How To Decorate A Gazebo For A Wedding [Your Best Options]

With all the exciting celebrations for your wedding, it’s easy to get a little anxious and concerned with all the planning that goes into it. You want it to be perfect, after all. But what about decorating a gazebo? What can you use, and what tends to look and work best? Well, here is what you can do.

So, how do you decorate a gazebo for a wedding? All of the best ways to decorate a gazebo for a wedding include a few common general rules such as mood lighting, a recognizable theme, personalized touches, and of course, organization. A gazebo that is cluttered won’t work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a lot going on!

Decorating a gazebo can seem like a huge task, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

It can actually be a great way to spend time with your friends and bridal party. 

At least if you approach it with the right mindset.

Don’t stress.

And, of course, just because you know how you want your gazebo to look, it doesn’t mean that you cannot hire someone either.

So do bear that in mind.

Nevertheless, here are some great ideas of what to decorate your pavilion structure!

Best Ways To Decorate A Gazebo For A Wedding

There are many different ways to decorate a gazebo for a wedding, so we are going to go down the list of the most popular themes and best ways to decorate.

After that, we will give you the best tricks and tips to remember because, of course, you want it to be unique to your wedding. 

Keeping it Simple

Sometimes the best looks are those that are simple and elegant.

A gazebo can reflect a wedding dress or the entire wedding theme.

Simple is never a bad thing and can be quite a bold statement in itself.

When you keep a gazebo simple with lighting and a clean look, it won’t detract from the pictures, and it will keep the bride and groom the center of focus. 

Ideas

• White is nice. Something that is perfect about a white gazebo is that if you wish to keep it the way it is, then that is all there is to it. With a few lights here and there to make it sparkle during the night (if you have a wedding that goes into the night), you are all set to go. See how easy that was. 
• Pops of color that ties in with the wedding theme can be a subtle but perfect addition to a gazebo. The best way to do this is to set up flowers with the same color around the gazebo. You can also make ribbon bowties and lay the flowers in the center of the bowtie. Tie them around the pillars for a simple yet beautiful look. 

Get Loud!

Just because some have an appreciation for simply doesn’t mean that bold doesn’t totally rock.

There are tons of ways to make a gazebo fun and beautiful for your wedding with color and decorations.

The key is ensuring that everything flows together and doesn’t look busy in the wrong way. 

Ideas

• Lighting is one of the themes that you should always consider when having a gazebo that may turn into a great spot for nighttime pictures. Going bold means putting a beautiful lighted chandelier in the middle of the gazebo. As long as you have an outlet and someone who is able to hide the cord, this is a great look. If you are getting married at the end of the gazebo, some brides have made a red carpet entrance from the starting point to the middle. This look can be glammed up or toned down based on your style. 
• Candles everywhere. First things first, make sure this is not a fire hazard at some gazebos are wood. It is possible to get candles that don’t actually give off flame but mimic the look of candles. This can be a very romantic and bold setting that also provides the necessary lighting you want at the right moment. Something that compliments this look very well is rose petals all around the floor of the gazebo. Tealights work great too!

A Touch of Culture

Now more than ever has culture and background meant something to all of us.

With different types of wedding traditions from different cultures, there is no better way to tie in culture than in your decorations. 

Ideas

• If you come from a different country than your spouse, then it can be a really beautiful idea to bring in the colors from both countries into your gazebo. With ribbons and drapery, it can be a clear unifying symbol made to look very elegant. For example, India is known for beautiful and bold colors during their weddings. While not necessarily the flag’s colors, you can have a mixture of colors brought into the gazebo with draperies to represent your backgrounds. 
• Culture doesn’t necessarily mean your home country. It can mean your upbringing in general. This is why decorating the gazebo as a collage of memories for the couple is a fantastic idea and one that is close to the heart. With pictures framed all around the gazebo and pixie lighting wrapped and weaved around these pictures, it can be a simple and inviting look. 

Things To Consider When Decorating A Gazebo For A Wedding

The above ideas are all great wants that can be used and changed up a bit to make it more or less your ideas!

Having said that, there are some general rules of the thumb one should know when it comes to decorating a gazebo to prevent some headaches. 

Let’s go down the list.

Lighting is Your Priority 

This is especially true for those who are fanatics about photos.

The trick to lighting is having enough to enhance the photos without it being too much.

It also needs to be set in a way that looks good decoratively but serves it/s purpose.

This may take a few times to get right, and it doesn’t hurt to have a photographer’s opinion while setting it up. 

Safety/Fire Hazards

While lighting a million candles certainly is romantic, it’s easy for the wind to take the flame elsewhere.

A lot of gazebos are made out of wood or material that is flammable, so using alternative candles that don’t produce flames is important. 

Something that can also be a bit of a hazard is if the decorations aren’t locked down.

For instance, a chandelier should really be put up by a professional in the event that it’s windy or it comes down.

This is a little more of an extreme example since not everyone is putting chandeliers in their gazebos. 

You Don’t Need to Over Do It

Gazebos is a perfect spot to share your vows with your partner.

While going bold is definitely OK, the great thing about gazebos is that they are beautiful on their own. 

A mass structure grabs attention by itself, which is why pops of color or little touches make it complete. 

Just remember bold doesn’t mean busy.

Busy is distracting and a waste of money!

The groom and bride are the main attraction of the show, and that is why it is best to keep it that way. 

What does busy look like?

Busy is when you have everything combined together.

A bit of the wedding theme on the pillars.

Photos of you guys lining the walkway down with your flags from your countries in between.

Rose petals that clash with the colors of your wedding theme.

Different assorted lights and candles everywhere.

This is busy!

Choose a few different things to work with.  

Keep It Your Own

The most important part of decorating a gazebo is keeping it your own style.

The best way to do that is to incorporate tiny bits of the theme with flowers, ribbons, and lighting.

Because they are elegant enough on their own, there is no need to go over the top.

That doesn’t mean a grand rose petal entrance with beautiful lighting is overdoing it. 

Just keep in mind that no matter how little or how much you decorate, you want to make sure that everything is safe in terms of fire hazards.

Since gazebos are usually made of flammable material, this is the first thing to consider.

Other hazards may just be ribbons that drag on the ground that you don’t want people to step on, including yourself.

Likely, for style purposes, this won’t be a thing!

Finally, if you have string lights, make sure they are far enough away from people who are standing if they are close to the ground because then you’ll have a lot of broken glass. 

You may be thinking this is the last thing you want to do and worry about.

This is something that a wedding planner or your maid of honor can certainly get out of the way for you.

Having said that, this is a fun activity for the whole bridal team if decorating and organizing is your thing.

Put it on the list of fun things to do with your bridal party the night before the wedding.

Better yet, grab some drinks and food and make it a whole smorgasbord!

Just an idea!

With these tips in mind, you are sure to have a beautifully decorated gazebo with great lighting and a fantastic theme for your wedding.