Tropical Wedding Ideas That Will Transform Your Big Day Into an Oasis

tropical wedding table setting palm leaves
Magdalena Studios

If you're getting married in paradise, why not draw inspiration from your destination location when brainstorming your big-day décor? When it comes to tropical wedding locales, you'll find that there's no shortage of beautiful ideas all around you—from the flowers themselves to the colors, foods, and even the spirit of your chosen destination. Remember why you chose your specific location, then celebrate that throughout your day.

Not tying the knot in paradise? You can still incorporate the tropics into your wedding by using some of your favorite island-inspired motifs (think pineapples, coconuts, and flamingos). To make your location feel even more like a tropical getaway, we also suggest filling your wedding's floral arrangements with exotic flowers—like protea, hibiscus, and orchids—or lush green palm and banana leaves. At this Tulum wedding, reception tables by Sandra Cervantes at Akiin Beach Club featured both tropical greenery and indigenous flora from Pentaflor Event & Flower Design. Although the setup worked for the destination setting, we think it would turn any space into an oasis.

Want more island wedding inspiration? Ahead, you'll discover details that will transform any event into your own little slice of paradise. Whether you want to serve a tropical signature drink in a coconut vessel or install an island-themed bar for guests to visit during cocktail hour, how you choose to interpret these (and the following!) ideas is completely up to you. By the time you are finished perusing these tropical ideas, you'll be ready to book your flight to your island celebration—or plan a beachy, tropical-inspired soirée right at home.

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Tropical Boutonnières

tropical wedding boutonnieres with protea and mini ferns
Anna Delores Photography

All of your big-day florals can (and should) involve tropical flowers for your wedding in paradise. That's why Knot Just Flowers filled these boutonnières with protea and mini ferns. To complete the look, My Lovely Events incorporated terra-cotta coasters, wicker fans, and tiny pineapples for an on-theme touch.

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Monstera Leaf

tropical wedding monstera sugar leaf on simple cake
Kerry Jeanne Photography

If you want to add a subtle tropical motif to your wedding cake, look no further than this three-tier Lilac Cake Boutique confection. A life-like monstera sugar leaf brought an island feel to the dessert's light blush sections.

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Bar Menu

colleen pip wedding bar signage leaves
Nicole Leever Photography

Not only are banana leaves an easy way to reference your tropical theme, but they're also a perfect medium for calligraphy—meaning they can take the place of any big-day paper goods. Foxtail Florals transformed these iterations into this couple's drink menu.

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Coconut Cake

tropical wedding cake with coconut details
Sanaz Photography

There are so many tropical details to incorporate onto your big-day dessert, but we think coconuts are an appropriate (and delicious) addition. Beverly's Bakery added shards of the fruit onto this all-white confection, along with florals and greenery from Inessa Nichols Design. For a cohesive touch, Detailed Touch Events included coconuts on the table below.

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Tropical Invitations

lian-erween-wedding-hawaii-invite-0001-s112268_vert.jpg
Corbin Gurkin

Inform your guests of your tropical venue by incorporating thematic motifs right onto your invitations. These Julie Song paper goods hinted at this Hawaiian destination by using the state's flower, hibiscus, throughout the suite.

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Exotic Bar

tropical wedding palm leaf tiki bar
Laura Moll Photography

Tiki bars aren't the only option for making your cocktail hour feel tropical. Instead, upgrade an otherwise plain white bar (this one is from Bright Rentals) with leaf motifs. Green Apple Event Co. also added exotic arrangements from Shindig Chic to the back of the bar. A hexagonal structure and acrylic menu from Sky to Sea Creative Co. made the whole display more modern.

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Leaf Accent

tropical wedding centerpiece filled with protea, monstera, and palm leaves and greenery underneath salad plates
Krista Mason Photography

When it comes to a reception in paradise, we think you can never have too many tropical plants. Chic Celebrations ensured this table was covered in on-theme foliage and florals by tapping Lauryl Lane to create protea, monstera, and palm leaf centerpieces. The pros also added the greenery underneath the salad plates (provided by Set Maui) for even more color.

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Orchid Headpiece

tropical wedding bride orchid headpiece crown
Wesley & Emma Photography

If your destination wedding is taking place on the beach, you may have to factor in wind when thinking of your big-day hairstyle. Choosing not to wear a veil? Make sure your hair is dressed up in exotic florals, like this bride's headpiece made of orchids from Embrujos Floral Studio.

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Birds of Paradise

tropical wedding birds of paradise flower on white cake
GingerAle Photography

One of the best parts about tropical flowers? They bring a dose of color anywhere you decide to put them. So, consider asking your baker to add them to your cake, especially if it's an all-white version like this two tier from Cakes by Pat. A bird of paradise from Ninirichi was the only décor it needed to tie it back to this event's tropical surroundings.

