38 Forest Wedding Décor Ideas

forest wedding ceremony — Photo by Kaley from Kansas; Planning by Juniper & Lace Events; Floral Design by Amy Kate Designs

While we love outdoor weddings in any form, a forest wedding will always be one of our favorites—because with towering trees, mossy floors, unruly wildflowers, babbling brooks, what’s not to love? There’s something intimate and magical about tying the knot and celebrating in the middle of a vast woodland. Plus, the stunning scenery and natural beauty of a forest mean your wedding backdrop is already built-in. Nature has done all the décor work for you!

But, if you do want to add a few statements of your own, there is plenty of inspiration surrounding you. Look to the trees for a dose of rustic—they might inspire your bark-like wedding cake or log-stacked escort cards. Or, if bohemian vibes are more your style, look to the meadows for inspiration. Your wildflower bouquet could be awaiting you right there. It’s easy to evoke an ethereal feel in a forest wedding, whether your style is chic, boho, or something in between. Look no further than these ideas, and you’ll find yourself in the fairytale wedding of your dreams.

Here are 38 décor ideas for an enchanting forest wedding.

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Celebrate Nature's Beauty

<p>bride and groom in forest</p> — Photo by Dacia Pierson of Eager Hearts Photography, The Wedding Artists Co.; Venue Handsome Hollow

The best part about a forest wedding is the stunning natural scenery it offers, so take advantage of the towering trees and mossy forest floor with a sure-to-be jaw-dropping photoshoot. Pro tip: Taking photos in your wedding location will help to set the scene in your wedding photo gallery.

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Set the Tone With Your Invites

<p>Forest-Inspired Invitation Suite</p> — Photo by Kyle John; Design & Planning by Sincerely Ginger; Stationery by Brenna Berger Paper & Ink

Planning a forest affair? Go ahead and tease the scene on your invitation suite. The classic vibe on this set gets a watercolor facelift with a pine and birch tree illustration. We love the idea of tailoring the illustration to your wedding venue, whether you're gathering in a forest of palm, pine, or birch trees.

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Welcome Guests with Water Bottles

<p>Wedding goodybag</p> — Photo by KT Merry; Design & Planning by EKS Events; Stationery by The Mathes Collection

Embrace the theme by putting together the ultimate forest welcome package for guests. Here, reusable water bottles decorated with Aspen trees ane bags of trail mix are the perfect ode to the outdoors—plus, they'll keep guests energized while exploring the grounds.

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Embrace the Season

Bride — Photo by Rachel Havel; Design & Planning by Bubbles & Bowties; Floral Design by Aspen Branch; Venue Hotel Jerome

Depending on when you get married, your forest wedding may not be lush and green—but that doesn’t mean it still can’t be magical. With bare trees and fallen leaves sprinkling the ground with gold, an autumnal wedding holds its own kind of beauty. As this bride proves, it makes for a great photo backdrop.

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Make a Fashion Statement

Bride wearing wedding dress — Photo by Jenn Emerling Weddings; Design & Planning by Ashley Smith Events; Floral Design by Wild Club; Venue Camp Campbell

Like many outdoor weddings, forest nuptials can easily take on a laid-back spirit. You can juxtapose that casual aspect in your photos with a more traditional dress. Have your ‘maids fluff out that stunner of a train to make a statement.

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Consider a Neutral Suit

ceremony — Photo by Heirlume Photography; Venue Pine Rose Cabins

Have your groom play up the earthy tones of the forest with his suit. Tan, taupe, or brown—any neutral shade will do. This groom wore a brown Todd Snyder suit, which perfectly complemented the natural California surroundings.

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Turn Your Forest Into a Meadow

<p>bride in flowers</p> — Photo by Emmy Lowe Photography; Floral Design & Planning by The 12th Table; Venue Bloomsbury Farm

Want some flower power in your forest? No problem. This bride had her florist add white flowers and greenery to a wooded area just to create a more photogenic space.

