40 Chair Decorating Ideas for Your Wedding

Chair Decor Flowers On Chair Legs
Photo: Carlie Statsky Photography

If you've started planning your wedding reception, you've probably realized that there's no such thing as a "small" detail. You'll be asked to make decisions on everything from the place cards and the table linens to the centerpiece flowers and your signature cocktails. Inundated with all these choices, it's easy to overlook chair décor. While there's nothing wrong with leaving rented reception chairs exactly as they come, decking out the bride and groom's seats, specifically, is a fun, simple way to bring personality to your wedding.

From floral arrangements, to whimsical signs, and leafy garlands, chair-backs can be as simple or ornate as you'd like. If you're going for drama, ditch the rentals and bring in vintage peacock chairs, a couch, or canary yellow seats. The uniform look might work for your guests, but on your wedding day, it's important the newlyweds' chairs stand out—especially if you're sitting with your wedding party.

Achieve a subtler, more understated aesthetic by adding a spray of blooms to your chair's leg. Looking for something more symbolic? Weave an extra-long grapevine wreath through two chairs, turning them into one. If you want to add a little something to each guest's seat, stick to a budget-friendly option, like removable decals or mini ombré tassels. The options truly are limitless—which is why we've rounded up a diverse selection of chair décor to help you, whatever your style, on your way.

01 of 40

Si Señora

Chair Decor Beach Driftwood Pom Pom Sign
Jillian Mitchell Photography

Calligraphed in Spanish, these driftwood signs were a nod to this couple's wedding venue in sunny, sandy Mexico.

02 of 40

Mr. and Mrs. Blankets

Chair Decor Mr. and Mrs. Blankets
Alicia King Photography

Embroidered tartan blankets are the perfect chair décor for a winter wedding. Plus, they double as cozy mementos for the bride and groom to enjoy long after the party ends.

03 of 40

Flower-Covered Ghost Chairs

Chair Decor Flowers On Chair Legs
Carlie Statsky Photography

Consider adorning the opposite legs of two ghost chairs with blooms to give the illusion that the separate chairs are one. It's a salient metaphor for a wedding day.

04 of 40

Macramé Bouquet

Chair Decor Net
Elizabeth Wells Photography

Macramé nets, adorned with clusters of blue thistle flowers, brought a unique touch to this vintage-themed wedding.

05 of 40

When We Were Young

Chair Decor Baby Photo
This Love of Yours Photography

These baby photo chair signs are perfect for couples who have known each other their whole lives.

06 of 40

Extra Large Florals

Chair Decor Oversized Flowers
Joey Kennedy Photography

Massive peony blooms overpowered this bride's calligraphed "Mrs." sign in the best way possible.

07 of 40

Cartoons

Chair Decor Cartoons
Whitney Anderson Photography

Cartoon caricatures of the bride and groom added a touch of whimsy to this reception.

08 of 40

Think Pink

Chair Decor Pink Tassel Garland
Mirelle Carmichael Photography

For her pink-themed wedding, this bride dressed up each and every chairback with fuchsia, blush, and white tassel garlands.

09 of 40

Rose Decals

Chair Decor Rose Decals
Mango Studios

Looking for a way to personalize standard white rental chairs? Removable decals—like these watercolor beauties!—brighten up the reception without causing any permanent damage.

10 of 40

Overgrown Florals

Chair Decor Chair Bouquet
Elizabeth Messina Photography

A spray of pastel flowers and greens added a feminine touch to this bride's spot.

11 of 40

Feathers and Tassels

Chair Decor Bride Sign with Pink and Blue Tassels
Bianca Kate Photography

For their bohemian winery wedding, this couple used leather string to tie their tasseled "bride" and "groom" signs to their seats.

12 of 40

She Said "Yep!"

Chair Decor "Yep" Burlap Garland
Angie Wilson Photography

Playful and sweet, this burlap garland says "I do!" in a more party-friendly way.

13 of 40

Groom Bloom

Chair Decor Groom Sign
Mint Photography

Your groom can love flowers, too. Keep his chair looking a little more rustic with a display like this one, made from a burgundy dahlia, greens, and twine sign.

14 of 40

Pretty Pergola

head table
Ace & Whim

Wicker peacock chairs and a flower-filled mini pergola upgraded this bride and groom's table.

15 of 40

Moody Blooms

ana and damon reception chairback decor
Shannen Natasha of The Wedding Artists Collective

A mix of navy, silver, and cream paper flowers are attention-grabbing, even sans color.

