How to Use This Wedding Decor Checklist
Wedding decor adds up fast. You start thinking about flowers and centerpieces, and before long you’re also choosing welcome signs, candles, table numbers, backdrops, lighting and everything around the sweetheart table.
One thing we’ve learned from setup days is that it’s easy to focus on how everything will look and forget about how it’s actually getting into the room, where it will sit and how much setup time each vendor needs. Those details aren’t as exciting as choosing flowers or colors, but they can make a big difference on the wedding day.
There are a few practical things you’ll want to think through too. Where is everything going? How is it getting into the venue? Is there enough room around the dance floor? Where are the outlets? And how much time does each vendor actually have to get everything set before guests arrive?
Your decor should look great, but it also needs to work with the space and your guests. Grab your floor plan and use each section below as a starting point. Whether you’re planning a May garden wedding in Nashville or a December ballroom celebration, you can adjust the checklist based on your season, guest count, venue and budget.
If you’re using this wedding decor checklist with marquee letters to plan your day, there are a few extra details worth thinking through beyond the decor itself, including placement, power, venue access and setup timing.
My Big Letters provides wedding decor rentals throughout Nashville and Tennessee, including large marquee letters, backdrops, balloons and lighting. Delivery, professional setup and pickup are included with our rentals. You can also explore our marquee letter rentals in Nashville.
Wedding Venue and Entrance Decor
Your guests’ experience starts the moment they pull into the parking lot. Thoughtful entrance decor and signage point guests in the right direction and set the tone before they even reach their seat. Good wedding venue decor planning starts with thinking about how guests will move through the space and where your biggest decor pieces will have the most impact. A beautiful setup shouldn’t make guests squeeze around signs, florals or displays just to get where they’re going.
From our side, this is also where access starts to matter. A beautiful entrance setup can get complicated quickly if there are stairs, narrow doors or a long walk from the loading area, so those are details we like to know before setup day.
- Welcome sign – An acrylic or wooden welcome sign displays names, wedding date, and a greeting on an easel at the venue entry. Check out ideas for wedding signs from welcome signs to big marquees.
- Entrance flowers – Arrangements flanking doors, seasonal planters, or greenery garlands that match your color palette.
- Guest book table – A styled vignette with a guest book, pens, a small floral arrangement, and a framed instruction sign.
- Card and gift table – A clearly labeled gift table with a secure card box for guests to drop off gift envelopes, plus space for wrapped gifts and bags.
- Seating chart and escort cards – Place the seating chart where guests naturally pass between entrance and cocktail hour, with clear table numbers and alphabetized names. Signage includes seating charts and drink menus, so think of these as functional decor.
- Directional signage – Signs for the ceremony location, cocktail hour, restrooms, and parking, especially helpful at sprawling farms or multi level Nashville venues.
- Marquee initials or last name – Large marquee letters (like “LOVE” or the couple’s initials) at the entrance or main photo wall instantly establish the wedding style.
- Balloon or floral accents – Pair marquee letters with custom balloons for wedding décor or a flower arch to frame photos and guide guests toward the guest book area.
One thing we’ve noticed at weddings is that entrance décor usually looks best when there’s one main focal point instead of too many pieces competing for attention. If the marquee letters are doing the heavy lifting, a few white pearl balloons or florals around them can be enough to tie everything together without making the entrance feel crowded.
Wedding Ceremony Decor
Ceremony decor frames one of the biggest moments of the day, but it doesn’t have to be elaborate. Keeping this area focused can also leave more room in the budget for the reception. Altar decorations often feature flower arrangements and wedding arches, and these can be reused behind the sweetheart table later.
For us, the ceremony is about much more than how the space looks. Marriage is a covenant before God, where two people leave their separate lives and become one. Jesus speaks about this in Matthew 19:5–6, reminding us that what God has joined together should not be separated. The flowers, arches and décor can make the moment beautiful, but the commitment being made is what gives the ceremony its meaning.
- Ceremony arch – Wooden arches, modern metal frames, or floral arches. A wedding arch rented for a 30-minute ceremony can do double duty at the reception.
- Aisle décor – Aisle markers can include flowers, bows, or candles along the ceremony aisle, coordinated with the aisle runner if you’re using one. Think white fabric for a church, vintage rugs for a boho outdoor ceremony in Franklin, or petals for a garden wedding.
- Reserved-seat signs – Simple “Reserved” signage for the first rows for parents, grandparents, and VIP guests.
- Ceremony programs – Programs outline the order of events and participants. A basket at the entrance plus a welcome sign pointing guests toward seating works well.
