34 Rustic and Wooden Wedding Signs

Well-designed signage does more than just convey info to wedding guests. It can add moments of humor or sentiment and even be a showstopping design element in-and-of-itself.

Rustic outdoor celebrations lend themselves particularly well to signs’ casual, conversational tone, whether it’s a simple “Cheers, y’all” at the bar or a more detailed run-of-day schedule displayed as guests arrive. With elegant touches like custom calligraphy and the use of unexpected materials (think leather or copper), it’s easy to keep the look elevated for a more formal event, too.

Read on for creative ways to incorporate a rustic or wooden wedding sign into your special celebration.

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Point the Way

wedding sign — Photo by Anna Shackleford; Planning by Mariée Ami; Calligraphy by Julie Ha Design

One easy way to help establish separate areas for your ceremony and reception, especially in a large space, is with a simple-yet-chic directional sign pointing the way. Guests at this wedding were greeted by wooden arrows guiding them to the ceremony area in a field, the mountains of North Carolina rising up in the distance.

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Raise Your Banner

<p>welcome sign</p> — Photo by Carina Skrobecki; Planning by Greenwood Events; Signage by West Pasture Studio

Cloth signs can feel just as rustic as wood and offer the chance to add a pop of color from your event’s palette. For their romantic fall wedding in Montana, this couple hung a wine-hued banner featuring their monogram to welcome guests to the ceremony held in a candlelit barn.

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Include a Favorite Quote

<p>Ceremony Entrance Sign</p> — Photo by Lauren Fair Photography; Signage by Paper and Pine Co.

Add an extra-personal touch to your welcome sign by including a favorite quote, song lyric, or book excerpt. This couple’s design featured a line from The Last Battle, the final book in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series.

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Drink Up

<p>tequila shot station</p> — Photo by Jeremiah & Rachel Photography; Planning by Greenwood Events; Calligraphy by West Pasture Studio

Get the party started by offering guests a drink, like this couple who displayed a “Take a Shot, Take Your Seat” sign alongside tequila shooters for family and friends to pick up on their way to the reception.

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Embrace Simplicity

A welcome sign doesn’t have to have a lot of info to feel personal. In fact, some of the prettiest simply combines rich wood textures and greenery, like this couple’s decorated with a spray of silver dollar eucalyptus arranged in the shape of a laurel wreath, a recurring motif at their homespun wedding at a Pennsylvania inn.

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Set the Scene

A pretty, hand-lettered sign positioned at the entrance to your reception acts as a reset of sorts, signaling to guests that one element of your day is done and a new, exciting part is about to begin.

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Get Creative with Copper

<p>copper ceremony sign</p> — Photo by Tenth and Grace; Planning by Stylish Details Events

If “rustic yet elegant” are three words you’ve used to describe your wedding day vision, consider copper signage like this couple did for their travel-inspired Malibu wedding. A freestanding sign welcomed guests to the event, while smaller signs in a similar style graced the bar and served as a seating chart.

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Look to Leather

<p>Wedding sign</p> — Photo by Carrie Patterson; Planning by Lovely Day Events; Calligraphy by Dotting the i

Leather’s rugged patina makes it a good fit for rustic weddings, while hand-painted lettering gives it a romantic, elevated vibe. This couple directed guests to their woodland ceremony site at a ranch in Jackson Hole with a black leather sign calligraphed with the words “Two paths diverge in the woods,” inspired by Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken.

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Check it Out

welcome sign — Photo by Olivia Rae James; Planning by Gregory Blake Sams; Signage by Mary Mac Studios

Checkered fabric evokes the fun of a summertime picnic—perfect for a casual welcome party. This couple’s playful, camp-inspired wedding weekend included a get together with lawn games, a crawfish boil, and a vibrant sign raised between two birch logs.

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Get With the Program

Instead of handing out individual programs during the ceremony, you can opt for one, statement-making sign as guests arrive. It can include the names of the members of the wedding party, the titles of readings or music that will be included, and thank friends and family for being a part of your day.

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Go Rustic with the “Ring Pillow”

<p>Flower girls and ring bearers</p> — Photo by Sara Lobla

For a unique touch, have your ring bearer carry a wooden box calligraphed with your initials, wedding date, or favorite quote down the aisle in lieu of a traditional ring pillow.

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Let the Games Begin

Get guests into a playful mood by placing a wooden sign in the grass and having lawn games at the ready. For their wedding on Martha’s Vineyard, this couple also tied the look of dark wood and white lettering into their reception, with square wood signs as table numbers.

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Dress Up the Bar

timeless southern wedding, bourbon tasting bar — Photo by Patricia Lyons Photography; Planning by Easton Events

Set the bar scene with a chalkboard sign, dressed up with a rustic frame and stunning lettering like the one at this couple’s Southern soiree. The bourbon tasting bar at their welcome party also included charming country touches like barrels, wooden crates, and vases filled with wildflowers.

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Make It Picture Perfect

<p>photo booth</p> — Photo by James x Schulze; Design by Bluebird Productions

Create an oversized frame, find a photogenic spot and—voila!—instant photo booth. For their country wedding in an Aspen Meadow, this couple included their custom logo at the top of the frame, as well as haystacks and colorful blankets for guests to pose with.

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Highlight Special Destinations

<p>Wedding Signs</p> — Photo by Birds of a Feather; Planning by Lady Liberty Events; Signage by Prim and Pixie

This wedding featured a sophisticated travel theme (thanks to its international guest list!), which was highlighted by a sign illustrating how far guests had come for the celebration. We love this idea for travel-loving couples and adventurous duos.

