32 Best Backdrops for Weddings

Baby's breath-lined aisle, ghost chairs, and bold baby's breath mandap — Photo by KT Merry

Wedding backdrops are one of the most important design moments at your ceremony. Meant to frame the newlyweds as they exchange vows, they serve as a focal point and define your ceremony space. A wedding backdrop can be a wooden altar, a piece of fabric, a floral installation, or truly anything that you can dream up that fit your wedding vision.

Wedding planner Annie Lee likens wedding backdrops to a play's set design. "With all the guests eyeballs and attention directed toward where the couple is standing, it's pretty important to make it pretty! If your resources are limited, I always funnel the investment for the one impactful ceremony main area rather than spreading it to other decor areas like the aisle," she shares.

Meet the Expert

Annie Lee is the principal planner of Daughter of Design and founder of Plannie.com.

We’re particularly fond of wall-style wedding backdrops because you can tailor them to any theme. "I love bringing interior design elements into wedding design," says Lee. "Using wallpaper or any kind of printed textile as a backdrop supplemented with flowers and plants really creates a layered and picturesque setting." If you’re having a laid-back outdoor ceremony, a rustic wooden arch or romantic altar of flowers can often do the trick. You don’t always need to build anything, though. Your venue's natural scenery, particularly when it affords you a view of a roaring ocean or vast mountain range, can serve as a statement-making ceremony backdrop without additional adornments.

Want inspiration to design your own backdrop for the wedding? Read ahead to see 32 ideas to inspire your ceremony décor.

65 Incredible Wedding Altar Ideas for Your Ceremony

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Take Advantage of Nature

Wedding ceremony on beach with wood chairs and florals on the sand — Photo by Emily Magers Photography

You don't need to create a huge installation in order to have a beautiful backdrop for your vow exchange. At this intimate Oregon wedding, the coastline framed the couple as they said "I do."

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Escape to the Tropics

Round wedding backdrop with greenery and white florals on the circle and on the ground — Photo by Merari Photography

Half minimalist, half maximalist, this circular backdrop is a tropical dream. Monstera leaves, lush greenery, and white roses and tulips adorn the backdrop in a crescent shape to make a modern statement. Extend the look into a semicircle shape on the ground to create a feeling of intimacy at the altar.

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Hang Your Florals

Round ceremony backdrop with white florals hanging, greenery, and white petals on the ground — Photo by Plum & Oak Photography

Get inventive with your arch with suspended strands of florals. This round altar at a backyard wedding in California showcased white garlands hanging upon a lovely backdrop of greenery.

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Go Graphic

Orange, rust, indigo, and peach modern arches arranged at wedding ceremony with floral arrangements — Photo by Carley Jayne Photography

Looking to make an impact with your wedding backdrop? Do so with a surprising display. This colorful backdrop is especially unique because it combines unexpected shapes, colors, and materials for a modern look.

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Frame Yourself With Trees

Bride and groom exchange vows during wedding ceremony under Saguaro trees in the desert — Photo by Brooke Miller Photography

There’s no need to get creative with your wedding backdrop when nature does all the work for you. These beautiful Saguaro trees at this Joshua Tree wedding served as epic ceremony decorations without any additional details. Even if your wedding isn’t in a desert setting, any grand tree, like an oak or willow, will make a similar statement.

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Bring the Garden Indoors

Wedding ceremony at museum with murals on walls, white floral arrangements on acrylic stands, and ghost chairs — Photo by K.R. Moreno

Take inspiration from a garden and bring it indoors. Oversized arrangements of white Duchess peonies, viburnum, Playa Blanca roses, white Majolica spray roses, tulips, and foxgloves perch atop acrylic stands for a stunning altar that’s somehow both traditional and modern.

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Look to the Sun

Bride and groom kiss in front of chuppah with hanging orange florals and white cloth — Photo by Forged In The North

This lovely chuppah reminds us of a sunset. Chrysanthemum flowers in shades of yellow, orange, pale pink, and white create a sunny palette in a floral curtain with an ombré effect. It's the perfect design for a ceremony taking place at dusk.

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Choose a Dramatic Doorway

Bride and groom kiss in front of Moroccan-inspired doorway at wedding ceremony — Photo by Tida Svy

Why spend money on a ceremony backdrop when your venue already has one for you? If the location features rich architecture, look for a dramatic entryway to say your vows in front of. You can always add a few touches, as this couple did with pink floral accents.

