perfect Match for a Tennis-Themed Wedding
We'll help you totally ace the look.
Photos: Getty, Stocksy, Joanna Fisher Photography, Kate Headley | Design: Tiana Crispino
Tennis is having a pop culture moment right now, and the chic aesthetic is making its way into wedding trends. But if you and your partner are longtime players of the sport, a tennis-themed wedding isn't just on-trend—it's a creative way to really show off your personalities. This wedding theme mixes timeless details with whimsical elements and bright color palettes to create a joyful, lively atmosphere. Celebrate your love match with details like vintage tennis racquets, champagne escort card walls, tennis-inspired attire and themed refreshments that capture the same courtside elegance (and high energy) you'd find at any Grand Slam tournament. Ready for more inspiration? Start building your tennis-themed wedding vision board with these ideas and swing on over to The Knot Vendor Marketplace to find a wedding planner, photographer, florist and other vendors to bring your theme to life..
In this article:
- What Is a Tennis-Themed Wedding?
- Ideal Tennis-Themed Wedding Venue Considerations
- Tennis-Themed Wedding Budget Priorities
Tennis-Themed Wedding Ideas: Colors | Decor | Invitations | Cakes | Bouquets | Centerpieces | Editor's Favorites
What Is a Tennis-Themed Wedding?
A tennis-themed wedding pulls inspiration from different elements of the sport, including everything from the design of actual tennis courts to the spectator fashion and traditions at famous tennis venues.
The tennis wedding aesthetic has classic wedding undertones, but it's a little more whimsical, cheeky and colorful compared to a vintage wedding theme or a formal black-tie wedding. Tennis-themed weddings also incorporate elements of preppy style, like stripes, cable knit sweaters and pared-down color palettes. Finally, any glitz and glam should be subtle, not flashy—think antique silver centerpiece vases on your reception tables or diamond stud earrings for just a hint of sparkle.
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Ideal Tennis-Themed Wedding Venue Considerations
If you can find a wedding venue with space to host an actual tennis court wedding reception, that's a no-brainer. But you don't have to literally get married at a tennis court in order to have a tennis-themed wedding. Country clubs are a great alternative, since they embody the same air of sophistication and tradition that you'd find at historic tennis arenas, like Wimbledon, the Monte Carlo Country Club or Forest Hills in its heyday. Public parks are another option, especially if you can get a permit to host your wedding at or near the tennis courts (you can filter venues by type on The Knot Vendor Marketplace to find parks and other locations with outdoor space). Finally, consider venues like gardens and historic estates that provide plenty of natural beauty and lush landscaping.
Tennis-Themed Wedding Budget Priorities
The wedding venue typically accounts for most of the average wedding budget breakdown, but your backdrop is especially important when it comes to successfully nailing the tennis wedding theme. Set aside enough of your budget to find a venue that makes sense for this sporty chic theme—or at the very least, a space that's a blank slate you can customize with your own tennis wedding decor. Speaking of decor, that's another wedding budget category you'll want to prioritize, since this theme can be a little nuanced and requires a lot of details to visually pull everything together. Consider hiring a wedding planner to help you bring it all to life in a creative way (without overdoing it on tennis balls and tennis racquet motifs).
Tennis-Themed Wedding Colors
Just like any other theme, your tennis wedding colors are a starting point for the rest of your decor. Here are a few main colors and wedding color palette combos we suggest.
1. Green
Bet you didn't see this one coming. Green is our top color pick for a tennis-themed wedding, and it looks good no matter which hue or shade you use. Opt for darker green tones, like forest green or hunter green, if you're aiming for a refined look. Brighter greens, like lime green, pear green and chartreuse, instantly add an energetic element.
2. Black & White
You can use this iconic color combination as your primary wedding colors or as the base for other accent hues. Whatever you choose, it's hard to go wrong with the classics.
