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Wedding themes & décor

Choosing a wedding aesthetic and briefing décor, florals and lighting.

Weddings

Weddings

Pick a palette of three colours and one texture; everything else is a vendor conversation.

Narrated walkthrough · 1-minute video
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Wedding themes and décor.

Pick a palette of three colours and one texture; everything else is a vendor conversation.

Where the money shows.

Lighting: uplighting, pin spots on centrepieces and a gobo do more than doubling the florals.

The ceremony backdrop and the head table: where every photo is taken.

Theme pages.

Each theme page covers décor, food, entertainment, dress code and invitation wording: Garden Party, Black and Gold, Enchanted Forest, Gatsby, Winter Wonderland.

The full guide, with tables and checklists, continues below this video.

Where the money shows

  • Lighting: uplighting, pin spots on centrepieces and a gobo do more than doubling the florals.
  • The ceremony backdrop and the head table: where every photo is taken.
  • Tablescapes: linens and glassware upgrades photograph better than taller florals.

Theme pages

Each theme page covers décor, food, entertainment, dress code and invitation wording: Garden Party, Black & Gold, Enchanted Forest, Gatsby, Winter Wonderland.

Decor stylist arranging five themed wedding table vignettes on a warehouse workbench

Briefing your décor vendors

Once the palette and texture are chosen, write them down with two or three reference images and send the same note to your florist, rentals company, lighting vendor and stationer. A shared brief stops the common problem of four suppliers each interpreting "romantic" differently. Include the venue floor plan, the table count and shapes, the ceremony location and the colour of the room itself, including carpet and wall finishes, which often clash with a palette chosen in isolation. The creative brief template gives you a one-page format.

Working with the venue

Ask each venue early what is included and what is restricted. Many GTA venues supply standard linens, chairs and votives, so upgrades are a choice rather than a necessity. Others restrict open flame, confetti, petals on outdoor ceremony sites, or anything attached to walls and ceilings. Heritage buildings and conservation areas tend to have the strictest rules, and some require that décor be installed and removed by the venue's approved suppliers. Confirm load-in and strike times, because a late-night strike can add labour costs that do not show up in the décor quote.

Seasonal choices

Ontario seasons change what is affordable and what photographs well. Peonies are a late-spring flower and garden roses peak in summer; autumn brings dahlias, branches and warm tones that suit the province's fall colour; winter weddings lean on candlelight, evergreens and texture. Flowers out of season are imported and cost more. For outdoor ceremonies, plan décor that survives wind and will not need to be rebuilt if the rain plan is used, and check sunset times so lighting is ready before the room goes dark.

Small details that matter

  • Signage: a welcome sign, seating chart and bar menu in a consistent typeface do more for cohesion than extra flowers.
  • Repurposing: ceremony arrangements can move to the head table or bar if someone is assigned to move them.
  • Lighting cues: agree with the venue and DJ when lights dim for dinner and rise for dancing.
  • Sustainability: ask about rented vessels, potted plants and donating flowers after the event.

For cost ranges by category, the wedding budget guide and the wedding budget splitter show how much of the total décor typically takes.

Related guides, venues and vendors