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Incorporate Local Foliage

<p>bridal bouquet</p> — Photo by Natalie Watson Photography; Floral Design by Colby West Design

To that point: Let the environment inspire your choice of flowers and foliage, as this bride did by incorporating fern into her lush bouquet of hellebores, honeysuckle, and clematis, and spirea.

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Select a Vibrant Accent Color

bride and groom — Photo by Christy Cassano, The Wedding Artists Co.; Design & Planning by Mae & Co.; Floral Design by Selva Floral Design; Venue Horning's Hideout

One way you can make your forest photos pop is with a richly hued bouquet. This bride’s sculptural bouquet of anthurium, peonies, orchids, garden roses, and hand-painted palms in burgundy tones stands out against a white dress and sea of green.

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Add Romantic Touches

<p>bride's bouquet</p> — Photo by Paige Jones; Design & Planning by Bash Please; Floral Design by Marigold SF; Venue Santa Lucia Preserve

While garden roses may not be an obvious choice for a forest wedding, that doesn't mean you have to shy away from them. Incorporate a touch of the setting by bringing forest ferns into your bouquet, then add vines for an organic bouquet that looks like it was just gathered from the forest.

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Consider a Neutral Palette

<p>flower petals for petal toss</p> — Photo by Dacia Pierson of Eager Hearts Photography, The Wedding Artists Co.; Venue Handsome Hollow

Keep with nature and go for a neutral palette that evokes the hues of the pine-strewn floor and bark-covered trees. Black, white, and brown is a proven recipe for a clean and minimalist style. This couple achieved such a palette with a vintage suitcase filled with cones—fashioned out of book pages!—filled with white rose petals.

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Look for a Forest Chapel

Outdoor wedding aisle and alter — Photo by Jenn Emerling Weddings; Design & Planning by Ashley Smith Events; Floral Design by Wild Club; Venue Camp Campbell

When searching for a venue, consider looking for one with an outdoor chapel like this one—complete with a wooden altar platform and matching pews that give a nod to the woods around them. In this ceremony, the redwood grove acts as the focal point of the wedding backdrop, practically no décor required.

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Find a Clearing

<p>Forest wedding venue</p> — Photo by Jeremy Harwell; Design & Planning by Kristine Doggett of Bellafare; Floral Design by Amy Osaba Design; Venue The Inn at Serenbe

Having your ceremony in the midst of the trees can create a mystical ambiance, but exchanging vows in a clearing holds a beauty of its own. There’s just something intimate about being framed in an open space by tall pines.

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Choose a Natural Backdrop

<p>bride groom and officiant in forest elopement</p> — Photo by Evan Hopman; Floral Design by Juna Alinea; Venue Ventana Big Sur

When it comes to picking a ceremony site in the woods, look for the beauty in the imperfections of nature. A fallen trunk serves as a unique wedding backdrop to an intimate ceremony space.

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Marry in the Round

<p>Bride and groom at altar</p> — Photo by Carlie Statsky; Design & Planning by Allison Smith; Floral Design by Christine Cater; Venue Santa Lucia Preserve

One of the appeals of a forest wedding is the warm, private feel it creates among the seclusion of colossal trees. Enhance that feeling by marrying in the round. Arrange seating in two semi-circles framed by two curves of greenery to create a circular space. This bride felt that the setup allowed them to stand among their guests rather than in front of them.

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Mark the Ceremony Entrance

<p>Forest ceremony venue</p> — Photo by Carlie Statsky; Design & Planning by Allison Smith; Floral Design by Christine Cater; Venue Santa Lucia Preserve

This bride looked to the natural colors of the California redwood grove for her wedding palette, which comes alive in the entrance to her ceremony. Mark your aisles with thick foliage of greenery and king protea for a wild style that looks like it always belonged there.

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Line the Aisle

<p>Forest ceremony seating</p> — Photo by Hailley Howard; Floral Design by Raven Hollow Guild; Venue Handsome Hollow

We’re head over heels for this fern runner! It’s a creative way to amp up the decadent factor in an already lush forest. Accent it with white flowers running along the ceremony aisle to complete the look.