3. Yellow
For this color, you can choose to go as subtle or as bold as you want. Pale yellows, like butter yellow and vanilla yellow, are great for a toned-down approach if you don't want to overpower your color palette. Otherwise, you can lean into the eye-catching color by using pops of lemon yellow or neon yellow.
4. Navy Blue
A preppier alternative to black, navy blue can stand alone as its own color or as a grounding neutral when paired with other tones. For a tennis wedding theme, navy blue and olive green are a winning combo.
Tennis-Themed Wedding Decor
From the ceremony decor to the reception details, your tennis wedding decorations should feel put-together but not overly formal. Try these ideas that balance between the two.
5. Circular Wedding Ceremony Seating
Take center stage—we mean court—by designing your ceremony around a circle-shaped altar. It creates a better view for everyone along the aisles and in the back rows.
6. Retro Patio Umbrellas
For an outdoor ceremony, be sure to provide enough shade so your guests can actually focus on the ceremony and not how hot the sun is. Source retro-style patio umbrellas from a wedding rental vendor for a solution that's much more interesting than standard white tents or canopies.
7. Topiary Aisle Markers
Accent your ceremony aisle with elegant potted topiaries alongside traditional seating options, like bare wooden chairs or gold chiavari chairs.
8. Perfect Match Escort Card Wall
Whether you're serving pre-ceremony refreshments or kicking off the cocktail hour with a champagne wall, this tennis-themed wedding idea is an adorable way to remind everyone that you've found your perfect match.
9. Striped Place Settings
Use striped dinner plates, chargers or other tabletop accessories for a tennis-inspired look that's polished and preppy.
10. Love Signage
"Love" in tennis means zero, but it means everything on your wedding day. These larger-than-life beach balls are a cute photo op for you and your guests.
11. Vintage Tennis Racquets
They may not be the most competitive gear by today's playing standards, but there's something so charming about vintage wooden tennis racquets. Source them through eBay or antique sellers and use them as decor for your wedding reception bar or ceremony backdrop.
12. Calligraphy Place Cards
Bring a personal touch to your table settings with traditional calligraphy escort cards. This gold and green combination is gorgeous, but black and white would look just as elegant.
13. Geometric Green Lampshades
Skip the glittering chandeliers in favor of lighting fixtures that are a little more playful and spunky instead, like these green patterned lampshades.
14. Checkered Dance Floor
The contrast of a black and white checkered dance floor looks amazing in wedding photos, especially against a red clay patio or stone pavers.
Tennis-Themed Wedding Invitation Ideas
Did you know that you can order your wedding invitations on The Knot? If you didn't, now you do—and there are thousands of customizable designs to choose from. Check out our top five tennis wedding invitation picks.
15. Cosmopolitan Wedding Invitations
With a hunter green and white color palette, this wedding invitation design is simple but stylish. Monograms on the envelope liner and the back of the invitation add a touch of personalization, while the rest of the suite is sleek and minimalistic.
16. Retro Spotlight Wedding Invitations
Circular shapes on the main invitation and envelope liner are nods to your tennis-themed wedding. If you don't like the black and white colorway, there are six others to choose from.
17. Checked Wedding Invitations
Showcase a favorite photo from your relationship or engagement session on this tennis-themed wedding invitation. Along with the mossy green envelope liner and details card, the reverse side of the invitation features a wavy checkerboard design in white and green.
18. Bold Slant Wedding Invitations
A green-on-green color palette gives your guests a first look at your tennis wedding theme. Slanted text makes the overall design feel fun and nontraditional.
19. Vintage Florals Wedding Invitations
Flowers and stripes are a chic combination for a fancier tennis-themed wedding. Customize the design by choosing from one of seven jewel-toned colorways, including this deep olive hue.
Tennis-Themed Wedding Cake Ideas
While these tennis wedding cakes are relatively traditional, you can work with your cake baker to personalize your design using decorative techniques like hand-piping, monogramming, beading and fresh flowers.