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Leaf Program

Ceremony Program Leaf
Brandon Kidd Photography

Forgo traditional paper ceremony programs in favor of an on-theme option. This large fan palm leaf was the perfect tropical medium for Miss B. Calligraphy's gold calligraphy.

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Colorful Centerpiece

tropical wedding floral centerpieces
Ashlen Sydney Photography

Not all tropical décor has to be teeming with color. With a centerpiece as bright as this one—F. Dellit Designs used king protea, roses, and greenery to bring it to life—you may want to consider keeping the other elements of your table muted. Brides of Houston chose blush plates and ditched the colorful tablecloth to make this setup was all about the vibrant mix.

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King Protea Bouquet

protea wedding bouquets vasilis kouroupis
Vasilis Kouroupis

Ensure your wedding bouquet is just as exotic as your location by incorporating local flowers into your arrangement. Red Box Days did just that by adding two king proteas into this bride's colorful mix.

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Flamingo Escort Cards

tropical wedding flamingo escort cards on tower of glasses
Sarah Kate Photography

Searching for the perfect on-theme escort cards? We're partial to these flamingo-shaped iterations with calligraphy by The Left Handed Calligrapher.

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Printed Guest Book

tropical wedding leaf-printed notebook guest book
Díez & Bordons

Giving your guest book station a tropical upgrade is a simple as picking a leaf-printed notebook. For a personal touch, this one was customized with the couple's names. Want another on-theme addition to your station? Make like Detallerie and finish off the display with a golden pineapple.

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Ceremony Fan

ceremony program fan with tropical leaves
Aaron & Jillian Photography

Although your guests will undoubtedly enjoy the weather at your outdoor beach wedding, make sure they don't overheat by providing them with fan programs. These options by Lytle Fober of Analog Creative Co. included a tropical leaf motif inspired by the venue's surrounding foliage.

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Greenery

nonfloral wedding bouquets cari courtright
Cari Courtright Photography

When creating your big-day bouquet, you'll want to make sure it can withstand the heat of your tropical location. The best way to do that? With plenty of sun-proof greenery. Tumbleweed Floral Truck filled this beach bride's arrangement with white-and-green anthurium, speckled aspidistra, and large monstera leaves to make sure it wouldn't wilt.

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Venue Inspired

abbey jeffrey wedding tropical save-the-dates jamaica
Amanda K Photography

Need a way to incorporate your tropical locale into your save-the-dates? Use the façade of your location as inspiration. Tie That Binds created this unfolding option complete with the double doors found at this couple's Jamaican venue.

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Colorful Display

vibrant flavor display
Alyssa Marie Photography

You don't need tropical leaves and flowers in order to nod to your exotic locale. Vibrant colors will also do the trick. Shindig Chic designed this favor station's backdrop with pink, orange, and blue tassels that helped it fit right into this couple's beach destination.

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Subtle Tropical Leaves

beach wedding cakes sandra aberg
Sandra Åberg Photography

There's a way to bring tropical leaves into your big-day confection without actually using them. For proof, just look to this cake by Synie's Paris. The pros utilized a bas relief technique to etch palm, monstera, and banana leaves onto this dessert. The leaves referenced the real ones that sat below the display.

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Ceremony Arch

wedding coupe
Rebecca Arthurs

Of course, you'll want to bring your theme into your tropical ceremony. To do so, incorporate surrounding foliage and florals like palm leaves, banana leaves, and protea into your backdrop, like Grace Flowers Hawaii did here.

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Coconut Cups

drinkable coconut with straw and wooden tropical leaf place card
Jessica from Anna Kim Photography

Your tropical signature drink deserves an equally exotic vessel. Instead of a classic glass, place a hollowed-out coconut cup at each guest's seat. These options came with a straw and wooden leaf place card.

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Fruits

jasmine-jd-anniversary-centerpiece-053-s112834-0516.jpg
Jasmine Star Photography

Even the smallest centerpieces can feel distinctly tropical. Just look to this setup by Inviting Occasions; bananas and coconuts, along with regional flowers like gloriosa lilies, orchids, ferns, and roses, upgraded this candle-centric tablescape.

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Pineapple Favors

wedding favors
Rebecca Arthurs

Keep the beach vibes going even after your wedding is over by gifting your attendees thematic favors. Pineapple-shaped bottle openers from My Wedding Favors were the perfect take-home for this tropical celebration.

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Tropical Macarons

tropical wedding macarons with hand drawn greenery
Studio Baron Photo

Believe it or not, you can even add exotic details to your bite-sized desserts. The hand-drawn greenery on these macarons by Pâtisserie Montebello referenced tropical leaves; when placed next to yellow cookies, they also created a pineapple-inspired color palette.