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Consider Wooden Folding Chairs

<p>ceremony flowers</p> — Photo by Natalie Watson Photography; Floral Design by Colby West Design

We mentioned wooden pews earlier, but we're also fans of wooden folding chairs in a natural setting. No matter your style, it's important to remember that chairs are a crucial component in setting your dream scene.

The 15 Best Wedding Chair Styles to Rent for Your Big Day

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Decorate the Trees

Outdoor altar with flowers and trees — Photo by Jenn Emerling Weddings; Design & Planning by Ashley Smith Events; Floral Design by Wild Club; Venue Camp Campbell

Forest trees are beautiful in their own right, but you can always dress them up for an extra wow factor. Clusters of ferns and white blooms do just the trick at this altar.

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Elevate Your Vows

<p>ceremony</p> — Photo by Paige Jones; Design & Planning by Bash Please; Floral Design by Marigold SF; Venue Santa Lucia Preserve

Decorate a wooden platform with simplicity—greenery, grasses, and a few white blooms is all it needs. When you’re getting married in a beautiful redwood grove, let nature do most of the talking.

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Create Your Own Altar

A semi-circular altar of white delphinium, larkspur, snapdragons, and wild ferns rises like a flame of foliage. We can’t think of a more dreamy forest-inspired wedding backdrop.

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Make a Modern Focal Point

wedding ceremony — Photo by Christy Cassano; Design & Planning by Mae & Co.; Floral Design by Selva Floral Design; Venue Horning's Hideout

This couple exchanged vows near a babbling brook in a moss-covered, tree-studded area. That sounds gorgeous enough, but they elevated the beauty of the area with an asymmetrical floral structure of greenery, white blooms, and velvety hues for their altar installation.

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Create an Altar from Trees

<p>chuppah</p> — Photo by Callie Hobbs Photography; Design & Planning by Laurel & Rose; Floral Design by Perfect Petal; Venue Eaton Ranch

Made of Aspen trees, greenery, and neutral flowers, this altar looks like it was pulled straight from the pages of a story book. A wooden platform and clear acrylic podium add to the altar without detracting from the scenery. It’s the perfect homage to the old Aspen grove it sits in.

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Hang a Chandelier

You don’t have to be indoors for a chandelier! Suspend one from a tree for an overhead altar statement piece. The circular wrought iron chandelier in this wedding mirrors the circular set up framed by the seating and greenery below.

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Add a Pop of Color

<p>bride and groom walking down the aisle</p> — Photo by Evan Hopman

Whether you're setting up a ceremony for two or 200, we love the idea of marking your spot with a pop of color. Here, this couple added a dose of boho vibes by placing a bright red rug in the middle of a lush forest.

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Decorate With Candles

bride with dad — Photo by Kaley from Kansas; Planning by Juniper & Lace Events; Floral Design by Amy Kate Designs

Pair casual with formal by lining your aisle—and altar!—with an abundance of tall taper candles in elegant gold candelabras. Rose petals only add to the romantic look.

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Incorporate Pampas Grass

<p>ceremony location</p> — Photo by Sarah Falugo; Design & Planning by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants; Floral Design by Arts District Florals; Venue Nestldown

Just because you’re having a forest wedding doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate desert touches. This couple interspersed it along their ceremony aisle and weaved it into a grand circular altar that symbolizes infinity and love.

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Consider Your Overall Look

<p>Bride and groom during ceremony</p> — Photo by Carlie Statsky; Design & Planning by Allison Smith; Floral Design by Christine Cater; Venue Santa Lucia Preserve

When designing your ceremony setting, it's important to consider how your ceremony florals will coordinate with your bouquet—and hairpiece, if you're wearing one. Case in point: This eclectic mix of greenery and wildflowers lends this bouquet an artfully disheveled look and loads of organic texture. Replicate it in your own bouquet for some bohemian vibes.

