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How to design perfect minimal decor in 5 easy steps
So your partner proposed, you’re finally engaged (yay!), and you’ve found the perfect venue for your perfect day. Now you’re faced with another decision: how you want to decorate!
I get it – coming into a fresh space and designing the perfect decor for your wedding or special event can be overwhelming. After all of those years creating Pinterest boards for your dream wedding, you realize that what you had originally designed might be a tad out of budget. Luckily, some of the most beautiful weddings have the simplest elements!
Still not convinced? Let me show you what it takes to design the perfect minimal wedding decor in just 5 easy steps.
1. Enhance the simplest of spaces with an arbor
Whether your wedding ceremony is indoors or outdoors, an arbor is a simple yet elegant addition to your minimal decor. With or without florals, an arbor is the kind of statement piece that keeps everyone talking, looks fantastic in photos, and can then continue to be used for photos with family and friends after the ceremony!
(LEFT) Photo by The August Photo Company
(RIGHT) Photo by Storehouse 408
Some venues actually include something like this in your venue rental. Take Cellar52 and The Timber Barn (just as a few cheeky examples). When you choose to get married at the St. Jacobs riverside, our simple-yet-chic circle arbor is automatically included. Our sister venue Storehouse 408 offers something similar. As you can see, while both arbors deliver very different vibes, it doesn’t take much to bring them to life!
Even if your venue doesn’t have an arbor for you to use, pieces like this don’t need to break the bank! Our friends at Green Valley Event Rentals make it super affordable for you to include a stunning arbor or arch piece as part of your minimal decor.
2. Design pretty things for your guests to read
If there’s one thing I love at a wedding, it’s beautiful signage. Whether it’s a welcome sign, stunning table numbers, or beautiful invitations, guests love having things to read as they enter your venue. Not only that, but incorporating your colour scheme and little touches about who you are as a couple is a great way to get your guests involved in every part of your ceremony.
Photos by the talented Leah Deline
You can easily do this with your seating chart, beautiful name cards, and bar signage.
Photos by the talented Liam Good Visuals
Now, obviously you can get crafty and DIY these yourself but that’s going to add a lot of stress and pressure to your plate. Since I do not have those creative abilities, I will certainly be leaving this to the professionals like Hannah from Wild Muse Weddings on my own wedding day! Everything she does is beautiful, tasteful, and within budget, making her the perfect addition to your perfect minimal decor checklist.
3. Add an element of freshness with greenery
Ah, greenery! Fresh greenery is by far one of our favourite minimal decor pieces here at The Stella Collective. Whether you’re a ruscus, eucalyptus, or pine gal, simple garlands or casually placed sprigs are the perfect accent to any wedding venue. Does your venue have mantles? Add some greenery! Not sure how to finish off your table scapes? Sprinkle some delicate sprigs in the centre of the table! It’s amazing what just a little pop of green can do to heighten your minimal decor and add a natural flair to your venue.
Photo by the talented Leah Deline
The best part about greenery is that less is always more, so there’s no need to ask your florist to pile greenery onto your head table. With that approach it can quickly turn into a jungle, making you and your partner disappear. By adding a delicate touch, greenery is both cost-effective and stunningly beautiful, making it the perfect backdrop for tying in other pieces of minimal decor.
4. Light up your space with candles
Whether you’re a floating candle gal or a pillar candle gal, I love ‘em all. There’s something about the romantic glow of flickering flames that make them a timeless addition to your perfect minimal decor plans.
Photos by the talented Meghan Huryn
The best part? You can never have too many! Whether it’s a windowsill, a shelf, or on the bar, candles are a must have for us at Stella Co.
Like your greenery, candles are the perfect touch because they do a lot of heavy lifting in setting the mood for your wedding day. Consider using them to line your aisle or to fill a fireplace, if your venue has one! This look gives us all of the princess-in-a-castle vibes, and will have your guests swooning as soon as they walk in.
Candles are also a beautiful addition to your tablescapes. Consider mixing and matching to create a really stunning effect on your tables. Just be sure to let your venue know ahead of time if you’ve got a lot of floating candles – they’ll want to be sure they leave enough time to get them all filled perfectly!
Photo by The August Photo Company
5. Take advantage of outdoor spaces
Last but not least, nothing amplifies your minimal decor like spending time outside. Natural light, scenic views, and a twinkling sky of stars are already the most gorgeous thing to accent the rest of your decor with. If your venue has a cozy courtyard or a picturesque patio, take advantage of it! Cellar52’s patio is by far one of the best features of our unique little venue, and we love watching our couples enjoy their first dance outside under the patio lights, stars, and sparkles.
Photo by The Collectiv
That’s not to say you can’t have picture-perfect outdoor moments without a patio! You can always string twinkle lights yourself to create your own starry sky, which can be the easiest way to create those picture-perfect moments. Better yet, this is one piece of minimal decor that you can buy yourself and use later at home to create your forever starry night.
Whether it’s with or without twinkling lights, the great outdoors is a wonderful addition to your minimal decor. Hosting your ceremony or cocktail hour outside – if possible – is a great way to give your guests a change of scenery and to take advantage of all of the beauty nature has to offer. It’s free, fabulous, and oh-so-perfect.
Download our minimal decor cheat sheet for easy reference as you start planning the look and feel of your dream day!
