Skip to content


Awesome Alternatives For Outdoor Wedding Arches

Although wedding arches are beautiful, not everyone wants to include one in their ceremony.  Whether they feel it’s overdone or just want something different, many brides are looking for unique ways to create a focal point at their wedding with something other than an arch.  Here are a few ideas to consider:

Photo by Flickr's ronsho

Canopy:  Wouldn’t it be lovely standing beneath this canopy on the beach as the fabric floats in the ocean breeze?    Or use it to transform an open field into a paradise.  This one is lit, which makes it perfect for an evening wedding.  You can also consider Indian mandaps or Jewish chuppahs, which have a similar look.

Pillars/Columns: For a grand presentation that is perfect for traditional and contemporary weddings, columns have elegantly graced the front of many wedding ceremonies.  So versatile, they can be draped with tulle, flowers, garlands and lights to create just the right mood.  Check out the column backdrop below, enhanced with sweeping chiffon and greenery, for example.  Another great idea is using columns of varying heights with candelabras on top, which looks quite romantic.

Photo by Flickr's culpfiction

Photo by Flickr

Natural Arch: While these definitely are arches, I included them because they’re definitely not your traditional arches.  What an ingenious idea?  Bending tall hedges or palms into an arch is a splendid idea that can be used to mark the entrance to the wedding area or for the bride and groom to stand beneath.  Either way, it’s naturally beautiful.

Posted in Outdoor Wedding Ideas, Outdoor Wedding Receptions.

Tagged with , .


3 Responses

Stay in touch with the conversation, subscribe to the RSS feed for comments on this post.

  1. Patricia says

    wanted to use my own columns and wanted to know what type of material was used and how to how it up?

    Thanks.
    Patriicia

  2. Adalya B. says

    Hi my name is Adalya B. I’m getting married in Dec. 2012 I wanted to know how much this will cost me to buy or rent? I love the column ideal for my arch & I need this ASAP!!! Please respond quickly :) Thank you very much.

  3. Peggy says

    Hi, Adalya. I’m Peggy. Check out Michael’s Arts & Crafts store. They rent the arches for a reasonable price. Congrats on the wedding and good luck with your planning.



Some HTML is OK

or, reply to this post via trackback.