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Channel Your Inner Surfer

Wedding ceremony along coastline with wood chairs decorated with white florals and two surfboards — Photo by Angie Diaz Photography

We think this Oahu wedding backdrop, complete with banyan trees and endless ocean views, is already stunning on its own, but a couple took things a step further by adding gorgeous vintage wooden surfboards that served as twin ceremony pieces.

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Build a Flower Wall

Wedding ceremony with a white aisle, wood chairs, and a white and green floral wall — Photo by Harwell Photography

A custom-built wall of vivid white and green flowers complements this tropical oasis of a ceremony area. Pro tip: Repurpose your ceremony wall during the reception for a photo backdrop! We love a good statement piece that not only enhances a wedding’s design but saves money, too.

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Go Abstract

Two grooms kiss at wedding ceremony in front of a modern art piece as guests hold balloons — Photo by Trevor Mark Photography

Take note, artsy duos. This couple got married in an art gallery in New Orleans, meaning that a ceremony backdrop featuring bold artwork was practically a given. If you love this contemporary style, see which art galleries in your city are available as a venue. You can also get creative and DIY your own masterpiece with a canvas and some paint.

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Bring Out the Copper

Bride and groom kiss underneath a copper altar with greenery adn white florals — Photo by Jenn Emerling

This couple kept their backdrop simple so their altar could shine. Their florist constructed it out of copper piping and adorned it with greenery and white flowers for a final look that’s utterly sophisticated and romantic.

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Pick Pampas Grass

Pampas wedding ceremony altar along a coastline — Photo by Julieta Amezcua

If you love a bohemian aesthetic, ask your florist to utilize pampas grass for your ceremony backdrop. A tall arrangement of the grasses beautifully framed the couple during their Cabo wedding ceremony.

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Match the Aisles

Wedding ceremony in Cartegena with tall greenery and white florals along architecture and lining the aisle — Photo by Dos MÃs En La Mesa

A wall overflowing with greenery and white florals might sound simple, but the look is surprisingly statement-making, as evidenced by the incredible backdrop created for this wedding in Columbia. For a cohesive design, the couple asked their florist to create a lush aisle using the same blooms for a cohesive design.

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Make a Statement

Wood and blue paint ceremony arch in the desert — Photo by SoCal Standard

Construct an original arch design that will stand out at your ceremony. At a wedding at Zion National Park, this modern wood backdrop, complete with a unique blue interior, popped against the vast desert landscape.

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Embrace a Lush Design

Bride and groom underneath chuppah with lush greenery and hanging white florals — Photo by Adriana Rivera

If you love lush greenery, there's no reason not to take a "more is more" approach to creating a wedding backdrop, and this tropical Miami wedding is proof of that fact. Layered with a variety of different greenery and hanging white floral, the wooden chuppah was almost unrecognizable.

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Enhance a Gazebo

Wedding ceremony at a gazebo with white chairs, white floral arrangements, and greenery — Photo by Christine Flower

Gazebos are a classic choice for a wedding ceremony backdrop. At actress Vanessa Villela's San Diego celebration, she had the structure enhanced with timeless white blooms and greenery.

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Decorate a Table

Ceremony setup with paper lanterns, rattan lanterns, monstera leaves, pillar candles, palm leaves — Photo by Karla Garcia Costa

A table can be an excellent base for a ceremony backdrop. Decorate yours with tons of floral arrangements, candles, and other design accents to fit your aesthetic. We love the tropical take one couple chose for their backyard wedding in Miami.

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Think Big

Giant circle ceremony altar with pampas grass and white florals — Photo by Sarah Falugo; Design & Planning by Mindy Weiss Party Consultants; Floral Design by Arts District Florals

This oversized wreath of pampas grass is pure forest magic, especially when set against a backdrop of towering redwoods. The couple chose this six-foot-tall ring to symbolize their “eternal and everlasting love.” Come reception time, they moved it behind their sweetheart table to get the most use out of the grand design.