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Incorporate Wooden Décor

<p>Pillows on blanket</p> — Photo by Hailley Howard; Floral Design by Raven Hollow Guild; Venue Handsome Hollow

Pay tribute to the woods with some wooden décor. There are a ton of ways to tie in wooden elements—rustic farm tables, stump plate chargers, bark escort cards. But we’re really loving this open teepee made of birch. Pair it with some tasseled pillows and an ombre blanket for an indie lounge area.

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Create a Bar of Logs

<p>wood bar</p> — Photo by Callie Hobbs Photography; Design & Planning by Laurel & Rose; Floral Design by Perfect Petal; Venue Eaton Ranch

Extend the woodsy theme to a bar fashioned out of fire pits. This couple rented standing fire pits for late-night s’mores, but the cut logs to fuel the fire doubled as a bar during the day for a statement piece. Just top it with a piece of cement or plexiglass to create a tabletop.

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Adorn a Seating Chart with Foliage

<p>escort cards</p> — Photo by Sarah Falugo; Design & Planning by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants; Floral Design by Arts District Florals; Venue Nestldown

This seating chart display looks like it always belonged among the trees and leaves. Fashioned out of wire, it blends easily into the forest, as if floating. A swag of eucalyptus and blush roses ties in with the flower-sprinkled forest floor.

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Make a Unique Seating Chart

<p>table assignments</p> — Photo by James x Schulze; Design & Planning by Bluebird Productions

How cool is this seating chart display? Stacked logs reveal table assignments and they doubled as a doorway to the tented dining room. This décor statement was in tune with the wedding’s artisanal aesthetic and mountain accents.

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Add Modern Elements

lucite escort card display — Photo by Callie Hobbs Photography; Design & Planning by Laurel & Rose; Stationery by Jolie & Co.; Venue Eaton Ranch

Forest weddings often evoke rustic charm or bohemian magic but don’t be afraid to get modern with the outdoors. An acrylic escort card display does just that, as it's perched on a wooden base to tie it back in with nature. Bonus: It won’t block any forest views!

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Hang Bistro Lights

cocktail hour — Photo by Heirlume Photography; Venue Pine Rose Cabins

Kick up the magic of your woodland wedding by stringing bistro lights throughout the reception area. Whether you string them among the trees or along structures at your venue, they’ll be sure to cast your reception in an ethereal glow.

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Create Your Own Forest

If you want a forest wedding but aren't marrying in a true forest venue, that's OK. You can always create your own by bringing in faux or real tree branches and lining the walls with them. When doing so, consider a canopy of greens up above to complete the look!

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Bring the Outdoors In

dance floor lounges — Photo by Ryan Ray Photography; Planning & Design by Calder Clark; Floral Design by Blossoms Events

Need proof that the outdoors can indeed be replicated inside? Simply take a look at this scene of maple branches affixed to the columns of an industrial wedding venue—in the middle of Charleston! In contrast, the lush greens are mixed with residential-style lounges of gray furniture and a modern marbled dance floor to further the indoor-outdoor theme.

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Mix in Modern Moments

<p>Reception venue</p> — Photo by Jeremy Harwell; Planning by Bellafare; Floral Design by Amy Osaba Design

If you don't have the capacity to actually create a forest inside your venue, you can always opt for a forest-inspired look by hanging garlands above the head table. Here, we love how the greenery is mixed with modern ghost chairs to emphasize the focal point up above.

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Serve a Rustic Cake

<p>Wood-Inspired Wedding Cake</p> — Photo by Kyle John; Design & Planning by Sincerely Ginger; Cake by Bella e Dolce

End the night on a forest-inspired note by designing your wedding cake to look like the bark of a birch tree. Here, pine cones, twigs, sugar flowers, and a stump plate charger complete the woodsy look.

Want to keep dreaming? Same, same. Check out the story below for more on own how to make an unexpected setting (hello, a forest!) into an enchanting wedding location.

Nature Preserves and Summer Camps That Double as Wedding Venues