Weddings & Summer

Pergola Decorating for Weddings

Decorate a pergola and set the stage for your ceremony.

A wedding ceremony that includes the architectural element of a pergola can provide a romantic setting for exchanging vows. Dress and accessorize your wedding pergola -- it will provide the backdrop for the most important part of your wedding. Decorate using fabric, furniture, screens, flowers, beads, ribbon, sculptures, vases, plants, ornaments, lights and candles.

1. Elegance

   • Add sheer wedding ambiance to your pergola with elegant white curtains and tie backs. As an alternative to hanging traditional curtains, decorate with an abundance of crisp white lace netting -- a lightweight, flowing fabric you can tie to the pergola corners and drape on the straight edges as you would see on a scarf window treatment. Pre-made garland from local craft stores can provide the perfect means for holding the lace netting in place. The sheer fabric also works well with additional accents and personal touches like ribbon, beads, flowers -- or small wedding ornaments for a bit of sparkle.
     

   Adornment

   • Flowers -- real or silk -- will go a long way toward setting the stage and conveying the celebratory spirit of your wedding ceremony. Remember to include flowers for the pergola in your overall wedding planning -- you may not wish to have big splashes of bold colors on the pergola when your entire color scheme is pastels. Beyond flowers, think big. Use tall column planters or large garden urns to display plants or flower arrangements. Potted topiary trees can also dress the pergola up instantly.
     

   Accessories

   • Decorate with artistic touches such as garden sculptures, large decorative vases or a special pathway of cloth or flower petals leading to the pergola. Think about whether the ceremony requires certain items to be present; a small table -- with a wedding-appropriate table cloth, of course -- can hold ceremonial accessories. Sometimes a privacy screen is useful for one or more sides of the pergola to block out background distractions or a less-manicured landscape view. A pergola that lacks a foundation may require the addition of a special ground cover, platform or carpet for the ceremony.
     

   Romance

   • Even if your wedding will take place during the daytime, the use of lights, hanging lanterns, candles or a special chandelier will help provide a romantic atmosphere. String small white lights entwined with the fabric on your pergola or hang them separately as a cost-effective wedding-mood enhancer. If your pergola setting includes a pool or fountain nearby, use luminary pool floating candles; a bird bath or pond can be transformed with some water lily candles. Find decorative garden pedestals to hold a trio of column candles. Battery-powered candles provide an alternative to flame candles if wind will be a wedding day concern.
   Martelle