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Opt for Dried Florals

Floor-to-ceiling wedding flower wall ceremony backdrop with dried flowers, ferns, and baby's breath — Photo by Kate Headley; Design & Planning by Victoria Stachlewitz of Events by Honeybee; Floral Design by Susan McLeary

Gorgeous and decadent, this eight-by-eight dried flower wall is truly jaw-dropping. The bride wanted to evoke a floral tapestry and that’s exactly what she did with a mix of ferns, baby’s breath, andromeda, carnations, and delphinium.

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Embrace the Rainbow

Groom holding bride in front of a pink, blue, and yellow floral arch — Photo by Sylvie Rosokoff

Don't be afraid to really embrace bold hues in your backdrop. We love how the unique floral altar at this Brooklyn wedding didn't shy away from bright shades.

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Design Something Dramatic

Baby's breath-lined aisle and bold baby's breath mandap — Photo by KT Merry

You can enhance your wedding ceremony by commissioning a floral installation that’s larger than life. At this Wyoming wedding, a stunning baby’s breath structure inspired by Richard Serra’s art was a breathtaking backdrop for a traditional Indian wedding.

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Adorn Architecture

Garden ceremony with a fountain and florals decorating a sculpture — Photo by Bottega 53 Studio

Hosting a wedding at a historic venue? Enhance architectural elements with a burst of colorful florals to bring vibrancy to the space. We love how statues were adorned with beautiful blooms at a wedding in a Tuscan villa's garden.

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Design With Wire

Bride in sari and groom kiss in front of a wire structure floral wall with orange blooms — Photo by Ana Hinojosa

A wire structure can be a useful tool to create a dynamic display. At this Baja California wedding, one was used to support a beautiful flower wall with orange-hued blooms.

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Fashion a Wall of Wheat

Barn wedding with wheat backdrop at ceremony — Photo by Cassidy Carson Photography; Design & Planning by Fête Nashville; Floral Design by Enchanted Florist

Bunches of wheat were compiled to create a wedding backdrop that was absolutely perfect for this barn setting. The wheat wall brings in some golden shine to the ceremony.

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Try Something Geometric

bride and groom recess from wedding with wood arch and sunset-hued florals — Photo by Brett Hickman

A square backdrop may be an unexpected take on a wedding arch, but it's a beautiful way to frame your vows. We love how this wooden design was accented with bright blooms at this Southern California beach wedding.

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Go Low

Blue, purple, and red florals on the floor of wedding ceremony — Photo by Megan Robinson

You don’t need your ceremony background to reach large heights. Floral arrangements on the ground of a Utah barn wedding created an organic and whimsical setting for the couple’s vows.

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Add a Tent

Palm Springs wedding ceremony in front of a white tent with black trim — Photo by Katherine Ann Rose

Who knew tents could look so sophisticated? This black-and-white tented gazebo set against splendid palms and desert mountains is a stunning backdrop for a Palm Springs celebration. Urns filled with baby’s breath complete the makeshift altar.

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Float a Chuppah

floating chuppah made from greenery and white florals above a white stage with potted plants — Photo by Anna Marks Photography

This wedding backdrop has several things going for it. There’s the silver curtained background, which looks utterly rich behind a row of potted tropical plants, and the stunning floating chuppah created out of delphinium and smilax. Who wouldn’t want to say “I do” under that?

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Consider an Installation

Large round greenery arch at an Aspen wedding ceremony with runner — Photo by Luna de Mare; Design & Planning by Gold Leaf Event Design; Floral Design by Aspen Branch

Frame dramatic views with a circle installation covered in lush greenery, white flowers, and blackberries, and blueberries. It not only represents the unity of your love, but it also provides a window into the Aspen mountains beyond.

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Lean Into a Palette

Autumnal flower wall of colorful pampas grass and dried florals — Photo by Janelle Elise Photography

Dye can be helpful if you want to showcase particular hues at your ceremony. This stunning backdrop at a Minneapolis wedding featured colored pampas grass, dried foliage, and florals for a bold design approach.

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Hang Garlands

Flower garland wall against pink tile with yellow, pink, orange, purple, and red flowers — Photo by Brogen Jessup

Spruce up a wall and hang garlands to create a colorful ceremony backdrop. A simple tile wall at a San Diego wedding was made wedding-ready with the help of strung florals in shades of purple, pink, yellow, and orange.

65 Incredible Wedding Altar Ideas for Your Ceremony