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Consider Chalk

wedding reception — Photo by Branco Prata; Planning by Evoke Design & Creative

There's something understandably rustic about a simple chalkboard. Make yours short and sweet by writing your initials in a heart, or go all out and have it double as a guest book.

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Note the Guest Book

Highlight the guest book with a special wooden sign. We love something simple here, so guests can focus on the task at hand, which is writing you a special note!

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Write Out Your Initials

At this Tenessee wedding, the couple used custom wooden letters to display their initials atop a stone fireplace. After the wedding, you can even repurpose these in your new home.

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Showcase Special Recipes

bar sign — Photo by Hannah Costello; Planning by Sarah Dollar of LB Event Planning & Design; Floral Design by Jenn Sanchez; Signage by Prim & Pixie

Again, wooden signs do not have to be rustic! We love how this light-hued card calls our the couple's signature drinks and looks effortlessly chic thanks to special etching.

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Find Your Seat

<p>escort card display</p> — Photo by Wendy Laurel Photography; Planning by Couture Events; Calligraphy by Allanah Rae Calligraphy; Floral Design by Mandy Grace Designs

A beautifully designed, oversized piece of wood with a dark stain and a frame to match makes for an eye-catching seating chart when calligraphed with delicate, white lettering. This couple dressed up the display with arrangements of white roses and delphinium.

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Pull Double Duty

at-home rustic massachusetts wedding, rustic reception seating chart — Photo by Henry + Mac; Planning by Glass Event Planning; Calligraphy by Sharon Morgera; Floral Design by Semia Floral

Wood seating charts can also serve as a show-stopping installation when paired with abundant florals. Guests found their table numbers amongst white blooms and greenery, displayed in the bed of a vintage truck at this couple’s flower-filled, late-summer wedding in Massachusetts.

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Add a Touch of Romance

This Montana wedding was filled with rustic signage and included a show-stopping seating chart framed with elk antlers and long wooden boxes overflowing with dahlias, roses, and greenery.

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Make it Modern

Table assignments — Photo by Jenn Emerling Weddings; Planning by Ashley Smith Events

For an escort card display that fits with a woodland setting but feels decidedly contemporary, take a cue from this couple’s colorful camp wedding in the California redwoods and display guests’ tables on sheets of paper in your palette, pinned to light wooden boards.

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Make a Place for Wedding Cards

<p>Mailbox Wedding Card Box</p> — Photo by Mi Belle Photographers

Friends and family often bring cards to the wedding, so it’s a good idea to create a cute card box where guests can drop them. This display mixes a mailbox, wooden crate, and a “cards” sign with a vintage-style illustration for an arrangement that’s both pretty and practical.

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Spread the Word

If you have important info to convey to your guests, be it a request for abstaining from social media or a wedding hashtag, creating an artful sign is a tasteful-yet-straightforward way to go about it. This wedding included a request to turn off phones alongside a thoughtful touch of blankets to keep friends and family warm.

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Display the Menu

Whether it’s a cocktail, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, or dessert menu, a display menu is an easy way to let guests know what their choices are at your wedding. This midsummer celebration included a cocktail bar with a menu of drink options propped on rustic spirits boxes.

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Use Shelving for Displays

Rustic shelving instantly creates a charming, homey vibe and is an easy way to display family wedding photos or escort cards. This music-loving couple framed escort cards for each of their reception tables, which were named for song titles like “Tiny Dancer” and “Days Like This.” A laser-cut sign, lyrics from The Troggs “Wild Thing,” added to the theme.

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Mark Your Escort Card Table

Direct guests to find their escort cards with a clever greeting. For an event in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, this “Salud!” sign was displayed alongside hand-painted shot glasses, which were topped with paper lemon wedges calligraphed with guests’ names.

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Direct Guests

If you're having a floating reception, it can be tricky to get friends and family to direct guests to different areas, such as the photo booth, bar, et cetera. Consider doing so with a special sign displayed during cocktail hour.

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Add Signage to Your Seats

Wedding chair signs are a fun, photogenic way to mark your first meal together as newlyweds. They’re easy to personalize not only with your names but also with ribbons and flowers to match the look and color of your event. These wooden “Mr.” and “Mrs.” versions add a rustic touch.

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Mark a Dessert Display

Nothing ends the night on a sweet note quite like a make-your-own s’mores station. Draw guests over to the area with a sign and have all the fixings out and ready to go.

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Cue the Cake

<p>Wedding Cake</p> — Photo by The Nichols; Planning by Erin Betts Events

Let your guests know what sweet treats to expect with a sign that lists your wedding cake’s flavor combo. These grooms opted for not one, but four, cakes in flavors like “lavender lemon with lemon curd” frosted in white buttercream and topped with fresh flowers.

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Tell a Story

<p>Wedding Dessert Table</p> — Photo by Anna Page Photography; Signage by The Duo Studio

Take the above idea to the next level by using signage to tell guests why you're serving what you're serving. This couple did just that, served desserts that represented their home states—complete with “Made in NY” and “Made in WI" signs.

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Decorate Your Getaway Ride

personalized michigan wedding, getaway car — Photo by Jonnie and Garrett

Make one last statement at the end of the night with a "just married" sign on your getaway car. We like the idea of a wooden sign here so you can keep it as a memento.

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