- Floral arrangements – Larger arrangements at the front, asymmetric floor installations, or urns that define the focal point.
- Memorial display – A small table with framed photos, candles, or a sign honoring loved ones.
- Flower girl and ring bearer – Flower girl baskets traditionally carry petals or confetti; the ring bearer pillow or box coordinates with your style.
- Ceremony backdrop – A simple white or greenery backdrop keeps photos timeless. Smaller 4ft marquee letters (like “LOVE” or initials) can sit beside an indoor ceremony décor setup when space and power access allow.
Cocktail Hour Decor
Cocktail hour decor is lighter than reception decor, but it sets the tone between ceremony and reception while guests mingle and you steal a few private moments. Guest books and favor tables are common reception decor items, but moving the guest book to cocktail hour keeps that area active and gives guests something to do.
- Bar signage – A sign listing a “Nashville Old Fashioned” and a “Bride’s Spritz,” plus non-alcoholic options. Wine glasses, champagne flutes, and water goblets should match the glassware style across the celebration.
- Cocktail tables – High tops with linens in the wedding colors, each with a bud vase and votive candles.
- Lounge furniture – Sofas, accent chairs, and low tables to create cozy lounge areas for photos and relaxation.
- Seating chart and escort cards – A natural spot for guests to find their table assignment while waiting for the reception space to open.
- Photo display – Framed engagement photos or a relationship timeline on a console table.
- Games – Cornhole, giant Jenga, or trivia cards on cocktail tables double as decor and conversation starters. Not everyone wants to stand the entire time, so give guests options.
- Marquee letters – A 4ft marquee phrase like “CHEERS” or the couple’s initials from My Big Letters near the bar creates a built-in photo backdrop during cocktail hour.
Reception Table and Sweetheart Table Decor
Guests spend most of the evening at the reception, so table decor and the sweetheart table deserve extra planning. Use this wedding reception decor checklist as you’re reviewing the details with your wedding planner or day-of coordinator. By this point, it’s helpful to know not only what you’re using, but where everything is going and which vendor is responsible for setting it up and removing it.
We’ve seen how much the area behind a sweetheart table can change the overall look of a reception. A large marquee display can fill an otherwise blank space quickly, while a smaller setup may work better when the table already has florals, candles or other décor around it.
- Linens – Choose tablecloths, runners and napkins that work with your overall color palette. You can keep everything neutral or use the linens to bring in one of your wedding colors without competing with the centerpieces.
- Centerpieces – Mix low and tall arrangements for visual interest, or keep things simple with greenery runners, candles or bud vases. Just make sure guests can still comfortably see and talk to one another across the table.
- Candles and lighting – Votives, taper candles, pillar candles and string lights can completely change the feel of a reception once the main room lighting comes down. Always check the venue’s policy on open flames before planning around real candles.
- Place settings – Chargers, dinnerware, glassware, folded napkins and menus are another chance to carry your colors and style through the reception. Just make sure the table still feels comfortable once everything is in place.
- Table numbers and place cards – Keep these easy to read and consistent with the rest of your signage. Beautiful is great, but guests shouldn’t have to hunt for their table number.
- Cake and dessert table – A dedicated cake table with a linen, cake stand, florals, candles, and a cake topper. Style the dessert table with signage that clearly identifies options.
- Sweetheart table – Lush flowers, upgraded chairs, layered candles, and a backdrop that distinguishes it from guest tables.
- Marquee letters – Place wedding marquee letter rentals (like 7ft “LOVE” or the couple’s last name) behind or beside the sweetheart table. Preserve walkways, ensure power access, and avoid blocking photography sightlines or the dance floor. Keep enough open space around the dance floor so larger decor doesn’t crowd guests or interfere with photos.
Wedding Lighting, Backdrops, and Marquee Letters
Lighting and backdrops can completely change how a room feels, especially once the main venue lighting goes down for the reception. Marquee letters can act as both lighting and a focal point, and they’re usually one of the pieces guests end up photographing throughout the night. Weddings are becoming increasingly personal, with couples looking for ways to make the space feel more like them. Statement pieces such as custom signage, lighting and marquee letters can help create that feeling without filling every corner of the room with decor.
For Nashville wedding lighting ideas, think uplighting on walls, pinspots on the cake table, dance floor lighting, and string lights over outdoor spaces. Backdrops-black or white panels, greenery walls, flower walls, or draped fabric-create clean photo backgrounds behind the sweetheart table or in a photo booth corner. My Big Letters offers backdrops, flower walls, uplighting, and other add-ons that can be paired with our marquee letters.