20. Boxwood Wedding Cake
Some types of greenery feel very boho and laid-back, but boxwood is an elevated alternative. Alternate adding layers of fresh boxwood in between cake tiers decorated with hand-piping, stenciling and monogramming.
21. Green Hydrangea Wedding Cake
This cake display is so simple yet so classic. Swiss dots and beading add tonal texture to the smooth white buttercream tiers, with green hydrangeas for a pretty pop of color. A polished silver cake stand is the finishing touch.
22. Lemon Slice Wedding Cake
Add some pizzazz to a plain white wedding cake by decorating the tiers with freshly sliced lemons and fluffy peonies. Tie the whole look together with a rattan cake stand inspired by vintage tennis racquet designs.
Tennis-Themed Wedding Bouquet Ideas
Steer clear of anything too bold or edgy for your tennis wedding bouquet, focusing instead on garden-style flowers and timeless blooms.
23. Garden Roses Wedding Bouquet
A rounded wedding bouquet with minimal greenery is a chic pick for a tennis-themed wedding. Keep it simple by using just one or two flower varieties in the same color, like garden roses and peonies.
24. Whimsical Craspedia Wedding Bouquet
A cheerful yellow bouquet taps into the playful side of the tennis wedding theme. Use unique flowers like craspedia, chamomile, scabiosa and dahlias.
25. Green and White Wedding Bouquet
Other than leafy greenery, you can add pops of green to your bouquet by using interesting accent plants, like cockscomb and green trick dianthus.
Tennis-Themed Wedding Centerpiece Ideas
Decorate your tables with graceful wedding centerpieces that won't dominate the rest of the decor. Focus on a green and white color palette to incorporate the tennis theme.
26. Bells of Ireland Wedding Centerpiece
Pair tall glass centerpiece vases with striped tablecloths for a sophisticated, preppy look. Long-stem flowers, like Bells of Ireland and stock, will naturally fill the tall vases.
27. Modern Pedestal Wedding Centerpiece
Take inspiration from the Olympics and other championships by displaying flowers on top of various pedestals. It's a unique and easy way to fill empty spaces or blank walls throughout the venue.
28. Silver Compote Vase Wedding Centerpiece
A trophy-like compote vase adds just enough sophistication to this otherwise wild flower arrangement filled with viburnum and leafy greenery.
29. White Hydrangea Wedding Centerpiece
This oversized hydrangea arrangement is gorgeous, but you can make any centerpiece even more interesting by adding bows and ribbons for another layer of texture.
30. Mini Topiary Wedding Centerpiece
Need a tennis-themed wedding centerpiece idea for long reception tables? Add a row of miniature potted topiaries down the center of the table for unfussy elegance.
Editor's Tennis-Themed Wedding Favorites
From tennis-inspired hairstyles to attire and signature drinks, here are our final recs on what you'll need for the tennis wedding aesthetic.
31. Tennis Court Wedding Venue
Hosting your reception dinner or wedding at an actual tennis court is the ultimate conversation starter—and it's hard to deny your theme at a place like this.
32. Wedding Dress with Oversized Bow
Glitzy embellishments like sequins and beading are a little too formal for a tennis-themed wedding dress, but oversized bows are a stylish (and appropriate) alternative.
33. Messy Ponytail Wedding Updo
Court style is half the fun of a tennis match, and that includes hairstyles, too. Try a loose, ponytail-inspired updo, like this undone fishtail braid.
34. Green Suit
Unless you're set on having a black tie dress code, you can skip the tuxedo. Instead, opt for a three-piece suit that's classic with a twist, such as a dark green color.
35. Pimm's Cup Signature Drink
The Pimm's Cup is famously the drink of choice for spectators at Wimbledon, and you can serve it as your signature wedding cocktail for a dash of English charm. The summery sip is traditionally made with gin, lemon juice, soda water, fresh strawberries, cucumbers and orange slices, but you can put your own twist on the recipe with the help of a pro bartender or mixologist.