16 of 40

Pink and Green

robin-kenny-wedding-chairback-014-s112068-0715.jpg
Shannon Von Eschen Photography

Greenery garlands with pale pink ribbons added a pop of color to an all-white tablescape.

17 of 40

Diamond Kites

christen-billy-party-chairbacks-213-011-s111597-1014.jpg
Max & Friends

Multicolored kites—made with twigs and yarn—added a homemade touch to this bride and groom's chairs.

18 of 40

Luxe Lily

emily adhir wedding chairbacks
Brandon Kidd Photography

These contemporary latticed chairbacks were softened with sprigs of greens and tiger lily blooms.

19 of 40

Licensed to Thread

atalia-raul-wedding-chair-96-s112395-1215.jpg
Dana Fernandez

The trick to achieving these modern yarn twists? Switching up the lengths and color combinations of each section.

20 of 40

Go Minimal

head table
Kathleen Geiberger Art

Minimalist garlands are a subtle way to differentiate between guests' and the newlyweds' seats, especially if you're sitting family-style.

21 of 40

Draped Pearl

michelle-ryan-wedding-krabi-thailand-0505-s112047.jpg
Erich McVey

At this wedding in Thailand, strings of pearl offered vintage glamour to an otherwise modern tabletop.

22 of 40

Lace Loops

samantha michael wedding chairs
Ryan Ray Photography

Strips of lace and leafy greens brought texture and color to this Texas wedding's reception.

23 of 40

Green Drama

reception chairs
Abby Jiu Photography

Studded with white roses, these green loops are the definition of drama.

24 of 40

Comfort is Key

tara-dan-wedding-texas-pillows-018-s112848.jpg
Shaun Menary Photography

Make your cocktail hour's patio tables more cozy with a simple throw pillow.

25 of 40

Great Garlands

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Elizabeth Messina Photography

This bride's chair décor featured sprays of lush greenery topped with bright floral arrangements.

26 of 40

Wreaths, Reinterpreted

marilyn-harold-garlands-008872-011-mwds109987.jpg
Jose Villa

Garlands of pittosborum and bay leaves were draped around the couple's chairs at this vineyard wedding in California.

27 of 40

Intertwined

laine-rob-rw1112-68.jpg
Jodi & Kurt Photography

A grapevine and flower wreath sweetly joined this bride and groom's chairs together.

28 of 40

Nautical Nod

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Ingalls Photography

To fit with the theme of their waterfront wedding, these newlyweds sat in chairs adorned with lifesavers.

29 of 40

Sleek Silhouettes

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Olivia Leigh Photographie

This bride framed silhouettes of herself and the groom to mark their seats at the reception.

30 of 40

"To Have and To Hold"

eva-kyle-msrw-mwds108838-04.jpg
Tec Petaja Photography

As a nod to their roots, these newlyweds added the Italian words for "to have" and "to hold" to their seats at the head table.

31 of 40

Pastel Ribbon

aneta-phil-rw-e217.jpg
Leo Patrone Photography

This couple's wedding planners turned leftover ribbon into sweet adornments for their chairs.

32 of 40

Ethereal Air Plants

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Sabine Scherer Photography

For a fuss-free touch, air plants were tied onto chairs at this Sea Ranch, California destination wedding.

33 of 40

Nickname Signs

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Andrea&Renata

Signs written with this couple's nicknames for one another added a silly touch to the head table.

34 of 40

Fresh Foliage

ben-wendy-0911rwms0148.jpg
Shannah Montgomery of ZoomWorks

Swags of eucalyptus and roses decorated the backs of these newlyweds' chairs.

35 of 40

Sunny Seating

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Jesse Leake

This couple opted to distinguish their seats by their cheery yellow color—no florals necessary.

36 of 40

Grecian Florals

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Chloé Browne of Caught the Light

At a destination Greece wedding, chairs were highlighted by leafy garlands with peonies and berries.

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Glittery 'Grams

courtney-hunter-sum11wds107171-0895.jpg
Corbin Gurkin

Oversized monograms hung behind this couple at their Hawaiian reception.

38 of 40

Middle Names

morgan-andrew-rw0313-294.jpg
Mr. Haack

Laser-cut gold plexiglass signs with the couple's first and middle names—the names they call each other!—were hung using antique fishing hooks and twine from a local shop.

39 of 40

Geometric Tassels

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Noa Azoulay Photography

Garlands of dip-dyed watercolor-paper triangles singled out the newlyweds' spots.

40 of 40

Bookkeepers

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Jessica Antola

This couple went the paper-route, hanging a simple garland made of old pages from books.

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