Marquee Letter Ideas for Weddings
The best phrase usually depends on the room, the amount of space available and where you want the display to show up in photos. A few ideas we see work especially well are:
- LOVE
- Initials (e.g., “A & J”)
- Shared last name (“THE CARTERS”)
- MR & MRS
- JUST MARRIED
- Wedding date (e.g., “10 / 12”)
- Short phrases like “FOREVER” or “BEST DAY EVER”
- Wedding hashtag in 4ft letters for social-media-friendly photos
- Anniversary numbers for a milestone party or vow renewal
Should You Rent 7ft or 4ft Letters?
7ft marquee letters are best for large ballrooms, stages, venue entrances, outdoor lawns, and major focal points visible from across the room. They’re the ones that make guests stop and pull out their phones.
4ft marquee letters are ideal for venues with limited ceiling height or floor space, longer phrases, approved two-row stacked displays, sweetheart table backdrops, and cocktail hour setups.
A lot of the decision comes down to the room once we actually see the available space. Sometimes a 7ft display looks perfect for the idea a couple has in mind, but the 4ft letters give us more room for the full phrase without crowding the setup.
You can mix sizes-7ft initials at the dance floor and 4ft “BAR” or “CHEERS” in the cocktail area. Just confirm power access and weather considerations for outdoor setups.
Coordinate Marquee Letters With Other Decor
Pair marquee letters with balloon garlands, flower walls or backdrops to create a layered focal point. If the letters are going to be photographed heavily, avoid putting too many competing elements directly behind them. Uplighting in warm white works for romantic receptions; colored bulbs bring energy to the late-night dance floor. Decide on bulb colors that align with your florals, linens, and wedding color palette so everything feels cohesive.
Wedding Letter Setup Checklist: Placement, Power and Timing
Before your wedding day, confirm these details with My Big Letters and your venue. This also gives you a simple marquee letter setup timeline to work through with your venue and other vendors before load-in.
This is one of the parts couples usually don’t see until setup day, but it can have a big effect on the timeline. We like to know the load-in route, elevator or stair access, final setup location and distance from the truck before we arrive so we can plan accordingly.
- Available floor space (in feet) and ceiling height
- Whether letters will sit on a stage, dance floor edge, or flat ground
- Power outlets near planned letter locations
- Loading access, elevators, and timing for load-in and load-out
- Approved placement that complies with fire exits, walkways, and venue rules
- Installation time, final placement diagrams, and pickup schedule to avoid teardown conflicts
Final Wedding Decor Checklist
Use this condensed checklist the week before your wedding to make sure nothing slips through.
We’d also recommend sharing the final floor plan with your major décor vendors once placement is confirmed. Even a small location change can affect setup time, power access and how much room is available around larger pieces.
- Confirm the final color palette and decor style
- Approve the floor plan-table layout, ceremony layout, dance floor placement, and where each element goes
- Choose the marquee phrase: initials, last name, LOVE, or a custom phrase
- Select 7ft or 4ft marquee letters (or a mix) based on venue size
- Confirm backdrop, flower wall, and balloon add-ons
- Finalize all signage: welcome sign, bar menus, seating chart, escort cards, table numbers
- Confirm setup times and vendor arrival schedule
- Schedule finished-room photography before guests enter
- Confirm breakdown and pickup for all rental decor, including marquee letters, backdrops, and lighting
Rent Marquee Letters for Your Wedding
If you want one decor piece guests notice as soon as they walk into the room, large marquee letters are pretty hard to miss. Whether they’re behind the sweetheart table, beside the dance floor or greeting guests at the entrance, they can create a focal point without needing a lot of extra decor around them.
My Big Letters provides oversized 7ft and versatile 4ft marquee letters, numbers, and symbols for weddings throughout Nashville, Middle Tennessee, and events across Tennessee. Rentals can spell out initials, last names, LOVE, custom phrases, or wedding dates and can be paired with balloon garlands, flower walls, arches, backdrops, and event uplighting.
Every rental includes delivery, professional setup, and pickup, with a custom quote based on your letters, venue, and add-ons. A signed rental agreement and 50% deposit secure your date. Whether you need a ceremony backdrop, cocktail hour photo spot, reception entrance focal point or dance floor statement, we’d love to help. We love seeing a room come together and would be honored to play a small part in making your wedding day feel like yours.
At the end of the day, the décor helps set the scene, but the marriage is what the day is really about. Everything else should help create a space where you can celebrate that commitment with the people you love.