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Orchid Centerpieces

Tropical Place Setting with Orchids and Patterned Plates
Jose Villa

Few flowers feel more inherently tropical than the orchid. Flower Wild clustered tall orchids with lower arrangements of garden roses, ranunculus, and greenery for balmy feel. To finish the look of these tables, faux palm place cards marked each place setting (which featured a tropical bird print, too!).

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Tropical Backdrop

Tropical Ceremony Setting with Baskets of Native Flowers
Sylvie Gil Photography

If you love the tropical wedding vibe, there are few better ways to embrace it than with a ceremony and reception in beautiful Jamaica. For this wedding, planned by Shannon Leahy Events, florist Bows & Arrows lined the oceanfront aisle with baskets of bright, native blooms. You don't have to tie the knot in paradise to steal that stunning idea, though.

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Refined and Tropical

Place Setting with Tropical Palm Leaf on Plate
Sarah Street Photography

Add just a hint of tropical appeal to your place settings with an oversized palm leaf. Pair the foliage with geometric details, like this copper centerpiece and Paper Dolls Design menu card, to keep the look feeling refined and not overly beachy.

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Leaf-Printed Looks

Tropical Getting-Ready Attire
Lost in Love Photography

There's nothing more fun than getting ready with your 'maids in cute matching outfits, especially when they're on-theme. Palm print rompers were the perfect attire choice for this tropical wedding, allowing each woman to get ready in style without upsetting their hair or makeup when it was time to change.

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Textured Place Setting

Place Setting with Orchid and Laser-Cut Wooden Name
Brandon Kidd Photography

Can you imagine sitting down to a table this pretty? For a reception tablescape that screams tropical, consider layering colors and textures, like those seen here. Blue linens, white dinnerware, a natural wood bowl, and a fresh orchid all come together to create a chic, elevated tropical vibe. The wooden place cards from DeLovely Details were the ultimate finishing touch.

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Pineapple Escort Cards

lian-erween-wedding-hawaii-0852-s112268.jpg
Corbin Gurkin

We don't know what's better: These pineapple-shaped escort cards or the vases that adorn the tables that are reminiscent of the same fruit? For good measure, you should probably consider adding both to your reception, just like this couple did.

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Leafy Bouquet

Tropical Orchid Wedding Bouquet
Tracy Enoch Photography

This Intic Design bouquet is proof that a muted arrangement can still feel tropical. Although the pros worked with a light mix of cymbidium and phalaenopsis orchids, peonies, roses, and stephanotis, the look was still vibrant thanks to large green leaves.

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Pineapple Place Card

Place Setting with Pineapple Place Card
Green Apple Photography

What feels more tropical than a pineapple? This adorable mini version of the island fruit makes for the prettiest finishing touch on place settings.

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Tropical and Elegant

Centerpieces with Tropical Palms
Inga Avedyan

Tropical meets elegant in these centerpieces, created by Catalina Neal, which feature roses, ranunculus, palm, ferns, and orchids. Those dreamy yellow candles add a little something extra, too.

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Leaf Place Card

Elegant Tropical Place Settings with Calligraphed Leaf Place Cards
Shanell Photography

Tropical leafs plus gold calligraphy equals one exceptionally stunning place card. This simple, understated look is the perfect way to add just a touch of tropical appeal to your reception tables. Bright blooms, like the ones used in the centerpiece seen here, don't hurt either.

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Tropical Headpiece

Flower Girl with Tropical Flower Crown
Wendy Laurel Photography

Make sure your littlest attendant gets the tropical treatment, too. This sweet flower girl donned an on-theme flower crown and printed dress for her walk down the aisle.

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Printed Table Runners

emily adhir wedding placesetting
Brandon Kidd Photography

If you're not sold on tropical tablecloths, consider a runner instead. This bride found a palm print fabric she loved from Online Fabric Store, then sewed her own custom runners to provide just the right pop of tropical appeal to her reception.

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Romantic Bouquet

Pink & White Bouquet with Orchids
O'Malley Photographers

A tropical bouquet can also feel romantic. Just make like Wildheart and pair native blooms, like orchids and ferns, with classic roses and ranunculus to acheive the perfect balance of exotic and traditional.

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Monstera

Tropical Place Setting with Palm Leaf on Plate
Aaron and Jillian Photography

If you've envisioned a tablescape as tropical as this one by Coastal Creations, we suggest keeping the other elements of the setup understated. That's why the pros opted for white plates underneath large, green monstera leaves.

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Tiny Place Cards

Calligraphed Palm Place Card
Kyle John Photography

Pretty gold calligraphy transforms anything into the most elegant escort or place cards, but these dark green leafs are the ultimate choice for tropical nuptials.

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Bougainvillea Bouquet

Tropical Wedding Bouquet with Bougainvillea
Tracy Enoch Photography

With just the right amount of color, it's totally fine if your tropical bouquet is somewhat petite. This bride's arrangement still had a big presence due to pink bougainvillea and greenery.

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