Ways to Repurpose Wedding Décor from Ceremony to Reception

There are many ways to make your wedding stand out, but the décor probably has the most immediate impact. After all, before you walk down the aisle, your guests will see the beautiful ceremony space; and before you and your new spouse make your grand entrance at the reception, your loved ones will be admiring the centerpieces. As special as the day is, for some it can feel wasteful to have such elaborate displays that are only used once. Repurposing the décor used during the vow exchange to help spruce up dinnertime can alleviate these concerns. This is an especially smart strategy if your big day involves a “flipped” space – when the ceremony and reception take place in the same area and are redecorated while guests enjoy cocktail hour in another room.

While your floral designer and/or wedding planner can certainly help figure out how to tackle this project, we’ve listed some options below that can serve dual purposes in order to give you a head start. 

- Ceremony backdrops to sweetheart table enhancements. Whether it’s an arch, chuppah, curtain, or flower wall, whatever was used for the backdrop as you and your beloved exchanged vows will also make for an extra special piece behind your sweetheart table. 

- Bridesmaid bouquets to cake table. As pretty as the floral arrangements are, your bridesmaids might not want to carry their bouquets around all night or see them smashed after laying them down at their dinner table. Instead, use vases and repurpose the blossoms to decorate the cake table. Should you have other plans for the confection (for example, your chuppah could highlight the cake instead of the sweetheart table), the blooms can also adorn the guest book table. 

- From aisle to table. In addition to florals, items such as lanterns, candles, and more that line the ceremony aisle can add variety to your centerpieces.

For more ideas and advice, find out why some couples choose to have a smaller wedding and learn how to maximize intimate nuptials.